The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 75

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > Illinois > McLean County > The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 75

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The Methodist Church now standing on Section 5 (at the southeast corner ) was built in 1865. Service had been held for some years by the itinerant preachers of that denomination, and, in 1860, an organization was formed in that part of the town- ship, services being held in the schoolhouses until the church was built. The building is 24x36, plain, and cost about $2,000. J. W. L. Matheny and H. H. Scott were the leading spirits in the enterprise. It belongs to the Pleasant Hill Circuit. Rev. Messrs. Carmack, Day, Hart, Frank Smith, William Underwood, Stevens, Jones and Rogers, have officiated successively.

The "Evergreen" M. E. Church, a neat and commodious building, 24x40, about eighty rods east of the center of Section 30, was built in 1868, at a cost of about $2,700. The men to whom, among many others, only in less degree, the building of this edifice is due, were Shelton Smith, David Hitch, J. T. Starkey and John Cassedy. This belongs to the same circuit and the same ministers have preached there.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION

was effected in 1858. The first officers elected were: John Cassedy, Supervisor ; T. S. Smith and J. T. Ayres, Justices of the Peace; John Burdett, Clerk ; H. H. Hays, J. R. Moon and Alfred Heath, Commissioners of Highways ; J. H. Burdett, Assessor, and J. R. Moon, Collector. The town was divided into four road-districts. John Cassedy was Supervisor for ten years and Shelton Smith, J. W. Vawter, T. B. Kilgore

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

and Cyrus Benson have served the town in that capacity. The Justices have been, in addition to those first elected, John Cassedy, J. T. Starkey, Maleom MeNab, Silas Wileox, S. M. Smoats. The following have been elected Assessors : Joseph Hamilton, J. F. Myers, W. H. Myers, S. M. Smoats, G. W. Kirker, and these Commissioners of Highways, J. W. Vawter, A. B. McNab, H. II. Scott, R. M. Vance, Hugh Neal, J. Benson, H. W. Warner.

Politieally the town was Democratic until 1860, when it was a tie on Presidential candidates. Since then, Republiean by about fifteen majority until the "farmer's move- ment" took shape, since which it has usually given a small majority against the Repub- lican tieket.

The Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry took a strong hold among the farmers here, as well as in almost all the farming communities. Notwithstanding the determi- nation to the contrary at the opening, it soon assumed a politieal east, and after its short run, went the way of other organizations whose objeets are good, but which have only the general good at stake. Human nature seems to lack the ability to carry on those purely social and unselfish associations.

SCHOOLS.

By 1852, there seemed, for the first time, a necessity for common schools. The rush of immigration consequent upon the railroad age had commeneed. In that year the township sehool organization was effected. At the close of 1851, not one-quarter of the township had been sold; but in three years from that time, land was held at $8 per aere, which was a rapid advance, but not beyond a just value. The school section was upon the creek, and was coveted as early as this for a cattle range, having, for most of the year, a good water supply. In 1855, the school land was sold at a low figure, and was really of no great value to the schools, compared with what it would have been if kept for ten years longer. "The Swamp-Land Fund," which was intended as an addi- tion to the common-school fund, has not, in this county, proved, directly at least, such an addition. Complaint is made, that the County Court, previous to the adoption of township organization (and this complaint was one of the principal reasons for adopting that system in this county), had diverted the proceeds of the County Swamp-Land Fund, to secure the location of the State Normal School at or near Bloomington. There never was any general complaint that the Normal School was not, in all respeets, a worthy and a valuable institution, and really a desirable acquisition, but that its ben- efits were largely local. But the great complaint was, that the using of the fund in that way, was a diversion from the common-school fund. The law required that these " swamp " lands (many of which are known to be the very best farms in the county) should be " drained " and sold. The draining was never done except on paper, and one of the great benefits which would have acerued from a general system of drainage was never received.

In April, 1866, the town was divided into five school districts; and, in 1878, into nine. From the last report of the Treasurer, Cassedy, the following figures are taken : Number of distriets, 9; number of teachers employed, 13; whole number of children under twenty-one, 518; number between six and twenty-one, 357; whole number enrolled in schools, 272; average number of months taught, 8; amount paid teachers, $2,127.53 ; paid for other expenses, $1,277.20 ; total amount paid, $3,404.73; amount

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

of school fund, $4,077. The township furnished her full quota of men to serve in the grand army of the Union for suppression of rebellion. Indeed, it is believed that more than the full number were really supplied. The circumstances were all against getting full " credits " to a township like this. Many of the younger readers will hardly understand what this means, and an explanation is here given for their benefit (the reading of which may be " skipped " by those who were supervisors during that trying time, and those who were in mortal fear of a "draft," for such are presumed to fully understand all about it). During the filling of the first calls of the President for men, all enlistments were from pure patriotism, or from a laudable desire for military renown from honor or promotion. Men rushed to arms from every township of our common country, without ever thinking whether they had a residence, caring only to know whether they had a country. Many transient men enlisted who had no home. In Lawndale there were many new comers, their sons and hired men staying with them perhaps only a few days, and then hurrying to arms without knowing or caring where their residence was. No company or part of a company was raised in town, and many who went to the centers of enlistment, were marked on the rolls as being residents of the place where they enlisted. As time went on, and the demands for men became more urgent, men were always around the business centers, who were shrewd enough to induce men to credit to their place of enlistment instead of their own homes. Thus Lawndale and similar towns never got credit for the men who went to the army ; and when a draft was ordered, it became a source of great trouble and anxiety on the part of those who had the township affairs in charge, to hunt out and get credit for those who had enlisted.

The men from Lawndale enlisted in most all the various regiments which were raised in the county. Some of the first into Capt. Patten's company, of the Twentieth. Others into Oglesby's Eighth. Several into the " Normal " and the Ninety fourth. Some going into the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth, which was raised in Livingston County, and of course into many others. The town should, without further delay, make up, for preservation, a record of those who nobly served and heroically died for their country's cause.

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.

PADUA TOWNSHIP.

Padua Township is in the second tier of townships from the southern line of the county, and the third from the east line, being joined on the north by Blue Mound, on the east by Arrowsmith, south by Empire, and west by Old Town. The surface of the soil is gently rolling, being higher and more rolling along its northern sections, and along a portion of the southern. The high ridge frequently spoken of in these sketches as lying along the line which divides the townships in 24 from those in 23, is plainly discoverable along the northern part of Padua. Indeed, it extends from Normal almost due east nearly to Gibson, in Ford County, and fairly divides the head-waters of the Money Creek, the Mackinaw and the Vermilion north, from those of the Kickapoo, Salt Creek and the Sangamon on the south. Such " divides" are not uncommon, and are always sought out by the "second settlers," that is, those who came in the second

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

immigration wave, after the timber line had all been occupied ; and the farm-seeker would only take such lands as his judgment told him would not be liable to overflow, and would need no draining. In this view the judgment was hardly correct ; for it is a well-known fact now that all through these uplands are spots which are greatly improved by tile draining. A similar, though less marked and less uniform, ridge runs from the head of Old Town Timber almost due east, to the county line, five miles south- east of Saybrook, keeping almost exactly on the line between Townships 22 and 23. These two ridges hold within their bounds all of that portion of Mclean County lying east of the Kickapoo, in Town 23, Ranges 3, 4, 5 and 6, and embraces the valley of the Sangamon River for the first twenty miles of such valley.

The remarkable thing about this valley is that it is bounded, as above stated, almost exactly north and south, by the township lines of these four Congressional town- ships, the north branch of Salt Creek only seeming to find a way across the southern boundary.

It was here, at the point where the timber grows upon this " divide " between the Kickapoo and the Sangamon, that the Indians made their habitations and lived in their Old Town home, as is more fully set forth in another portion of this work; and near the corners of the towns of Padua, Arrowswith, Empire and West, are still to be seen the old fortifications by which they expected to protect themselves from the dangers of " civilization." The township of Padua derived its name from the postoffice of that name within its borders, and was selected by the Department, or, rather, by some official of the Department, for there seemed to be no one living in the neighborhood who had an ambition to have his name perpetuated by post offices. It is six miles square, being a full Congressional township, and had, at its original settlement, about six square miles of timber, covering very nearly the six southern sections.

It has no considerable stream running through it.

The La Fayette, Bloomington & Western Railroad, which, since its construction, is known by the title of La Fayette, Muncie & Bloomington, runs through it from east to west, having on it, Holder, on the west line of the township ; Padua, near the centre ; and Ellsworth, near the eastern line; Benjaminville, a hamlet, with its church, post office and blacksmith-shop, before railroad times, on the prairie, near the northwestern corner ; and its wooded counterpart, familiarly called "Stumptown," on the timber line. With a singular disposition to make the local name as horrid as it could well be, the christening powers added the name of Saint Clairsville, as the name of the precinct where the people from this whole country went up to vote in the olden time.

St. Clair would have been, as the name of the good preacher who, after Peter Cartwright, had charge of the Elder's district, an appropriate name for the field of his labors ; but he who suggested, sanctioned or authorized the taeking of the " ville " onto the good Elder's name and that of Friend Benjamin, has lain himself open to being called a " villain."

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

In the absence of any official record, and now that the oldest citizens have passed away, it is not positively known, but there is good reason to believe, that John W. Daw- son, who was also of the first in Blooming Grove, was the first to settle in that part of Old Town Timber which lies within the present bounds of Padua. Dawson came with his old friend, John Hendrix, from Champaign County, Ohio, via Sangamon County, to

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HISTORY OF_McLEAN COUNTY.

Blooming Grove, and made the first settlement in McLean County in 1822. Four years later, or fifty-five years ago, he sold his claim there and set up his lares and penates and what little else he had, in Padua, on the farm now occupied by John Wirt. Daw- son sold his Bloomington claim to Benjamin Cox, who died before he removed his fam- ily to it. His son David became the owner of the place. From this, it appears that the settlement of Padua was only four years after that at Bloomington. Mr. Dawson was the father of ten children, who are either dead or scattered from the home of their childhood. He moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa, and died there. In 1829, James Van- scoyoc came from Ohio and took a claim where his son-in-law, Marks Banks now lives. He was a man of energy, and helped greatly in bringing to subjection the wild lands of Padua. He remained here about twenty years, and then moved to Cheney's Grove. Of seven children, five grew up and settled around him in this and the adjoining townships.

William R. Goodheart, father of Sheriff Goodheart, of McLean County, after many wanderings, came here to live in 1827. He only remained here about three years and then took up his abode in Bloomington. He had, perhaps, seen more of the world than any man who was known hereabout at that time, or, very likely, since. Born in Scotland, after living awhile in Holland, he ran away and went to sea ; was captured by the French ; and, taking the matter as easily as possible, he enlisted under the first Consul, and followed the French eagles through seven years of campaigning; stood sentinel on the porch of St. Peters, in Rome; and was present at the burning of Mos- cow. While the Scotch are famous for being found in every clime, and inhabit places in every corner of the globe, he was probably the first Scotch Presbyterian who ever helped the French infidel hold the keys of the Vatican against the Pontiff, who is popu- larly credited with being the ecclesiastical successor of St. Peter. This exemplifies one of the strong peculiarities of the Scotch. He subsequently enlisted in the British serv- ice and came to America to help subdue the States, but was captured in Perry's victory, and, preferring service in the American cause to being exchanged, he enlisted under Harrison. He lived in Ohio awhile after the close of the war, and then came to McLean County and tried the Mackinaw awhile; came to Padua, then went to Bloom- ington, where he died in 1842. He became a devoted member of the Methodist Church, and was licensed by Cartwright as an exhorter. His life was a varied one, full of the most startling incidents. Born in the land of John Knox, growing up with the Dutch, bearing arms for infidel France, serving commercial England. fighting for Young America, braving the hardships of frontier life in McLean, making the first brick that were made in this county, enlisting late, but with the spirit of a trained sol- dier under the banner of the cross, he devoted his latter years to a fervid and effective preaching of the Word. He was the father of ten children, most of whom grew up around him to honor the memory of his gnarled life and triumphant death.

Jeremiah Greenman came from Ohio to the Dawson place in 1831. He entered a farm and remained here until he died, in 1843. Nine children were born to him, eight of whom grew up. One was killed in the battle of Prairie Grove, and the youngest son, Jeremiah, after serving his country in the war for putting down rebellion, returned to care for his widowed mother. A few years since, he sold the farm to Willis Whight- man, and removed to Kansas.

Jesse Frankeberger came here from Ohio in 1829, and settled on the farm now occupied by his son Frank. He was a local preacher of the M. E. Church, and the

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

preaching services, especially quarterly meetings, were frequently held in his barn. He was a man of strong good sense, and a good manager. He owned and managed a large farm, and preached wherever he was wanted all over this part of the conntry, from the Mackinaw to Monticello, in the houses or barns or groves, wherever he could collect a few together, riding miles to attend an appointment, and returning home without a dinner. Politically, he was a strong Democrat. He remained upon his farm here until 1858, when he went to Bloomington, where he died at the age of eighty. He was three times married, and was the father of eighteen children, twelve of whom are now living, only two, however, in Padua-Frank and Mrs. Allen Hendrix ; the others are scattered all over the West. His widow recently died here at a good old age.

Adolphus Dimmick came here in 1832. He was originally from Tolland County, Conn. He took up a claim near what is called Stumptown, and lived there until 1845. His family are all dead, except his wife, who married Mr. Ireland. She still lives on the farm which she helped to make, which is in charge of her nephew, John Livingston.

Josiah Horr, who has been, and still is, reckoned an influential man in the history of Padua, came here from Lewis County, N. Y., in 1836. His wife was a Cheney, which probably decided his coming here. Ile still lives on the ground he first entered, has 350 acres, which he and his son are farming. He has repeatedly served his town as Supervisor, and in other official capacity, to the general satisfaction of his neighbors. He lived first on the Dawson place, but soon got into his own cabin. The Padua post office was long held at his house, but was moved when Ellsworth was established at the station. There has hardly been a year since he came here with his father that he has not been in some minor official position-being a man of strong mind and clear percep- tions, good education and sterling honesty.

John Bishop, who has lived for some years in the "Stumptown " neighborhood, came to the timber about this time, but first settled further west. Quite a large family grew up about him, several of whom gave their services, and one his brave, young life, to his country's cause. This family, like the other Bishops in this part of the county, are highly respected for their ability and worth.

John Hendrix came to Old Town Timber from Huron County, Ohio, in 1836, and took a claim where the " Cheney's Grove Road " crosses the Kickapoo. In 1854, he came to Padua, and died here in 1857, leaving a comfortable property to his children, who, with his grandchildren, grew up here. Of his six children, three are now living. One was the unfortunate subject of the startling tragedy which, by his own hand, closed the lives of himself and wife in a moment of mania. Another, Allen Hendrix, is too well known in every township in McLean County to need anything more than the men- tion of his name here to recall a hundred incidents and recollections to the mind of nearly every reader. After living awhile with his father in Old Town, he went to Bloomington and built four houses near where the L. M. & B. R. R. depot now is in Pone Hollow.

He has lived in Padua twenty-one years, on the farm one-half mile south of Padua Station. He married a daughter of Rev. Jesse Frankeberger, by whom ten children were born, nine of whom are living. Mrs. H. is a woman of great personal worth, attractive both in appearance and in the excellence of mental powers and firm

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

Christian character. Several of her children live near. A son, Lewis, is a large and prosperous farmer. Another, William B., has served several terms as Coroner of McLean County, and as a Justice of the Peace in Bloomington.

Mr. John Hendrix, the father of Allen, should not be confounded with Mr. John Hendrix, who was the first settler in the county. The latter came from Champaign County, and it is not known that he was a relative of the Huron County man.

Allen-we think no secresy is violated in so stating-is a Republican, and proba- bly no important convention or caucus of that party has been held in the county for twenty years without his presence. No one who knows him will question his fixed- ness of opposition to whatever he antagonizes.

Owen Cheney came here with his father, Jonathan Cheney, who, it will be remem- bered, lived here awhile before settling Cheney's Grove. Owen married Maria, a daughter of J. W. Dawson, and commenced early to make a farm out on the prairie. He was a man of energy, and, though dying comparatively young, left a considerable property.

His son, Hon. J. H. Cheney, now living in Bloomington, the Vice President and Treasurer of the L. M. & B. R. R., owns a large farm in this township, near Ellsworth, and is largely engaged in cattle-feeding and trading. His annual sales of cattle and hogs are large, and his business capacity is of the highest order.

William Harrison, another son-in-law of Dawson, commenced a farm here about the same time, and still lives with his son on the farm near Ellsworth.

William and Frank Evans, sons of William Evans, who was one of the first set- tlers of Blooming Grove, early took up farms near the timber, and have raised large families here.

David Brannaman came here with Josiah Horr, and took up a farm near him at Stumptown. He had seven children. His son Addison lives still on the place.

I. B. Jackson, now living at Cheney's Grove, took up a farm near here first, and has quite a large family living around here.

Henry Burne came from Ohio and settled on " Bald Hill " about the same time. He died here and his children are scattered. His sons, who live in Martin Township, are among the best farmers of that town and are respected and successful.

John Arrowsmith purchased the place and still lives on it, his children living around him. His son, the present Supervisor, lives on the farm which was entered about thirty-five years ago by Archie Martin (his father-in-law). Mr. Martin died about fifteen years ago, leaving a family of six children and about five hundred acres of land. The children still reside here.

Henry Arrowsmith, a brother of John, has a good farm in that part of the town- ship, his children living around him. Henry Bump, who came from New York, set- tled on the farm now occupied by Thomas Mitchell, near the station.

The earlier settlements in the northwestern part of the township, around about Benjaminville, were made by a number of members of the Society of Friends. John Benjamin, a brother of the present County Judge, commenced his farming operations out on the prairie twenty-five years ago. He gave the name to the post office there and owns 1,000 acres of land around it. He is an excellent man, a good farmer and a citi- zen of great worth and influence, maintaining the early simplicity which marks the sect. His children have settled around him, and there seems no reason why he should

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

not be contented and happy. His land is of the best ; the buildings, stock and appoint- ments all very good.

Henry Bedell, from New York, settled near Mr. Benjamin in 1859 ; is like him in religious belief and practice. He has half a section of fine land, is a good farmer and most excellent neighbor-his eight children living near him. No higher tribute can be paid him than that of one who has long lived near him, who said, in the blunt way which carries with it the conviction of truth, " Henry Bedell is a credit to the community, an honor to the name. He is a Quaker, and a good one."

Friend Abner Moore, a preacher of the Society, lived there several years. He died, leaving a son and three daughters. He was a very old man, but greatly esteemed. His son James has recently sold the old homestead, for $52 an acre, which does not look much like " hard-pan " prices. If it indicates anything it is that good farms are not as much affected by shrinkage in prices as poor ones.

Dr. Hinton came here from Ohio about 1844, and began the practice of his pro- fession. He was a well-educated and skillful physician. He owns about one thousand acres of land. His son Alvin has succeeded to his father's practice, and has a large and successful practice in this and the adjoining townships.

Jonas Krum, father of I. R. Krum, grain-dealer at Bloomington and at Arrow- smith, settled near the mill at Stumptown about thirty years ago. He carried on a considerable farm until his death, about 1860.

There are besides these, who are regarded as the early settlers, the names of sev- eral others which properly belong here. Richard Swan and Mr. Gibbs settled early, near the timber. James Ganoe, John Campbell and William Orange, a little later. Later still, James Welch, Thomas Kennedy, Matthew Richardson and James Reed, in the northern part.

Joseph Jennings, from Tazewell County, has a fine farm of 400 acres, which he bought of Mr. Hamilton, east of Benjaminville, about 1860. The buildings are first- rate-two good houses and three barns-with 1,200 trees on the place. He is a good farmer, very industrious and successful.

Ashley Merwin has a fine farm of 240 acres, upon which is a nursery and large orchard. George Brigham came here from the northern part of the State, in 1846. He has a good farm near the middle of the north line of the township.

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The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 75

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092