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 39
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
THE CHURCHES.
The village of Ashmore boasts of three very stylish church edifices, viz., Methodist Episcopal, Cumberland Presbyterian and Old-School Presbyterian. The first religious society organized in the village, or now located in the village, was the Methodist. It was originally organized in the neighborhood in 1831, by Rev. Joseph Henry, a local preacher, with the following members: Dr. West and wife, C. Sousely and wife, Joseph McIntire and wife, Robert Modrell and wife, J. H. Modrell and wife, Matthew McLain and wife, James Hubanks and wife, William Austin. Sr., and his daughters, Frances and Mahala, Samuel P. Burr, George Modrell, Margery Modrell, Sarah Hubanks, Ruth Clark, Jennie Clark and Elizabeth Clark, and perhaps some others. The name of the first preacher, or circuit-rider, was Rev. Mr. Rhimon. The first church was built in 1869, in the village, and cost about $2,500. About 1838, in conjunc- tion with the Presbyterians, they built a log church some two miles west of the village, which they used for a number of years. This log church. school- houses and settlers' cabins were their places of worship, until the building of their church in Ashmore, and the organization has been kept up ever since first established in 1831. The present membership is thirty-five, and J. A. Burke, Pastor. The first Sabbath school was organized in 1831, by Methodists and Presbyterians, William Austin and James Hite, Superintendents, and has been run as a union school ever since, until last summer, when the Methodists organized a separate school. It numbers about eighty or ninety scholars, with L. C. Fell, Superintendent.
Hebron Church, of the Old-School Presbyterians, was organized on the 19th June, 1841, by a committee appointed by Palestine Presbytery, consisting of Revs. Isaac Bennett and James Reasoner, and Ruling Elders J. Balch and William Collom. The original members who went into the organiza- tion were Robert Brooks. Mary Brooks, James H. Bovell, Jane M. Bovell, Alfred J. L. Brooks, Mary Brooks, Robert A. Brooks, Samuel Hogue, Letitia Hogue. Sarah Moffett, James Moffett, Thomas C. Mitchell. Isabella A. Mitchell, Margaret J. Mitchell and Cynthia Moffett. The first Ruling Elders were Thomas C. Mitchell and Robert Brooks. Rev. Isaac Bennett preached occa- sionally for the Church for one year. He was succeeded by Rev. John McDowell, who preached twice a month for two years, beginning in May. 1842. Rev. John Steele was stated supply for the Church from 1844 to 1849, giving it one-half of his time. He was succeeded by Rev. Joseph A. Jarns in February, 1849, who supplied the pulpit for two years. From 1851 to 1855, Rev. James Cameron, who lived in Charleston, preached occasionally. For the next ten years, from 1855 to 1865, various ministers were connected with the church as stated supplies, giving it a part of their time from their other charges in the following order : Revs. John McDole. A. J. Cameron. R. A. Mitchell, James A. Allison, HI. I. Venable and Nathaniel Williams. In October. 1865. Rev.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
S. J. Bovell was called to the charge as stated supply, and has without any interruption continued to hold this relation up to the present time. Since its organization, 160 persons have been received into membership, about 60 now constituting the membership, the depletion being caused by death and removals. Only three of the original members are now living, viz., A. J. L. Brooks, James Moffett and Letitia Hogue. I. S. Wright, I. M. Moffett, T. J. Bull and A. J. L. Brooks are the Ruling Elders. The first church-building was located two miles west of the village of Ashmore, near the former residence of James Galbraith, and was a log structure, and built in connection with the Methodists. In 1867, a neat and commodious church-building was erected in the village, at a cost of $3,300, but the organization still retained the name of Hebron, and was known as Hebron Church, under the care of Mattoon Presbytery. The church was dedicated on the 20th of October, 1867. The history of the Sabbath school is similar to that of the Methodist Church above given, and was a union school with that church until the past summer, when the school was divided.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in 1858, under the ministerial charge of Rev. James Ashmore, who was the first regular Pastor. The church was commenced in 1866 and completed the following year. It is an elegant brick edifice and cost about $7,500, and is under the pastoral charge of Rev. A. B. McDavid, with a membership of about one hundred and twenty- five. H. J. Ashmore, one of the benevolent citizens of Ashmore, contributed to the building of this church edifice $3,500. While it was in process of erec- tion, the agent of the Cumberland Presbyterian College at Lincoln, Ill., came to the village, and hearing of Mr. Ashmore's liberality, called on him to know how much interest he wanted in the Lincoln College. "Two hundred dollars," replied Mr. Ashmore, and paid over the money. A Sunday school was organ- ized by this church in 1860, and has an average attendance of 120, under the superintendence of O. F. Ashmore.
Ashmore Lodge, No. 390, was organized in the fall of 1863, with the fol- lowing charter members, viz. : A. N. Graham, W. P. Ferris, Caleb Reed, Ham- ilton Bennett, J. A. Brown, M. W. Barnes, John Campbell, O. D. Hawkins, W. S. Vanmeter, W. N. Young and Robert Boyd, of whom the following were the first set of officers : W. S. Vanmeter, Worshipful Master ; A. N. Graham, Senior Warden ; Caleb Reed, Junior Warden ; John Campbell, Treasurer ; M. W. Barnes, Secretary ; W. P. Ferris, Senior Deacon ; W. N. Young, Junior Deacon, and Robert Boyd, Tiler. The present roll of officers are : P. B. Parcell, Worshipful Master ; W. R. Comstock, Senior Warden ; John Wood- worth, Junior Warden ; P. M. Shleppy, Treasurer ; L. C. Fell, Secretary ; W. E. Franklin, Senior Deacon ; Christian Miller, Junior Deacon, and I. N. Moon, Tiler, with the names of twenty-nine members on the records.
The village of Ashmore was incorporated April 19, 1867, and the following Trustees elected to look after its welfare : Jacob A. Brown, Thomas O'Brien,
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
William Bass, William P. Ferris and A. F. Robertson. The Board organized by electing Jacob A. Brown and A. F. Robertson, Clerk. The present Board is as follows, viz. : Adam Coon, President, and Thomas O'Brien, William T. March, William L. Cox, Thomas Austin and John G. Parker. J. O. Brown is Clerk, A. F. Robertson, Police' Magistrate, and Thomas W. Hogue, Town Marshal.
VILLAGE OF HITESVILLE.
Ilitesville is an old village, or would be, if still in existence, but it has passed away, "among the things that were." It was laid out April 15, 1835, by James Hite, for whom it was named, and who appears to have been an enter- prising citizen. At one time, it was quite a village, with stores. shops. and every appearance of becoming a town. But, railroads passing near, new villages have sprung into being, which have literally swallowed up Hitesville. leaving scarce a trace to tell where it stood. At an early day, a Presbyterian Church was organized at Hitesville, by Rev. John Steele. The church was built almost entirely by Mr. Hite, the neighbors contributing but a small amount of the means toward its erection. Hite finally moved away. sold the church, which was converted into a dwelling, and used as such for awhile. and then torn down. Prior to its discontinuance as a church, however, the Christian denomination organized a church, and erected a building at this place, about 1840. It soon became too small for the increasing membership : was sold, and a larger one built during the late war, at a cost of $2,500. and is a handsome frame building. Its present membership is something over 100, and has, since its organization. numbered 200 members. but has been thinned out by death and removals. The present Pastor is Elder James Steele. but Elder P. K. Honn has been the minister in charge of it almost from its organization, until age compelled him to retire from active labors. This is about all there is left to tell where Hitesville once stood.
St. Omer was never laid out as a village, but at one time was a collection of perhaps half a dozen houses, a store, post office, blacksmith-shop, etc. The Ashmores opened a store at the place many years ago, and a man named Hogue kept one on the road, about half a mile from St Omer, at the same time. But, like Hitesville, and from a similar cause, St. Omer has disappeared. A church and two or three dwellings are all that is left. The church belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterians, and is one of the pioneer church organiza- tions of Coles County. The society was originally organized in a schoolhouse near the present village of Ashmore, with thirty-seven members, on the 30th of May, 1842. John Mitchell, William Austin, Sr., and Alexander Mont- gomery were the first elders. Though originally organized near Ashmore. its membership was largely of St. Omer. and the church-building was erected at the latter place, about 1857, at a cost of $1,200, not including the lot on which it stands. It is a frame building. 30x40 feet, with a membership at present of about one hundred, under the pastoral charge of Rev. A. B. MeDavid. Its
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
aggregate membership since organization is about three hundred and seventy. The present Elders are John Dollar, Josiah Bitner, J. Keran, Daniel Wicker and Milton W. Barnes ; the latter is the Clerk of the Board. The deacons are Joseph W. Bitner and John F. Childress.
POLITICS AND WAR.
Ashmore village and township, taken together, are Republican in politics. The war record of the town is good. In all of our little "scrimmages," Ash- more has participated, to a greater or less extent. The war of 1812, the Black Hawk war of 1832, the Mexican war, and our last unpleasantness, all had representatives from this section, and even one or two soldiers in the Revolu- tionary struggle afterward wandered to this region. In our last war, the great rebellion, many of the citizens shouldered their muskets and offered themselves to their country. The following are among the enlistments from this township so far as we have been able to gather them: Dr. A. F. Steele, Company C, Sixty-second Illinois Infantry ; Nathaniel Davis, Company H, Third Missouri Cavalry, as Sergeant ; William T. Moore, Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-third Indiana (100 days); Elias Moore, Company H, Fifty-ninth Illi- nois Volunteers ; F. M. Waters, One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois Vol- unteers, as Chief Musician ; Joshua Rickets entered J. W. Bissell's Engineer Regiment of the West, as private, and was promoted to Second and then First Lieutenant, served twenty months, and resigned; William C. Kimball, Com- pany H, One Hundred and Twenty-second Ohio Volunteers ; Sidney Epperson, Company H, Fifty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, promoted to Quartermaster; Rhodes Epperson, Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois Vol- unteers ; Martin Turner, Company -, One Hundred and Twenty-third Illi- nois Volunteers, killed in battle of Perryville ; Thomas J. Bull, Company C, - Iowa Cavalry ; Adon Wiley, Company E, Seventy-ninth Illinois Vol- unteers. There were, perhaps, many others from the township, but we have been unable to learn their names.
PLEASANT GROVE TOWNSHIP.
This township is the middle one in the southern tier of townships in the county. It is a little irregular in shape, being bounded on the east by the Embarrass River, which follows a southern course, slightly inclining westward. The township is eleven sections long and four wide. This will give it forty. four sections, or 28,160 acres. As a part of the eastern sections are, however, in Hutton Township, there is probably not that amount of land by two thousand acres. The land is, in the main, excellent for farming purposes. It originally was nearly all covered with a dense growth of good timber, hence the township is among the earliest settled in the county. The only prairie of any size is one known by the very unclassical name of "Goose-Nest Prairie." It was probably
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
a fine-looking piece of country to the eyes of the first white man who saw it ; but whether he gave it that name from finding a goose's nest there, or from its fancied resemblance to that repository of goose eggs, or whether he had been a classic student in his day, and had read of the fabled goose which laid a golden egg every day. and made it so valuable, is a matter of some difference of opinion. Some say the primeval white man here looked upon the scene spread out before him and exclaimed, " This is the very goose nest." Others affirm he found a goose's nest here, and hence the name. If any of our readers care to pursue the subject to its end, and settle the point, we refer them to several old residents in the " Goose Nest " whom they can examine, and with whom they can argue the point. Which of the three origins is correct matters but little now ; one thing is certain, that name, so illustrative of the disposition of frontier life, will always stay.
The timber originally found in this township, much of which yet remains, is composed of all varieties indigenous to this part of Illinois. The most valuable is now nearly all gone, that remaining consisting of a more common kind, and used chiefly for fire-wood and fencing. As much of this abounds, but little, if any, coal is used in the township.
No streams of water traverse this part of the county, save a few small tribu- taries of the Embarrass and Muddy Creek. The largest is the little Indian Creek, which rises in Section 36, in La Fayette Township, and flows southeasterly almost entirely through Pleasant Grove. It has one small affluent, rising in Section 3. Neither the main creek nor its branch is of a size to be of any practical use, save drainage. Two little creeks flow southward through the western part of the township, affording, like the Little Indian, a partial drainage to that part of The principal one is known as Big Muddy, from the character of its country.
waters. Near it was an early settlement in this part of Coles County. The main surface of Pleasant Grove Township is somewhat undulating in appear- ance. There is not much wet land to be found in its borders. A few swamps are here and there to be seen, but these admit of easy drainage. and will, in time, all be brought under cultivation.
On Section 23, in this township, exists a natural curiosity. On a spot of ground, covering about one-half acre in extent, are ten springs, each sending forth a stream of remarkably cold water, highly impregnated with different medicinal qualities. What is strange, is that no two springs are alike in the quality of water they emit. One spring will be highly impregnated with car- bonate of soda, while near it will be another impregnated with iron, another with chloride of sodium, and so on-as many different waters as there are springs. As all are medicinal in their qualities, many persons resort here for the cure of various diseases which these waters are supposed to benefit. Indeed. many are bettered by coming here, and it is the intention to fit up a place, so that accommodations can be furnished those desiring to come. The springs are now owned by Dr. Halbrook, who keeps, temporarily, many patients in his
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
house, near the springs. The place evidences being a favorite resort of the Indians, as a great abundance of relics of these aboriginal inhabitants are found here.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
* *
" Then, looking eastward o'er the plain, I saw a slowly-moving train Of objects coming, far away. Like schooners floating on the bay.
" Their whitened sails were neatly spread, And slowly on their course they sped, As, westward still they kept their way, Toward the setting orb of day."
The picture presented by Mr. George Balch of the coming of the emigant, in the above lines, is vividly true of the arrival of the first settlers to Central Illinois. No railways then existed in the great West. Indeed, they were only known in the East, and were more dreaded in England, where they began, than liked. They were then in crude infancy, and were not thought of in the West. Hence, the picture of their "whitened sails neatly spread," as the wagons of the pioneers came Westward, is not in the least overdrawn. They came chiefly from the South-from Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama-as the sequel shows . in the mention of each one.
Emigrants coming from these various Southern localities, at that day, gen- erally converged at a point on the Ohio River, at or below Louisville. From there they came north, through Western Indiana, to Vincennes, the oldest set- tlement on the Wabash. From this place, sometimes they came directly west to their various localities, or went on north to Terre Haute, and from that place went to their chosen homes. Sometimes, however, they went on down the " beautiful river," on flatboats, to old Shawneetown, where they disembarked, reloaded their goods and themselves into their wagons, and came north to Carmi or Mount Carmel ; from either of which places they could find routes north- ward. While on the way, they encamped wherever night overtook them, gen- erally making some grove of trees and stream of water their halting-places. Mr. Balch in his poem, from which two verses are already quoted, further describes their mode of camp-life. We subjoin it, as better descriptive of that scene than anything we have found :
" Four hundred miles behind them lay Their native land, so far away- Their childhood's home, their place of birth, Their father's and their mother's hearth.
" Before them stretched the boundless West, In all its native grandeur dressed ; Where, fresh from the Almighty's hand, There lay a second Promised Land.
.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
" But now the sun, adown the west, In crimson clouds was robed for rest ; While in the east, with hidden sheen, The Goddess of the Night was seen,
" Too modest to unveil her light Until her lord had passed from sight. The weary day being almost spent, The pilgrims halt and pitch their tent.
" Beside a limpid, babbling rill, With shady groves along the hill Where savage bands, in other days, Had seen their sparkling camp-fire blaze ;
" And round it danced in savage glee Like beasts, as wild, like birds, as free. But as they now far west had fled, The pilgrims had no foes to dread.
" Their jaded steeds were loosed, at will To crop the herbage from the hill ; Their sparkling camp-fire's cheerful light Kept back the gathering shades of night,
" Which drew their sable curtains round The pilgrims' lonely camping-ground. While cheerful chats and cheering song Soon whiled a pleasant hour along
" In which their meal had been prepared, And by each one was gladly shared. Then, ere the pioneers retire, They gather round their cheerful fire,
" And talk of scenes in other years, Of rising hopes and boding fears, Of childhood's happy hours, now fled, Of once loved friends, who now are dead,
" Qf kindred dear, they left behind When starting west, new homes to find. In fancy saw the schoolhouse still, As once it crowned their college hill,
" While in its shady groves they strayed, And ' hide-and-seck' in fancy played ; Or gathered round their grape-vine swing And heard their comrades' voices ring.
" Those comrades too, had left their plays- Forever gone their childhood days- And now, with trusty sword and shield, Like them were on life's battle-field.
" Some talked of ' mother's' carnest prayer ; Some of ' father's' anxious care : These, too, they feared they ne'er would meet This side the ' city's golden street.'
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
" The little church, to them so dear, Engaged their thoughts and claimed a tear ; They prayed that God would bless the place Where first they tasted of his grace.
" They called to mind their pastor's care, His counsel wise, and faithful prayer ; Rejoicing that they had a friend Whose prayers for them would still ascend
" To God, who, though enthroned on high, Will hear the lowly when they cry. And now to Him their thoughts are turned, While in their hearts for Him they yearned :
" For man is sure, when left alone, To think of God, and heaven and home. But darker grew the shades of night, The evening star had passed from sight,
" The Pleiades shone from on high Like sparkling gems set in the sky : While higher still Orion swung, And sweeter evening's anthems sung.
" And there, around that lone camp-fire, Before the pioneers retire, They bow beneath the solemn grove And chant to God these lines of love.
" With heart and voice, and bended knee, Our Father, God, we come to Thee; No temple built by human skill, No ritual made by human will, Have we to bring.
"Our hearts shall be Thy temple home, Where Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone ; And in these temples built for praise, Our humble notes of song we raise, Thy love to sing.
" We praise Thee for Thy constant care; For grace, the ills of life to bear ; For strength to help us on our way, And bread of life from day to day, Which we partake.
" And now, we give ourselves to Thee, Oh, keep Thy trusting children free ! And guard us through the shades of night, And wake us with the morning light, For Jesus' sake.
" Thus trusting on a Sovereign Lord, They rose from off the grassy sward, And soon retired to peaceful rest, With naught but love within each breast.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
" Their jaded steeds rest on the hill, Their tinkling bell is hushed and still, And silence reigns throughout the earth, Like that which reigned before its birth."
Mr. Balch continues in this poem to note the rise in the morning of the pioneers ; their search for a home ; their success in finding one in a forest through which a stream courses its way, and the erection of their cabin-home. . It is very strikingly portrayed, and speaks well for his native genius. Had he had the advantages of an education, he would take rank with many writers widely known. As it is, we understand he intends publishing a volume of his poems, in which the remainder of the poem we quote will appear. Its length precludes further quotation in our pages.
Just who was the first settler in Pleasant Grove-often called Pleasant Prairie-is now hard to determine. Mrs. Chowning states that her father, John Gordon, came to the Kickapoo settlement in 1826. and the next year, she thinks in the spring, he moved down to Pleasant Grove, where she is now living. There he found an unfinished log cabin, built by an old Baptist preacher, called " Daddy " Barham. This cabin Mr. Gordon completed and used as a residence. Others, however, differ from this statement. Some assert that the first settle- ment was made in this township in 1827, by Isaac Fancher and Buck Houchin, near the head of Muddy Point Creek. This is the generally accepted view, and is given as true by Capt. Adams in his Centennial Address. Still, others claim that Jack Price came here prior to Fancher or Houchin, and that to him belongs the honor. From a pretty close investigation of the subject we are inclined to the opinion given by Capt. Adams. The weight of testimony is in favor of Fancher and Houchin. Price must have followed them closely, how- ever, and may have been with them.
It is likely that these persons are all that settled in this township that year. If they brought their families as Mr. Gordon did, there were four settlers and four pioncer homes in the township that fall.
The next year. Mr. Joseph Glenn, then a young man, visited this settle- ment. After satisfying himself as to its desirableness, he determined to locate. He informed Mr. George Balch afterward, that when he came here, there were five families in this settlement, and that he thought no others existed in the township. He says Dorcas Tulley, who lived near the south line of the county where John T. Jones now resides, was among the number. He also mentions Mr. Fancher. He named all of them, but the names have escaped Mr. Balch's memory. Those that we have mentioned would make just this number. and are, probably, the families Mr. Glenn referred to. Mr. Glenn lived here until a short time since, when his death occurred. He was rather widely known, and was blessed with an excellent memory. It is to be regretted now that he did not write down for preservation his recollections of the days he first lived here, and the events passing at the time. He, like many another, did not realize their value, and thus much of the early history of this part of Illinois is lost.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
Mr. Glenn went to Lawrence County in the fall of 1829. He married Ellen Reynolds in 1830 or 1831, who was born in Illinois in 1808 or 1809, and is yet living. She is one of the oldest native-born citizens in this county. Mr. Glenn's farm was long known as the "Glenn Place," and was brought by its owner to a high state of cultivation.
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