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 41
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A good story it told of two aspiring youthful Nimrods in this township, which is certainly worth a place in its annals. A certain farmer had a field of corn. where the grass had been allowed to grow after it was planted until a good growth had been gathered. Deer and all kinds of game abounded then in great numbers. The deer would come to this field at night. soon after the corn was cut, and eat the leaves from the stalks around the shocks. By this means they had destroyed a good deal of fodder. This the owner did not relish much but could see no way to help himself. The two youthful hunters determined securing some of the deer, and secretly made arrangements therefor. Going into the field in question after dusk, they had not long to wait till they heard a rustling in the leaves, and waited with beating hearts the approach of the game. Soon a dark object came near enough and one of them raised his gun and fired. The object fell. "Now," said the other, "havn't we done it?" " We!" replied his comrade, contemptuously, " haven't I done it?" By this time they had reached the object, which gave a pitiable bleat, and they found- a calf. "Now," said the one who had fired the shot, " haven't we done it ?" " Yes," said the other. " haven't you done it?" To the boys' credit, it must be said, they skinned the calf, took the hide to the owner, and paid him for the damage. They could have gone off and no one known who had killed the calf. But for many a day they heard not the last of " that calf story ! "
The young men learned to enjoy it with all the rest, and will, if they are liv ing and see this description, enjoy a laugh over their exploit.
Of the remaining history of Pleasant Grove Township, little can be said. That of the churches and schools will appear in separate chapters, and will add to the value of these annals. On down through the Mexican war, in which Col. Adams and a few of her citizens took a part; through the era of the rebuilding of railroads, in 1854, 1855 and 1856, to the time the Grayville and Mattoon Road was begun and until it was completed, we find no incidents of con- sequence. The G. & M. Railroad brought a market near the township and affords an easy outlet for its products. There is, in the history of this township, the narrative of one family, who produced a man whose name and deeds will live while the world shall endure, which must not be omitted. We have reserved mention of them until this time, as we desired giving what could be gleaned concerning them in an unbroken account. We refer to the Lincoln family.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
They were from Kentucky, and traced their lineage to an ancient family on Atlantic Coast. The parents of the President, who lived during their declining years in this township, are the only ones of the name who dwelt in this county or even, we believe, in this State. Thomas Lincoln was, all his life, one of those easy, honest, commonplace men, who take life as they find it, and, as a consequence, generally find it a life of poverty. He left Kentucky, where he had in vain essayed to prosper, about the year 1816, and located on the north shore of the Ohio River, in Spencer County, Ind., where he and his son, then a lad of about eight years old, kept a ferry. He remained here a few years, when he removed to a farm which he purchased, a few miles north of the county seat, in Spencer County. Here Abraham's mother died, and here, in a little country church-yard, unmarked by any stone, and shaded by a few straggling forest- trees, she is quietly sleeping. Two years after, his father married again. In 1830, the family removed from Spencer County to Macon County. Ill., settling about ten miles southwest of Decatur. Here Abe Lin- coln, then just of age, aided the family in their start on the prairies, and here he split the rails, which, in after years, cut the important figure in politics almost akin to the log cabin and hard cider in Harrison's day. The next spring, the young man went into life for himself, earning, it is said, his first money on a flatboat. The parents, left to themselves, made a poor living, and. a little over a year after, removed to the southwest part of Coles County, near the line between Paradise and Pleasant Grove, and essayed to begin life anew. They arrived here in the fall of 1831, having been in Macon County since the spring of 1830. They settled near Buck Grove, where they built a cabin, and remained a few months, probably till the following spring, when they moved to Goose-Nest Prairie, obtained some land, erected a cabin and settled down to life. Mr. Lincoln, though an excellent man, and a much-esteemed citizen, possessed no faculty whatever of preserving his money, when he made any, hence he always remained poor. He was easily contented, had few wants, and those of a primitive nature. He was a foe to intemperance, strictly honest, and, supposing others the same, often suffered pecuniary losses. Ile left the active management of his affairs gradually to his stepson, John Johnston, and, erecting himself a cabin on a knoll, on the west- ern part of his land, passed his declining days in comparative ease, measured by his own estimate. He lived to see his son an excellent lawyer, and, when Abe was on his circuits. practicing law, he always came out to the old cabin to visit his parents. It was his custom, on such occasions, to load his buggy with provisions and take them with him. Thomas Lincoln lived on the farm until January 9, 1851, when he died. from an attack of fever. Abraham Lincoln had come to see him in response to his wish through a letter from Mr. A. H. Chap- man. and spent some time with him. He left word to send for him in case the disease assumed a malignant form. A severe attack soon followed his depart- ure. proving fatal, and before Abe could be notified, his father was gone. In
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his early life, he joined the Baptists ; afterward, the " Presbyterian-Baptists," as they were called, and finally, owing to a disaffection in the church, the Chris- tians, in whose communion he died. He had learned to read and write, after his marriage : but as far as any further education was concerned, he had none. He was noted for his peaceable qualities; for settling, arbitrarily, disputes among his neighbors, and was, in that respect, universally respected. While in the old cabin, where he lived and died, we were shown the family record, copied by Mr. Hall from a leaf of the family Bible. It is well worth recording, and we give it entire. It reads :
" Thomas Lincoln was born Jan. 6, 1778, and was married June 6, 1806, to Nancy Hanks, who was born Feb. 5, 1784.
" Sarah Lincoln, daughter of Thomas, and Nancy Lincoln was born Feb. 20, 1807.
" Abraham Lincoln, son of Thomas and Nancy Lincoln, was born Feb. 12, 1809.
" Sarah Bush, first married to Daniel Johnston and afterward second wife of Thomas Lincoln, was born Dec. 13, 1788.
" John D. Johnston, son of Daniel and Sarah Johnston, was born May 10, 1810, and married to Mary Barker Oct. 13, 1834, who was born July 22, 1816."
When Mr. Lincoln died, the estate came into Mr. Johnston's hands, who, not then realizing the value attached to many of the family records, allowed them to be carelessly carried off by idle curiosity-hunters and become lost. Mr. Lincoln now lies buried in the little Gordon church-yard, no monument marking his grave save " a hillock and bowlder." Mr. George B. Balch has embalmed the spot in poetry, which we present our readers in preceding pages. After Abraham Lincoln was elected to the Presidency, he visited the grave of his father in company with A. H. Chapman and John Hall. It was on a rather cold day in February, just preceding his inauguration, and after viewing the spot, the party returned to Farmington, where a sumptuous dinner had been prepared for the distinguished man. When Mr. Lincoln returned to Charleston, he asked one of the younger members of the Hanks family to find out the probable cost of a tombstone for his father's grave. During the conversation on the subject, Mr. Lincoln asked Mr. Chapman what he thought the expense would be. Mr. Chapman answered not less than $40, or more than $60, he thought. "Well," said the President, " see what it will cost and let me know at. Washington, and I will send you an inscription I want put on." The war came on, and he could not attend to it. It has been erroneously supposed that he left money, and it was not appropriately used. This, Mr. Chapman says, is untrue, and that the only arrangement made was the one already given. Fur- ther proof is given in a letter from Mrs. Lincoln after her husband's untimely death, wherein she refers to the thought often expressed by the President that as soon as his term of office expired, he would return here and see to the erec-
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tion of the monument. As his estate is ample now to put such a monument as will perpetuate the memory of Thomas Lincoln, when properly presented before the heirs, they will no doubt attend to it. Another rumor is prevalent in the community where Thomas Lincoln died. It is supposed that when the President visited the grave at the time mentioned, he cut the letters ". T. L." on a walnut board and drove it into the ground at the head of the grave. This the writer of these pages endeavored to find, but could not. Mr. Chapman says he did not cut the letters and place the board at the grave as represented. He was with him all the time, and he says no such thing happened. The board in question was found by the writer to be the end of a fence rail, with the letters "T. E." cut in it, and standing at the foot of the grave. Rumors of all kinds are easily started ; but no one could be found who knew the board was there, or who knew the money was left. "Nathan had told Nathan's son," and that was all there was about it. After the death of Thomas Lincoln, " Grandmother Lincoln," as she was always called, lived on the old farm or with her relatives in Charleston and Farmington. She was a kind, good woman, and died universally respected. She lies buried in the same church-yard with her husband, and like him has no stone to mark her resting- place. During her life, she was allowed the benefits of the farm, which after her death passed into the hands of her son, John Johnston. Mr. John Hall purchased it from him and now resides there.
THE SCHOOLS.
As has been noticed, Theron E. Balch taught a school in a small pole cabin in the winter of 1829-30. Some place it the next winter ; but the weight of opinion favors the time given. School was continued here with commendable regularity each winter, and sometimes in the summer. All were supported by subscription. Each patron subscribed as many pupils as he could send at $2.50 each per quarter-three months, and paid the tuition in various articles of bar- ter, coonskins, beeswax, hides, honey, or whatever the dominie could exchange for board or clothing. As the different parts of the precinct settled, other schools were built, and as these settlements grew, better houses appeared. But little if any change occurred in the modes of instruction, length of term, and mode of paying the teacher until a revenue was derived from the State Treasury from the sale of school lands. Again, in 1844, 1845 and 1846, the revenue was farther augmented by the gradual adoption of free schools, i. e., supported by a general tax. These. in time, superseded the old subscription schools. Now. the law compels each district to conduct a school a certain number of months in the year to derive any benefit from the general fund. In addition to this, the Directors of each district may levy such a tax as they deem sufficient to carry on the school a month or two in excess of the time required by law. This gives in many districts, school from six to nine months in each year. The old log school with its puncheon floor, slab seats, paper window, long writing-
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
desk, broad, open fire-place, cross teacher, Smiley's Arithmetic, American Speller, and other primitive appliances, is now a thing of the past. Since 1860, better houses and higher grades of instruction are required, and a con- sequent advantage and advancement the result. Frame houses began to appear in 1858, 1859 and 1860; and, in 1853, a brick one arose on the site of Farm- ington. It was, however, intended as a seminary, but after serving a while in that capacity, became a common schoolhouse, and finally a store.
CHURCHES.
Incidental mention has been made throughout the preceding pages of churches and schools in Pleasant Grove Township, reserving a more extended notice of these subjects in a separate chapter. The first church in this part of the county was built on the Little Indian Creek in 1832. Two years before, on August 30, 1830, the Presbyterian Church of Pleasant Prairie, so say the rec- ords, was organized by the Rev. B. F. Spillman, connected with, and under the care of, the General Assembly. The organization was effected with four- teen members. They were Thomas Mayes, Agnes Mayes, Theron Balch. Ann Boyd, Thomas MeCracken, Nancy McCracken, James Ashmore, Cassandra Ashmore, Rachel Ashmore, Margaret Ashmore, William Wayne, Mary Wayne, James Logan and Elizabeth Logan. Of these persons none are now living. They met for organization at the house of Theron Balch, it is supposed, or, if the pole cabin schoolhouse was erected, there. Whether Mr. Spillman remained long preaching here, is not known. Probably not, as it is thought he was over this part of Illinois looking after scattering members of the Presbyterian congregations, and organizing them into churches. Hence, he would be here but a little. Their earliest minister was Rev. Isaac Bennett, a rather eccentric character, who, it will be observed, is noticed elsewhere in this work. He was here some three or four years. This church was the first Presbyterian Church established in the county, and was, for a number of years, the only place of worship in the township. The Church records show no additions until the next summer. On July 24, 1831, fourteen more members are received, eleven on certificate, and three on profession. These are the members of the colony whose history is given on previous pages. They came the fall after the organi- zation of the Church, but, being principally members of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church, waited a while hoping to found a church of their own. As the settlement was young, however, they gave up such plans for awhile, and joined with the Indian Point Church.
The next summer-1832-on June 1, the members met and agreed to donate so many days of work each, in building a church. It was to be of logs. 24x30 feet in size. The original list of 'subscriptions show from two to twelve days' labor subscribed by each one, while Mr. Barnett subscribed twenty-six spikes, and William Wayne thirty bushels of lime. In all, eighty days were subscribed, and, that fall, the church was raised and covered. It
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
could be used only in the warm weather, as no floor or windows were yet made. The flooring was afterward sawn out by a whip-saw, an exceedingly long and tiresome process, while the siding and roof were made from slabs split out with a maul and wedges, and dressed with a frow. The church, made in this man- ner, was considered quite an affair, for the times, and, considering the appli- ances at hand, and the labor necessary to build a frame house in that manner, it is certainly creditable. It had two doors in front, between which the pulpit was placed. The latter was one of those high, old-fashioned, box-like affairs, behind which the minister was pretty effectually screened. It is said that, when Mr. Bennett sat down in it, the top of his head only was visible to the congregation. The seats in this church were made by placing long slabs on trestles. They were without backs, and placed rather closely together. If any one became sleepy then, as now, and wanted to lean his head forward on the seat in front, he had a poor chance, surely. May be they did not get sleepy then, as they do now ; the room was always well ventilated, and the sermon more of a rarity than now. The church remained in its unfinished condition about two years. The one who subscribed the lime failed to produce it, and, as Rev. John McDonald, now the Pastor, possessed energy in worldly matters, as well as in spiritual, he, with the aid of Mr. Nicholson, yet living in the neighborhood, prepared to remedy the deficiency, and make the house comfort- able in cold as well as in warm weather. Rev. McDonald found a lime-rock in the Indian Creek, and it was determined to use it to plaster the church. Logs were hauled by the members and piled around and on it, and, being set on fire, burned it to a pulverized condition. By the aid of sand, also found here, Mr. McDonald and his parishioners made an excellent plaster, and, having put split lath on the inner side of the house, the worthy minister plastered the church with his own hands. As the weather was cold at the time, he took up the floor of the church, made a bed of sand in the center of the inclosure, and therein kept a great fire burning until the plastering was thoroughly dried.
In 1834, the congregation employed Rev. James H. Shields, of Indiana, one- half his time. He, however, sent them word, afterward, that he could not attend. The congregation was growing very well at this date, the main losses being those who left to unite with other churches of their own particular creed, which they could not find when they came first to the country. Rev. Bennett remained here, at different times, several years. He had been in the county when it was first settled ; had made three trips on horse-back between Philadel- phia and his charges in the West, and had seen the infant congregations expand into self-supporting charges. His old, faithful horse passed its declining days in this part of the State, dying at last in Lawrence County, where, out of respect to its master and its own good service, it was given a decent interment by some young men.
In examining old records of the Church, and, indeed, of all churches of that date, we find many phases of human life exemplified. Then the church
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
assumed more of the functions of a court than now, and tried persons who com- mitted acts unworthy their profession. The records of Indian Point Church show that a certain member was found " guilty of making cheese on the Sab- bath Day," and was suspended. Others are, at times, " admonished." The church grew all the while, and, where any took offense at such proceedings, they were at liberty to withdraw.
This part of the West was too remote in the wilderness to note the trans- actions of important events when they transpired. It took several weeks for the news to reach the inland settlement of Illinois at that day. Hence, when the dismemberment of the great Presbyterian Church occurred, we find no note is taken of it in Pleasant Prairie until a year or two after it had occurred. On August 9, 1839, the members of the Pleasant Prairie Church met to consider that question, and after a discussion and explanation of the division, a ballot was taken to decide to which of the two great bodies-technically called Old and New School-they should annex themselves. They seemed to be pretty evenly divided, as a majority of 3 votes was cast to remain with the " Old School." The dissenters to this view numbered thirty-one, and drawing off formed a new Church, and from this date down to the re-union in 1871, we find two congrega- tions. They were so amicably situated that by an outsider, however, the differ- ence could not have been detected. Both congregations used the same house, though each employed their own Pastor and managed their own affairs. The old Church was left with twenty-five members, whose first minister was Rev. John McDonald, who had come from Ohio to the north part of the State, and who had attended the first meeting of a Presbyterian Presbytery in Illinois, at the house of Rev. Stephen Bliss, in Wabash County. When he came to Pleas- ant Prairie, he lived in a split-log or pole cabin, near the church, that had here- tofore been used for a schoolhouse. He lived in this until he could erect a house for himself and his family, into which they moved when it was completed. He died about twelve years ago. The family still reside on the old homestead. He remained in charge of the Church until his health failed, even then preach- ing occasionally. He was succeeded by the Rev. Joseph Adams, who came from Philadelphia, and remained about two years. He, in turn, by Rev. R. A. Mitchell, who lived in Charleston ; he, by Rev. Elliott ; he, by James W. Alli- son ; he, by A. Kemper, of Mattoon ; he, by Nathaniel Williams ; he, by Ellis Howell, under whose ministry the re-union occurred; he, by Robert Ash ; he, by George W. Davis, and he, by the present Pastor, R. G. Ross.
The New-School branch first employed Rev. John C. Campbell. His suc- cessors were C. H. Palmer, Joseph Wilson, who remained here a number of years, and E. Kingsbury. When the congregation re-united with the other and original one, they came under the care of the minister there.
The old church, built by contribution of labor, spikes and lime, and plastered by Rev. McDonald, remained in use until 1852, when the Old-School branch built the house standing just back of the present church. This, like its prede-
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cessor, was used by both congregations until 1857, when the New-School branch built a neat frame church in the village of Farmington. They were assisted in the effort by the Methodists in that vicinity, who were allowed to use the house in consequence. This was done till 1866, when they completed their own church. The Old-School congregation used the church built in 1852 till 1866. when, becoming too small and worn out, it was replaced by the present one : dedicated when Rev. Howell was Pastor.
On the 14th of October, 1871. the Mattoon Presbytery united the two Churches as one congregation again. employing one minister, still keeping both houses of worship. holding services alternately in each.
As has been incidentally mentioned, the Cumberland Presbyterians and the Methodists began organizing Churches about the year 1850 or 1852-possibly, earlier. The strongest Methodist community was in Mattoon Township, then Paradise Preeinet, at the head of the Wabash Point timber. Its history will be found in the history of that settlement, and there, it will be observed. it antedates the Indian Creek Presbyterian Church a year or two in point of organization. The denomination began holding meetings in Pleasant Prairie early in the life of that settlement. They united with the Cumberland Pres- byterians in the west side of the township in erecting a house of worship. about 1852 or 1853, and with them occupied it, alternately. until 1866, the centen- nial year of American Methodism, when they completed their present house of worship, situated near the southwestern part of the township. It was dedicated April 29, 1866, when Rev. J. H. Aldrich was Pastor. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Phillips. The Church is known as the Muddy Point M. E. Church, from its location in the vicinity of that stream, and can trace its origin to the time the original Methodist Church at Wabash Point divided into three congregations, to suit the members, who were too widely scattered to attend there, and organized churches in their own neighborhoods. Almost cotemporary with the organization of the Muddy Point Church, one was formed in the "Goose-Nest Prairie." They, like all other infantile congregations. held meetings at first in each other's cabins. When the brick schoolhouse was built in Farmington, in 1853, they, with the Presbyterians, occupied that. Then, when this latter denomination built their church in the village, the Methodists aided them, and were, in consequence, allowed the use of their house of worship. This arrangement was continued until they built their own church, in 1866. They have a good congregation at present.
The Cumberland Presbyterians organized their first Church at Muddy Point in 1833. It is known as the Good Prospeet Church, and was organized by Rev. Isaac Hill. They met in dwellings and schoolhouses, at first, continuing the practice till 1864, when they completed their present house of worship. For several years prior to this time, they ocenpied a large schoolhouse, which answered every purpose. Their principal pastors have been Revs. Isaac Hill. Daniel Campbell. James Ashmore and J. W. Woods. The latter is now living
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in Mattoon. The membership is now about eighty ; the Sunday school of about the same number.
The second church of this denomination is the outgrowth of a great revival. occurring in 1837. Those who are now living and attended that revival will. doubtless, remember the powerful sermon preached by Rev. Mitchell, of Charles- ton, then expecting to go to China as a missionary. As the result of this revival, a large accession accrued to the Church; and, in 1843, the second con- gregation, known as Pleasant Grove Church, was organized by Rev. J. W. Woods. Their first meetings were held in the houses of William Gammill (who will be remembered as one of the early members in the Indian Point Presbyte- rian Church) and John Whetstone, and in a schoolhouse in the neighborhood. The principal members were those named and the families of Alfred Alexander. Michael Whetstone and C. J. Dexter. Their pastors have been Revs. Woods. Isaac Hill, James Ashmore and others. The membership is now about seventy. and the attendance at Sunday school about the same. Their house of worship was erected in 1856, and was used, occasionally, by the Methodists, who assisted in its erection. These two Churches and the Methodist Church are all in this part of the township. They evince a people religious in feeling.
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