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 47
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EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
These, when compared with the first settlements made in other portions of the county, arc of recent date. Few settlers, if any, had located in the pres- ent limits of Humbolt Township, prior to the year 1836. True, a settlement had been made along the Okaw as early as 1833, but this was farther west and is now included in North Okaw Township. When the first settlers of Hum- bolt Township came, they found the few farms then in cultivation, either in the timber or nestling close by it, for none dared venture far from the timber
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
with cabin or farm. So the wide-stretching prairie lay unmolested by the hand of man. It was one wide-spread field, where nature sported in her wild- est freaks, clad in the habiliments of all that could be called beautiful and lovely. Turn which way they might, they were met with wildness, loneliness and beauty combined, all on a grand scale and well calculated to make impres- sions as lasting as the eternal hills. The wildness was beauty made doubly so because innocence was written in letters of gold upon the untold thousands of unfolding flowers just bursting from their wintry homes and peeping out to catch the early sunbeams and drink in the morning dewdrops. Unmo- lested by the foot of man, they spread their beautiful colors and golden hues to the praise of Nature's God, eclipsing the lilies of Eden and the roses of Sharon, and forever throwing in the shade the floral gardens of the world. When John Poorman arrived, in the fall of 1836, and settled in the northwest corner of the township, on Section 31, he found just north of him, on Section 30, Julius Dugger, who, from the improvements made, Mr. Poorman thinks must have settled as early as 1833 or 1834. All seem willing to accord to Dugger the honor of building the first cabin and making the first improvement in what is now Humbolt Township. Bailey Riddle, from North Carolina, had settled in 1833, but his cabin was just across the line in Okaw Township. John Pemberton, from Kentucky, came in the fall of 1834 or 1835, and settled near Riddle, but after remaining a short time sold out and went farther west. The fall of 1835, brought in William Brann; that of 1836, Poorman, Noble, Junken, Jacob and David Hoots. In 1837, James Walker and John Matthews were added to the settlement. Poorman was from Pennsylvania; Brann, Junken and Walker from Rush County, Ind .; Matthews, from Tennessee or Kentucky, and the Hootses from North Carolina. With the exception of Poorman and Jacob Hoots, these all settled in what is now included in Okaw Township, east of the Okaw or Kaskaskia, and on Sec- tions adjacent to the western limit of Humbolt Township. Poorman's location has already been designated. Jacob Hoots located directly south of him on Section 6. For some years there seemed to be no disposition on the part of those coming in to settle east of the improvements already made. They either passed, on and settled nearer the river, or, crossing the stream, sought a more desirable location in the western outskirts of the timber. In 1840, W. B. Hawkins, then a young man of nineteen summers, came from Rush County, Ind., and purchased a fractional eighty on Section 6, east of Hoots. About the same time, Thomas K. Fleming, originally from Kentucky, erected a cabin and opened up a farm still farther east on the prairie. About the same date, Henry Horn, from Virginia, settled a little northeast of the Hawkins purchase. Benjamin Beavers was next in the township, east of Poorman's. Jacob Hoots died in 1842, and Joseph Finley, from Ohio, was the next to settle on his farm. The settlers already mentioned, comprise all those who were living in the township to the close of 1842 or 1843. Hawkins returned to Indiana in
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
1842, and took unto himself a helpmeet with a view to returning soon after to his ยท Western home. His return, however, was delayed till 1850, when he came, built a cabin .and set about improving his farm. In the mean time, Joshua Nixon had settled at Blue-Grass Grove. In the southeast corner of the township, James Shoemaker, and possibly Robert Hill, had settled as early as 1850. Few, if any, other settlements were made in the township prior to the building of the railroad in 1856. From that time forward, settlements multi- plied rapidly, and in a few short years the far stretches of prairie to the east, which the earliest settlers had thought would remain uninhabited for many decades, were thickly studded with human habitations. Of those mentioned as having settled in the township as early as 1840, but two are now remaining- John Poorman and W. B. Hawkins. The others have nearly all passed over the silent river; a few have passed to the West, and new settlers have taken their places. The earliest settlers of this part of the county were exempted from many of the hardships and privations endured by those who preceded them a decade or more of years in the settlement of other portions of the county. Progress and improvement was visible on every hand. The days of the hominy-mortar and hand-mill had passed away, and the glorious era of horse-mills had been fully inaugurated. As early as 1837 or 1838, Jesse Fuller had a horse-mill near the Okaw, about three miles southwest of where Poorman settled. This served the adjacent settlement and kept it supplied with meal. When a grist of wheat was to be ground, it became necessary to make a trip to True's mill, some ten or twelve miles distant. The flour manufactured is said by the old settlers to have been of a very superior quality. Going to mill, by those who were obliged to cross the prairie for any considerable distance, was usually performed after night, in order to avoid the annoyance of the flies. Sometimes a pilgrimage was made to Spangler's mills, on the Sangamon River, distant forty miles. Terre Haute and St. Louis afforded a market for their surplus supply of hogs, while their cattle were driven north to Chicago. These they often sold at what would now be considered starvation prices for the producer ; but as their wants were few and simple, and easily supplied, they managed to live comfortably, and most of them even to lay by in store. In 1841, when the money issued by the Springfield Bank was worth only about 50 cents to the dollar and all kinds of Illinois money was taken at a great discount, Mr. Poorman relates that loading his wagon with bacon, one barrel of soap, lard and butter, he made a trip to La Fayette, Ind. He realized for his bacon $2.50 per hundred, lard 6 cents and butter 5 cents per pound. The proceeds he invested in groceries, clothing, leather and other necessaries for family consumption. The soap he exchanged for a barrel of salt. He thus saved himself from contracting debts, and to-day he claims that he got his start in life while his neighbors were paying off their debts, contracted while he was hauling that load to market. The early meet- ings, as in other sections, were held in the cabins of the settlers. "Preaching- place," as it was then called, was at Poorman's house, five or six years. The
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
early ministers were Arthur Bradshaw and Joseph Lane, in local relation with the M. E. Church. The Baptist brethren held services at Dugger's cabin, and among their early ministers were Revs. Martin, Threlkeld and Riley, Regular Baptists and circuit-riders. The first church built in Humbolt Township was erected by the Methodist society, near the western limits of the township, in the latter part of 1856. Among the early church members we find the names of John Poorman and family, Thomas K. Fleming and wife, John Southen and family, some of the Hootses and others. The congregation was rather a mixture of Methodists and Presbyterians, the different organizations having the use of the house on alternate Sundays. This house was afterward moved over to the village of Milton (now Humbolt) and used for a number of years by the Methodist society. About the year 1873, it was taken down and the material shipped to Larned, Kan., there rebuilt and occupied as a banking-house. Besides the four churches in the village, we find two others in the township. Wesley Chapel, in the southeastern portion, was built about 1866. Central Chapel, in the northeast corner, was erected in 1868 or 1869. These are the property of the M. E. Church. The nucleus of the congregation at Wesley was taken from Humbolt and Salem, that of Central from Humbolt. The first school of which we have any record was presided over by Noble Brann, and was conducted in a vacant cabin, built by John Matthews in the fall of 1837. This cabin stood about one mile northwest of Poorman's. Brann was a Hoosier, and a teacher of the olden style, that made the recreant "jump Jim Crow." In point of education, the township has kept pace with the times. In the township proper are nine districts, each supplied with a good frame building. Schools were sustained during the past year for a term of 68 months, making an average of 7 5-9 months to each district. Number of males attending, 171; females, 140. Male teachers employed, 9 ; females, 3. Highest monthly wages, males, $50 ; females, $30. Estimated value of school property, $5,200. Apparatus, $250. Principal township fund, $4,700. Special district tax, $2,658. Total amount paid teachers, $2,412. Total expense for the year, $3,053.
The first man who came among the early settlers of Humbolt Township, to relieve them of their bodily " aches and pains," was a Dr. Bacon, whose res- idence was in what is now Douglas County. He was here, perhaps, as early as 1838. Dr. Apperson, nephew of Dr. John Apperson, of Paradise Township, was also among the early physicians. The first death that occurred was that of a little daughter of John Poorman's. She died in 1841, from the effects of a rattlesnake bite, and was buried in what is called Brann's graveyard, in Okaw Township. She lingered only eight hours after receiving the injury, yet her sufferings were intense. Jacob Hoots died in 1842, and was, doubtless, the first adult whose death occurred in the township. These were days in which the early settlers were exhorted by every-day experience, that it was a good thing to observe faithfully the Scriptural injunction, ' Watch as well as pray.' Not only were wolves enemies to their flocks of lambs and young pigs, plentiful on
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every hand, but snakes of various kinds infested the prairies. Of these, the most dreaded was the rattlesnake; much stock was injured and several persons were bitten by them ; the breaking-up and cultivation of the prairie soon caused their extinction. As late as 1850, W. B. Hawkins says that, in breaking one round, he killed three full-grown rattlesnakes. On one occasion, when gathering strawberries, in company with two or three others, the party killed no less than twenty-six during the day. The prairie-wolves were a source of no little annoyance to the first settlers. To encourage them to use all the means within their reach to rid the country of these ravenous beasts, the Legislature of Illinois passed special acts, the first giving 75 cents, and the last $1.50 for each wolf-scalp. Thus wolf-scalps became a legal-tender, in tax- paying at least. This was a wise act on the part of the Legislature, and gave quite an impetus to the great work of destroying the destroyer. The greatest and most successful wolf-chases were just after the fall of a deep snow, for the snow impeded the swiftness of the wolf much more than it did the fleetness of the horse. Immediately after the fall of a deep snow, each settler, armed and equipped for the race, would mount his "Pegasus," and, accompanied by his dog, would proceed to the place of rendezvous. The following graphic delin- eation of the chase has been given by one of the early settlers : "The Blue- Grass Grove, a little southeast of where the town of Milton (now Humbolt) stands, was the grand rallying-point for all the settlements for miles around. It was a grand scene to be out on the wide-spread prairie, all covered with its white carpet of beautiful snowflakes, and to see far away in the distance squads of horsemen, some standing still, others in full chase of the almost flying wolf, that appeared in the distance like some dark bird, skimming the snow ; some two or three miles away are two or three horsemen on the look-out. Far off in the distance are two or three men urging their horses to their utmost speed toward the guard that is on the look-out. The look-out party know that the others are in full pursuit of the desired game; every eye is strained to catch a glimpse of the fleeing vagabond, but it is yet too far away to be seen; nearer and nearer come the flying horsemen; at length the wolf is seen from one hundred to two hundred yards ahead, and appears to fly almost, while the swift-footed horses seem to drink in the excitement of the chase, and, with outstretched necks and wide-spread nostrils, leaving behind them one continued stream of flying snow, thrown up by their nimble feet, stretch every nerve to overtake the flying game. The whole scene becomes intensely exciting ; the poor wolf is running for life, but, unfortunately, there is danger just ahead ; he is running toward other horsemen, on fresh horses, who join the chase, and a few hundred yards bring the fresh horses up with the game ; not unfrequently the foremost horse runs over the wolf, killing or crip- pling it so that the next man finishes the job. Sometimes, three or four such races are in sight at one and the same time, for the hunters from every section are concentrating their forces, and drawing near the great rallying-point with
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from eight to ten wolves. Every man is at his post, while the wolves are mak- ing every effort to escape. But every avenue of escape is closed, the dogs are let loose, and now men, horses, wolves and dogs are pell-mell together, and the work of destruction goes on; the barking and yelping of the dogs, with the shouting of the hunters and running of the horses, all these combined, made an exciting scene. It was great fun for the hunters, but death to the poor wolves ; in some instances it proved pretty dear sport to the hunter, costing him his best horse for sometimes, under the influence of the excitement, he pushed his horse too far, so that he fell dead under his rider." In the spring season, great pains were taken to find their dens, for the purpose of destroying their young. These were generally found on some high point in the wide prairie, far from the habitation of man; all that were caught were scalped, both old and young, and the scalps laid up as so much cash against tax-paying day. But the days of wolf-hunts have long since passed away, and the "varmints " are seen no more in all the land. We come now to trace the history of the only village in the township, and with it close this section of our work.
THE VILLAGE OF HUMBOLT.
In 1853, A. A. Sutherland, who had settled one mile east of Charleston as early as 1828, purchased a tract of land in Section 4, in Humbolt Township, east of and adjoining the present roadbed of the I. C. R. R. He erected a shanty, the same fall, and engaged in boarding hands employed in the construc- tion of the road. The Railroad Co. reserved one-half section, about one mile south of the present site of the village, with a view to making a station at that point. After the completion of the road, in order to secure the station and the town site on his premises, he donated to the R. R. Co. ten acres of land. This transaction occurred in 1859. Immediately after the acceptance of the dona- tion, in company with Thomas K. Fleming, he laid out and platted twenty acres east of and adjoining the land donated. This appears as the original town plat. Soon after, the R. R. Co. sold their land to Wesley Wampler, who laid it out in town lots. This is known as Wampler's Addition, and on this the principal part of the town was built. About the year 1860 or 1861, a Mr. Hill made an addition north of the original plat, and Wampler made a second addi- tion west of the railroad. T. K. Fleming built the first residence on the town- site, and Wesley Wampler the second. These were both built in 1859. Others came in rapid succession, purchased lots and erected dwellings, so that, by the beginning of 1861, the village had well-nigh attained its present size. Like many of our Western prairie towns, it sprang into existence almost as if by magic. The war coming on in 1861, checked for a season its progress. Wampler was the first agent, built the first store and sold the first goods after the laying- out of the village. Lewis Hutchinson had kept a country store at this point prior to the laying-out of the village, but was not here at this time. John Payne, from Paris, Edgar Co., opened a general store early in 1860. Dr. C.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
M. Odell opened a drug store in 1868; a second was soon after opened by Hawkins & Stuart. The grain trade. at one time, was carried on quite exten- sively at this point. Wampler built a warehouse in 1859, and handled the first grain. John Glassco built a small house, in the fall of 1860, and engaged in the trade. In the fall of 1861, James Wadkins and John Stanley began the busi- ness, followed, in the fall of 1862, by A. A. Sutherland. The most important enterprise undertaken, as well as the one promising the most good to the village and the surrounding community, was the erection of a steam-mill. In 1865, James Wadkins, Brownlee & Co. built a mill west of the railroad, a short dis- tance north of the depot. This was wholly destroyed by fire in 1870. Its loss was keenly felt by the citizens of the village, as its presence brought a large trade to the town which afterward floated off into other channels. The flour manufactured was of a superior grade, and was in great demand.
CHURCHES, LODGES, ETC.
The first church in the village, as has been elsewhere recorded, was moved in from the western limits of the township and located south and a little west of where the Catholic Church now stands. This was used in common by the Methodist and Presbyterian societies for some years. The Presbyterian Church was organized, in 1861, by Rev. H. I. Venable. Its early meetings were held as above stated. James W. Junken and family, Thomas Danner and family, Richard Hawkins and family, James Boyd and family, G. W. Woods and wife were among the early members. A neat frame church was erected by the society in 1870. The dedicatory sermon was preached in February, 1871, Rev. D. M. Stewart officiating. Revs. James Allison and E. Howell have since served the Church. The present M. E. Church was built in 1873. Rev. D. E. May was pastor at the time. It was dedicated, soon after completion, by S. S. Meginnis, Presiding Elder of the district at the time. The Christian Church was begun in 1865, but did not reach completion till the summer of 1871. This society has labored under great difficulty, being few in numbers and most of its members persons of lim- ited means. Its house of worship, costing over $2,000, is a monument to the liberality of W. B. Hawkins, who contributed more than one-half of the whole amount for its completion. The early meetings of the Church were held in cabin of Hawkins, and Elder Thomas Goodman was the first preacher. Elder James Conner and his sons, James and Samuel W., have since served the con- gregation. The Holy Angels (Catholic) Church was built about 1870, under the supervision of Father Mangin. Thomas Kilfoyl, Thomas Pendergrast, John Wall and families, Edmund Reagan, Mary Lynch and others were among the early members. Father Mangin was the first priest, and was succeeded by Father Gonin. All the churches are neat frame buildings, and, with their tall spires pointing heavenward, give to the village quite a city-like appearance in the distance.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
Elwood Lodge, No. 589, A., F. & A. M., was chartered by the Grand Lodge October 6, 1868. The charter was granted to Jesse B. Gray, George W. Gray, Alfred Bugh, J. P. Westby, J. M. Wharton, A. Sparks, Joel Stevenson and others. Jesse B. Gray was appointed Master, George W. Gray, S. W., and A. G. Bugh, J. W. Stated meetings Saturday on or before full moon and two weeks thereafter.
Prospect Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 636, was instituted March 21, 1877, by Deputy Grand Master James Hamilton, of Bluff Lodge, No. 605. A charter was granted by the Grand Lodge October 10, 1877. The first officers were W. B. Kennedy, N. G .; J. D. Denning, V. G .; Hugh Maxey, Sec. ; O. M. McNutt, Treas. Regular meetings of the Lodge Wednesday night of each week.
Humbolt Lodge K. of H., No. 1046, was organized April 23, 1878, by J. F. Drish and T. E. Woods. The society has a membership of fifteen souls and meets regularly Thursday evening of each week.
Benoni Lodge of Good Templars, No. 377, was organized March 23, 1874. A charter was granted from the Right Worthy Grand Lodge to W. B. Ken- nedy, John Moore, O. D. Noe, Horace Wells, Dollie Wells, Sallie Woods, Belle Gray, Annie Burgess, W. C. Lacy and others. These societies all meet for the transaction of business in the same hall, over Gray & Danner's store.
Dr. C. M. Odell, who came in August, 1859, was the first physician to locate in the village. About four months later, Dr. Wharton located. The medical fraternity at present is represented by Drs. Odell, Brewer and Stuart. The present school building, a neat frame containing two rooms, was built in 1870. A Mr. Stevenson taught the first session in the new house.
VILLAGE INCORPORATED.
On the 20th of February, 1866, an election was held at which twenty-five votes were cast for, and five against, incorporation. February 27, the following board of officers was chosen : R. D. Senteney, Police Justice ; Trustees-J. P. Westby, J. C. B. Wharton, H. L. Stewart, William A. Wood and Abner Sparks. Sparks being a non-freeholder, was declared ineligible, and, April 11, William B. Hawkins was chosen to fill the vacancy. When the village was first laid out, by common consent of those interested, it was christened Milton. A petition was circulated and then forwarded to the Capitol, praying for the establishment of a post office with the same name. This could not be granted, as an office of that name already existed in Pike County. The petitioners then added the word "Station," and thus amended, the petition was granted and the post office was established with the name Milton Station. A. A. Sutherland was the first postmaster, and the office was kept at his residence for some time. It is at present kept in the store of Gray & Danner ; G. W. Gray is the present postmaster. The citizens, and more especially those engaged in conducting the business of the village, soon became convinced that they had acted unwisely in
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choosing "Milton " as the name of their village and post office. Not only mail matter, but express and freight intended for this point often found its way into Pike County, and vice versa. April 23, 1875, a petition was presented to the Trustees praying for a change in name from Milton to Humbolt. May 17, the petition was renewed, and at that date an ordinance was passed granting the petition, said ordinance to take effect from and after May 28, 1875. The name of the post office was changed at or near the same time. Humbolt has a popu- ation of about three hundred. She has three general merchandise stores, two drug stores, one grocery, one blacksmith and wood-work shop, one broom-fac- tory and one grain-warehouse.
LA FAYETTE TOWNSHIP.
This township, situated in the western part of the county, contains thirty- six sections, and therefore agrees with the Congressional township in common with a few others of like size in the county. The surface of the country is somewhat diversified. It is, however, rather inclined to the appearance of an ordinary prairie, save where a stream courses through it. From the fact that a large part of the township is prairie land it was not fully settled till after the advent of the railroads. These coming through the level part, opened a high- way for the more speedy transportation of products, and caused the before uncultivated prairie to soon abound in farms, and to change from a condition of nature to homes of plenty. Kickapoo Creek and Riley's Creek are the only streams of water found here. The former, the largest of the two, flows through the township from east to west, a little south of the center, and, after passing on through Charleston Township, finds an outlet in the Embarrass. The creek derived its name from an ancient tribe of Indians who once resided on its banks. Riley's Creek runs through the northern tier of sections from the west to the east, and finds in Charleston Township an outlet in the Kickapoo. Neither of these streams is of sufficient size to afford any practical use, save drainage. Each is skirted by belts of timber, wherein the pioneers found homes partially protected from the rude blasts of the early winters. In the northwest part of the township are one or two small groves, the largest and most notable of which is the Dead Man's Grove, so named from a mournful incident, related in the county history. The groves and timber along the streams furnished, in early days, a good supply of building-timber. This has largely been removed since the settlement began, leaving only a growth inferior in size and quality, and chiefly used for fire-wood. The products of La Fayette Township are the cereals (the chief of which is corn), cattle and hogs. Of late, fine stock has attracted considerable attention among the farmers, and is now taking the place of the inferior quality seen heretofore. Corn is raised in immense quantities, and is largely used in feeding stock. The Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad affords good facilities for shipment East or West, while at Mattoon the Illinois
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