USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 44
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460
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
fast as the country comprised in the township settled up, other schools were opened, as the case seemed to require. Especially was this done after the organization of the township. In a short time, several districts were estab- lished, and, before the war opened, four or five good school houses were erected. This number has from time to time been increased, until the common quota of nine districts is now established.
There are two churches in the township, the Congregationalist and Catholic. These have been erected within a few years, and each supports regular divine services. Prior to the organization of these religious societies, meetings for worship were held in private houses and in the school houses. The Baptists were among the first to possess the religious field in Broughton Township, although they have no organization in its limits. One of their ministers, Mr. Sarvis thinks, preached the first sermon here. He was quite prominent at one time, and is said to have lost his life in the late war. His name could not be learned. After occupying private houses and the school houses until about 1874, the Catholics erected a very neat frame church on Section 3, and have maintained services therein since. They are ministered to by Father Halpin, from Dwight, and have at present quite a large congregation, numbers of the members living in Round Grove and Dwight Townships.
The Congregationalists built their church shortly after the erection of the Catholic edifice, on the southeast corner of Section 6. They are numerically not so strong as the Catholics, but own a very neat chapel, and sustain a Sun- day school regularly, and are generally supplied by some of their ministers living in this part of the county.
We have thus far traced the history and growth of Broughton Township. save giving the personal history of many of its citizens. In this narrative this is needless, as it is fully given in the biographical part of the work, and to this the reader is referred. He will find here each one's story, as it were, and each one's trials and incidents in the subjugation of the country. Right here we think it worthy of remark that, were one-half the energy displayed by the labor agitators in the country and in the overcrowded cities by those who continually decry against capital, used in developing the Western country, as the pioneers of Broughton developed its grand prairies, the cry of hard times would soon cease, and the question of " Capital vs. Labor " be quickly settled.
Taking a glance at the wealth of the township as shown by the Assessor's books-generally about one-half its real value-we see a striking exhibit of the growth of the township during the twenty years of its existence.
For the year 1878, the Assessor reported 22,453 acres of improved lands. valued at $224,530. If every section of the township is full, this leaves only 587 acres of unimproved land, worth, at a very low estimate, $10 per acre. The Assessor returns 800 houses, valued at $25,390 ; 789 head of cattle, valued at $10,598 ; 3,677 hogs, valued at $5,630, and about 100 head of other ani- mals, worth $3,000. He estimates there are $13,635 acres of corn, 1,568 of
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
oats, 1,667 of meadow, 2,229 of fenced pastures. 290 in orchards, and 440 of other field products. The entire wealth of the township, if accurately footed up, would undoubtedly reach $500,000, and it is even doubtful if that sum will cover it.
We have stated that the township was one of the first created in the county. The first election for officers was held in the Spring of 1858, at which time Wm. Broughton was elected Supervisor. At the last election. W. R. Marvin was elected to that office : Chester H. Gilbert, Clerk ; John H. Rogers, Collector ; A. Lower, Road Commissioner : Wm. Broughton, Assessor, and Sarvis and Thomas J. Johnson, Justices of the Peace.
PIKE TOWNSHIP.
This township is in the original grant of land given to the Illinois Central Railroad, and is known as railroad land. The road was completed through this part of the State in 1854, and until after that date the township remained unset- tled. The face of the country is nearly level, broken slightly by a few gentle un- dulations. Pike's Creek, a small branch of Rook's Creek, traverses the township from the southwest to the northeast; and in the southeast corner, Crooked Creek finds its way in the same direction. The soil is exceedingly rich, and of great depth. Prior to the settlement of the county, the face of the township was covered, in many places, by large swamps or sloughs, which, in many cases. contained considerable water. These were the favorite homes of the sand hill crane, wild goose and wild ducks; while on the prairies around them prairie chickens throve in great plenty and in undisputed security. Wild deer and wolves were also abundant in the first settlement of the township, and, though the former furnished venison to the pioneer, their destruction of the first crop of corn while young and tender, in many cases fully equaled their value.
At the date of the first settlement. 1855, the surface of this part of the country was in its primeval condition. "It was as wild as wild prairie, if you know what that means," said one of the first settlers. "There wasn't a road, or sign of one-not a trail or path ; when we wanted to go anywhere," says Mr. Alonzo Huntoon, "we went in as straight a line as we could, only diverging from it on account of sloughs." "If we could not see our landmark," says another pioneer, "we shaped our course by the north star at night, by the sun by day, or if that was hidden by clouds, we watched the course of the wind. which very seldom failed to be perceptible. if ever so slight.
The first settlers here came in the Summer of 1855, and located near the timber skirting Pike or Crooked Creeks. Mr. Alonzo Huntoon and Mr. Woodbury came about the same time, that Summer, and settled on Section 34. They were residents of Woodford County prior to their location here. Albert Parker, Messrs. Bedenger and Seawright were companion settlers, the first named locating on Section 20; the next on Section 32, and the last on Section
462
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
30. A Mr. Richmond also settled on Section 21. One other person, whose name is not now remembered, located on Section 16; but he simply purchased land, and did not improve it until a year or two after. Mr. Parker was one of the largest land owners of that day, and rented to many who afterward came and preferred to wait a year before purchasing. One of the largest farmers at that time was James McFadden, who raised a great crop of wheat in 1857. He lived in Waldo Township, where he erected the first dwelling. Though a pioneer here, part of his land, comprising over three hundred acres, was in Pike Township, and a corresponding part of his labor was there.
The settlers mentioned were the major part, if not all, who located in Pike in 1855. They were the first to reduce any part of it to civilization, and ren- der it productive and provident. They found it wild. No roads, no bridges, no pathways of any kind greeted their advent, and no hand of pioneer was extended to welcome them to thier future homes. If they desired to go to Pon- tiac, the county seat, or to Chenoa, in McLean County, their nearest railroad town and post office, they went in as direct a line as the timber, streams or sloughs allowed, and returned by the same route. These two places were their principal trading points, either of which being their post office; and until the township was settled sufficiently to justify it, they went to the county seat to vote, being attached to that precinct.
The settlers of that day came generally with several ox or horse teams and with sufficient farming utensils to subdue the native prairie and raise one crop. Their breaking plows were large, strong affairs with a capacious mold-board, and required two or three teams to draw them through the tough soil. As soon as a field had been turned in this way, "sod-corn," as it was called, was grown immediately on it. The corn was planted by simply striking a sharp hoe or pick through the sod ; the hills were about three feet apart, and on every third furrow following it from one end of the field to the other. The corn, after being dropped to its place in the hole made through the sod, was covered by simply pressing the sod down with the foot, and the operation was complete. The crop was never cultivated, but allowed to grow as best it could, and often yielded abundantly. For fuel, the settlers were dependent on the dead timber found along the streams. After coal became more plentiful, and money more of a common commodity, that was purchased at the nearest railroad station and supplemented the wood.
The settlers of 1855 passed the Winter of 1855 and '56, without any events occurring out of the common routine of Western pioneer life, and in the Spring began operations for the further cultivation and improvement of their farms. That Spring and Summer, the following persons joined them, and opened farms : George and Daniel Okeson, who settled on Section 9; James and George Anderson, on Section 7; Hugh McMullen on Section 6: Edward Daugherty, on Section 30, and Edward M. Daugherty-the last renting land of Mr. Parker. During the year, a good crop was planted and safely gathered, and but little pioneer hardships experienced.
463
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
Until this date, no school had been established in Pike Township, as the num- ber of children hardly justified it, and the distance they would have been compelled to go precluded their attendance. In the Autumn of 1856, however, Districts 1 and 2 were established and a school house built in each. In District No. 1, the school house was erected on Section 27, and in District No. 2, on Section 31. These houses, though repaired and altered to more modern tastes and conveniences, are yet used. In 1859, District No. 3 was established, and a school house built on Section 8. In this house, like its predecessors, is yet kept the district school, and to it go the sons and daughters of men and women who. in the time of which we write,
"Daily thumbed their lesson books, And watched the master in his rounds."
The three districts mentioned supplied the educational wants of the township until 1864, after which, from time to time, others were added until the nine now erected were ready for occupancy.
The tide of emigration to Pike Township ceased almost entirely in 1858, owing to the advent of a season of unexceptionally hard times. The crop of that season was very poor, prices were low and but little incentive was offered to the farmer to bring produce to market. For these reasons, very few settlers located, and from 1858 to 1863, the population remained almost the same. The war broke out in 1861. By the next year, prices of farm products increased greatly, and the next Spring the unclaimed and railroad lands in the township were rapidly taken by settlers, and before the Autumn of the latter year a " seore or more " of farm dwellings were erected, and as many new farms opened. Until this date, but few roads were laid out, the farmer generally going, as we have described, by the most direct line. The opening of new farms, however, soon put a stop to this kind of travel, and necessitated a regular system of public highways. These are almost always opened on the sectional lines running with the cardinal points of the compass. The highways of the prairies can never be the best thoroughfares, owing to the porous, loamy soil from which they are to be made. Gravel does not exist, save in few localities, generally near the rivers ; hence it will be many years before macadamized roads will be as common over the prairies of the Sucker State, as they are in some of her more fortunate neighbors. Though the State lacks in this regard, she fully compensates for it in others. No other State raises such crops as Illinois, and no other State promises so much and returns so much for the labor expended as the Prairie State. It is a garden 400 miles long and 150 miles broad.
Religion and education went hand in hand in the settlement of the West. No sooner had a settler provided himself a home than a school or a church next claimed his attention. Though they were poor, and unable to build a house of worship, they freely gave their houses to the assembly in which to convene until they could construct a school house. which, in the unsettled condition of the country, provided ample room for those who could come.
464
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
In 1863, Rev. - Clark, from Bloomington, organized a United Presby- terian Church with nine members, of whom Mr. A. Henry and Mr. John Ewing were elected Elders. This congregation occupied the school house, and was for a time prosperous. It had increased by 1871 to forty-five members, and had purchased a lot on which to build a church, when the greater number removed to other localities, and the organization was disbanded. The lot was sold for a cemetery, to the township, and the members who remained are now nearly all in other churches. Their last settled Pastor, Rev. William Morrow, was with them over four years.
The Methodists are generally the religious pioneers of the country. As soon as a settlement is made, some traveling preacher, braving hunger, cold and storms for his Master, places in his saddle bags a few books, his Bible, a number of tracts, and proceeds on his mission. They were the first to occupy the field in the southwestern part of the county, and for more than a dozen years had an organization in Rook's Creek Township. To this place, those adhering to this religious body and living in Pike Township went to attend divine service. The meetings were held in a school house. The member- ship gained strength in Pike Township, and as the result of a revival in the Fall of 1877, it was decided to build a church. This was accomplished, and now the congregation occupies a neat, small frame edifice, completed in February, 1878. There are now about fifty members, and preaching is regularly held. The Pastor is Rev. J. L. Ferris.
The Presbyterian Church at Chenoa maintains a place of worship in a school house in the southern part of the township. They and the Mennonites-Ger- mans-occupy the same house, one holding services in the forenoon, the other in the afternoon.
These religious bodies are all now holding divine services in Pike Township. The farmers maintain a grange, which, though inactive at present, holds its organization.
One thing more remains to be mentioned before closing this history of Pike- Township-its political organization. The vote for township organization was held November 3, 1857. The next Spring, the election was held in each one, and the organization was perfected. The Congressional number is Township 27 north, Range + east.
WALDO TOWNSHIP.
In the Spring of 1857. Mr. James McFadden came into the present limits of Waldo Township, and purchased from the Illinois Central Railroad Com- pany a large tract of land. part of which lay in the adjoining township, east. He erected a capacious frame house on his farm, and for some time was the only farmer in the township. His house is yet standing and occupied. The entire surface of the township was unbroken prairie, undisturbed by the path of civil-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
ized life or the tread of industry. These prairies, level as a floor, remind us of the vivid description of the late Bryant, as they
Stretch in airy undulations far away, As if the ocean, in his gentlest swell, Stood still, with all his rounded billows fixed And motionless, forever.
Mr. McFadden was not allowed to pass the Winter as the only resident of the township. He had raised an immense crop of wheat, and by his success had induced others to come to this, then uninhabited, part of Livingston County. The Summer before, Mr. Henry Broad, still a resident, had been over this part of the county looking for a farm. He had come from the East not long before, in obedience to an able editor's advice, and resolved to find a home on the broad Illinois prairies. At first he located near Pontiac, where he pur- chased a farm. Taken sick, he became somewhat discouraged, and sold his purchase, with a view of returning to the East. When he recovered, he changed his mind and concluded to purchase again, with the result mentioned-the home he now owns.
That same year, 1857, Richard Breeser located on Section 18, and James Sample on Section 22. Mr. McFadden had located on Section 12, owning that and parts of several adjacent sections. Other settlers of this season were James King, Isaac Burkholder, Parker Jewett and J. C. Hawthorne. Nearly all these purchased land from the railroad company, whose grant included the western tier of townships in Livingston County. The price at this date was generally $14 per acre, although in after years it was reduced to $6 and $7 per acre.
Mr. Broad, who was among the settlers of that season, says their difficulties and privations were sometimes quite severe. The corn was a poor crop, and, to make the matter still worse, prices were very low. No roads were laid out, and when any of them wished to go to Pontiac or to Chenoa, they struck across the prairie in a direct line, only diverging from it on account of sloughs, creeks or timber. There were many large sloughs in the township at that time, several of which have since been drained, and are now under cultivation. In the Win- ter, these sloughs would freeze over, and, when sufficiently firm, could be crossed by a team and wagon. When this was not the case, and the ice rather thin, the common mode of crossing them was for the individual to get down on hands and feet, spread himself as much as possible, and " wobble " across in this style. To one unaccustomed to this, the situation was not very agreeable, and, if the ice was thin enough to be continually cracking and bending beneath him, the sensations were not at all assuring. The object in crossing in this manner was to spread the weight as much as possible, and the longer the man the more it was "spread." In crossing the prairies without roads, and no houses in sight, it was not an uncommon thing for the traveler to get lost. When the grass was high, the settlers would often drag a harrow behind their wagon.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
which so thorougly trailed down the grass that a plain track was made, which remained several days. Any one who has, at any time in his life, been lost, knows full well the tendency to travel in a circle. This may be explained by the fact that. when such an accident occurs, a man will almost invariably travel in an excited, hurried manner. The right foot takes longer strides, under such cir- cumstances, than the left. and hence the tendency to circle. "This," says an early resident, "is the true theory, and I know, from my own experience and that of my neighbors, that it cannot be accounted for in any other way."
The item of fuel was a very important one at that date. But few settlers were able to purchase coal, and generally went to the timber skirting the streams to the east and obtained dry, dead wood, which answered the purpose, though not of the best quality. After they were able to buy coal, they made many difficult, if not dangerous. journeys for it. Referring to such a trip, an tarly settler says :
"Three of us started early one morning, shaping our course by the North Star. for Reading. to obtain for each a load of coal. We did not have much trouble in getting there ; but coming home we did. Night came on us while two of us were stuck in a little creek we had attempted to cross. After consid- erable delay. we got out and started again. when one of our horses fell down as though dead. Here we were. no house in sight, a dead horse, no feed. nothing to eat. and no place to sleep. After debating a while, we concluded to start in different directions, hallooing to each other so as not to get lost. We tied our horses to the wagons and started. Before long, one of us came to a small cabin near a piece of timber. the inmates of which were soon aroused. After getting the rest of us there. and explaining to the owner-who hardly knew what to make of us-he took us in, gave us some bran bread-the best he had-and allowed us to sleep on his cabin floor. In the morning, we were again fed on bran bread-an excellent food for a hungry man-and sent on our way, if not rejoicing. glad to get .what we had. We had no trouble in finding our teams just where we left them. and, what was better, the supposed dead horse alive and well. and after allowing them to graze a while, proceeded." The party experienced but little difficulty in getting home, where one of them hid his coal under a hay stack, as he said it had a tendency to mysteriously disappear, and he did not care to repeat liis journey for more.
During the first years of the township's settlement, deer, prairie wolves, sand hill cranes. wild geese, ducks and prairie chickens were as abundant as the flowers in May. The deer were rather shy and could not always be had " for the asking." They did much damage to the young corn by coming into the fields at night and trampling and eating the tender sprouts. Wolves were destructive to barnyard fowls; the sand-hill cranes scratched up and ate the corn, when freshly planted ; while the other mentioned prairie inhabitants con- tributed, in their way, to render the life of the pioneer hard. He would, how- ever. retaliate on them, and waged a ceaseless warfare among them, which has
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
had about the same effect as upon their former masters, the Indians. and, in time, will undoubtedly exterminate them.
In 1858, the settlers we have mentioned were joined by Nathan Hunting and a Mr. Cole, who lost his life in the late war. Leonard Smith and G. W. Stoker also located that season. John Broad. Sr., and John Broad. Jr., came about the same time, though the latter did not open a farm until the next year.
It was in May of this year, as near as any now remember. that a storm of unusual violence passed over Waldo and Pike Townships. The wind was furi- ous. tearing down and carrying away fences about the houses. out buildings. stables and, in one or two instances, overturning houses.
Many exaggerated stories went the rounds of the country. concerning this storm, and many hair-breadth escapes are chronicled, which, however, when closely hunted down for their truth. almost always were experienced by some one who has moved away.
The hard times of 1858 and 1859 retarded immigration somewhat to this part of the county, but only for a short time. The richness of the soil was a strong attraction, and by 1859 and '60, settlers came in rapidly, and in a short time Waldo Township had a sufficient population to admit of being formed into a separate township, and in 1861 the present organization was perfected.
Before this time, the territory was attached to Nebraska Precinct for judi- cial purposes, and to that township the people went to vote.
In the Winter of 1857-8, there were only four children in the township. No attempts to establish a school were made until 1859, when a school was taught that Winter, by a Miss Elizabeth Jewett, daughter of one of the first settlers.
From a report made by Mr. David Sharp, Treasurer of the township, dated September 19, 1860, we learn that there was one school in the township; that it was taught by a "female teacher." who received $20 per month for four months ; that she had attending her school eleven boys and eight girls : that at that time there were in the township ninety-two children under 21 years of age, and that there were fifty-five between the ages of 5 and 21 years- showing a rapid influx of settlers.
The report states that but one district then existed, though further along it records the building of a new frame school house, at an expense of $676.72. The report states that a surplus existed in the Treasurer's hands, at that date, amounting to $217.95; that he received from the State $162.70, and raised $844.44, by district tax, for school purposes.
The report was made to Mr. Isaac T. Whittemore, School Commissioner, and is a correct exhibit of the school for that date.
The next Winter, two schools were opened ; and in 1863-4, two others were added. This number was increased from time to time, until the present num- ber. nine, the usual number kept in any township, was reached. The schools are well maintained, and are supported from six to seven months in the year.
468
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
About 1860. the German Mennonites began to come into the township, and, liking the country, prevailed on more of their countrymen to locate with them. They are an industrious, frugal class of people, fond of their church and cus- toms, and cling to them with wonderful tenacity. As the result of their coming. they have purchased almost all the land in Waldo Township, are about four- fifths of the population, and have established two prosperous churches. They were the first to build a church in the township, and are the only religious society therein. Their first church was organized very soon after coming, and for a time, meetings for divine service were held in the nearest school house. They are locally termed the " Omish churches." as they profess to be followers of Omah, a noted preacher in their country, who made many converts from the original Mennonite body. At their organization, John P. Schmidt, Joseph, Joab and John Rediger were chosen and acted as leaders. The principal mem- bers were John and Christian Ehresman, Christian, John and Joab King, David Sharp and Joseph Gering. A short time after the organization was effected, a comfortable church was erected. A division occurred about 1872, in the church. resulting in the formation of a second congregation, who now occupy a house of worship of their own. These people are exceedingly simple in their habits and dress, will not sue or be sued. leave all difficulties to be adjusted by the church. adopt the Bible as their only rule of law or doctrine, and seldom, if ever, con- tract any debts or vote or hold any office. They own some fine farms, and seem to improve them on the principle that a " good barn will pay for a good house, but a good house will not pay for a good barn."
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