The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 25

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848

USA > Illinois > Mason County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 25
USA > Illinois > Menard County > The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 25

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HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.

the Revolution, time was absolutely necessary to any beneficial results from the efforts. In the early development of Illinois, there was a great variety of influences in the way of general education. The settlements were sparse, and continued so for years. Money or other means of remunerating teachers was scarce, as the pioneers of new countries are nearly always poor. There were no schoolhouses erected, nor was there any public school fund, either State or county. All persons, of both sexes, who had physical strength enough to labor, were compelled to take their part in the work of securing a support, the labors of the females being as laborious and important as that of the men ; and this continued so for a quarter of a century. In the last place, both teachers and books were extremely scarce. Taking all these facts together, the wonder is that they had any schools whatever. With all our present advantages-our commodious schoolhouses, our abundant and ever ready public fund, and the superabundance of teachers of every quality, from the very poorest up to the best-still some communities will lose months of precious time in wrangling over some matter of the most insignificant character. But the pioneers of Illi- nois deserve the highest honors for their prompt and energetic efforts in this direction. Just so soon as the settlements would at all justify, schools were begun at each one. The teacher or pupil of to-day has no conception of getting an education under difficulties. Everything connected with schools was as simple and primitive as the dwellings, clothing or food. The schools were at first kept in private dwellings, and then, a few years later, houses were built in the various neighborhoods, not by money subscribed, but by labor given. The men of the vicinity would gather together at some point previously agreed upon, and, with each an ax in hand, the work was soon done. Logs were cut, six- teen or eighteen feet in length, and of these the walls were raised. Broad boards composed the roof, and a rude fireplace and clapboard door, a puncheon floor, and the cracks filled with " chinks," and these daubed over with mud, completed the schoolhouse, with the exception of the windows and furniture. The window-if any-was made by cutting out a log the full length of the build- ing, and over the opening, in winter (and they had school during no other season of the year), paper saturated with grease served to admit the light. Just under this window, two or three strong pins were firmly driven in the log in a slant- ing direction. On these pins, a long "puncheon " was fastened, and this was. the writing-desk for the whole school. For seats, they used benches made in the following manner: Smooth, straight trees, about a foot in diameter, were- cut in lengths of from twelve to sixteen feet. In the round side of these, two large holes were bored at each end, and, in each, a stout pin fifteen inches long was driven. These pins formed the legs. On the uneven floors, these rude. benches were hardly ever seen to have more than three legs on the floor at one time. The dirt to daub the house and construct the fireplace and chimney was. nearly always dug in the center of the building, before the floor was laid. This dug quite a cellar under the schoolhouse floor. The venerable Minter Graham

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HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.

informed the writer that, while he was teaching in Salem, he was one day walking the floor, deeply interested in hearing the recitation of a class. All at once, one of the " puncheons " in the floor, being a little short, slipped off the "sleeper " at one end, and, quick as thought, the teacher was sent like an arrow, feet foremost, into the hole under the floor. The children screamed with fright, doubtless thinking that, like Korah of old, the earth had swallowed him up; nor would they be pacified till " Uncle Minter" crept out, and adjusted the treacherous slab.

, The books were as primitive as the houses. The New Testament, when it could be had, was the most popular reader, though occasionally a copy of the old "English Reader" was found, and very rarely the "Columbian Orator" was in a family. Pike's and Smiley's Arithmetics, "Webster's Speller" was first used, and after eight or ten years, the " Elementary Speller" came in. Grammar was scarcely ever taught; when it was, the text-books used were Murray's and Kirkham's Grammar. To illustrate the scarcity of these books, it may not be amiss to state in this connection that while Lincoln was in Salem, he took lessons from Mr. Graham in English grammar. But he must have a book, and, after diligent inquiry, he learned that Mr. John Vance, then living seven miles north of Salem, at Concord, had a copy of "Kirkham's Gram- mar." Mr. Lincoln walked barefoot the seven miles and back, procured the book, mastered its contents, and then returned it.

The schools were made by subscription, the charge being from $1.50 to $2.50 per scholar for a term of three months, the schools running only in mid- winter. School opened at 8 o'clock in the morning and closed at 5 in the evening. The teacher must be an adept at making quill pens, as pens of steel or gold were then unheard of. The principal game among the boys was " bull- pen," `a kind of ball. The party was equally divided. A field was laid out with as many corners, or bases, as there were men on a side. They tossed for choice, the winners' side taking the corners, or bases, the others going into the "pen." The game was this : The men on the bases, tossing the ball from one to another as rapidly as they could, threw and struck one in the "pen " whenever they could. If one threw and struck no one, he was out; but if he struck one, the men on the bases all ran away, and if the one struck first did not throw and hit one in return, he was out; though if he did, both kept their places. So the game went on till all on the "corners" were out; the others then took the bases. This was a rough, but lively and amusing game. Those in the "pen " often had their ribs sorely battered with the ball; but many became such adepts in the art of "dodging" the ball when thrown at them, that it was almost impossible to strike them. This game was, in time, aban- doned for a game called "town ball ;" the present base ball being town ball reduced to a science.

It is a rather strange, but very creditable fact, that schools were begun in the principal centers of the early settlements nearly at the same time, and

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within less than two years after the first pioneers came to the country. It cannot be decided who it was that taught the first school in the county, or where it was taught. It is pleasing, however, to know that the name of the first teacher in each of those settlements has been preserved-the place, the approx- imate time, and all this ; but the exact date not being given, we cannot tell which was first. Clary's Grove, Sugar Grove, Indian Creek and Rock Creek settlements each claims the honor of being the first to start in this direction.

Mr. Tarleton Lloyd, now ninety-five years of age, had settled on a claim on Rock Creek, on which were two log cabins, one 16x17 feet, the other, 15 feet square. Mr. Lloyd lived in the larger of these, and, about 1820 (Mr. L. can- not give the date positively), a man by the name of Compton opened a school in the smaller of these cabins ; and this served as a schoolhouse for two years, when a better one was built. In 1820 or 1821, Messrs. Meadows, Boyer, Wilcox, McNabb and Grant put up a house in Sugar Grove, in which to have school. This was built of split logs, or large rails, and a school was at once opened in it by James McNabb, who, as the reader will probably remember, was drowned in the Sangamon River some time after. The next school there was taught by a Mr. McCall, and the third by Mr. Templeman. In 1820 (positively), a school was taught in Clary's Grove, in a log cabin, by Robert Armstrong. The old settlers of this grove are very positive in the assertion that this was the first school in the limits of " Little Menard."

In 1820 or 1821, a log cabin was put up on the brow of the bluff on Indian Creek, not far from the present site of Indian Point Church. In this, a Mr. Hodge taught the first school in that vicinity. We give in detail only these earliest schools, for, by one or two years after those named were begun, schools were opened in considerable number, so that any effort at giving any farther particulars would be simply ridiculous. As the school system .was not adopted and put into operation by the authority of the State till as late as 1847, it fol- lows, of course, that there were no regular districts for schools, no public funds of any amount, and, therefore, they were all run by private enterprise, and on the subscription plan. But in order that the people should not be imposed upon too egregiously, it was common for the neighborhood to select some one of their number to examine and pass on the qualifications of the applicant, giving him, if qualified, a certificate of the fact. In another part of this work, Mr. Perrin relates an incident actually occurring in the county : A gentleman applying for a certain school was sent to the proper dignitary to be examined and procure a certificate. He appeared before his honor, and was handed a Bible, opened at a chapter of genealogy in the Old Testament, which, of course, was all jaw-breaking proper names. He read the chapter, when the old gentleman said, " I guess you can teach school." He then produced pen and paper and told the applicant to write a certificate. He did so, and, when done, handed it to the old gentleman for his signature. Said he, " Just sign it for me, and I will make my mark, as I can't write."

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In some communities they were determined not to be imposed upon ; as in the vicinity of Indian Point. Long before the introduction of our admirable system of school laws, a number of leading citizens constituted themselves a committee on examinations, and these examinations were close and rigid. Many were the poor fellows in ye olden time, who, after sweating for long hours in the dreadful ordeal of a cross fire between these sturdy old farmers, were doomed at last to fail. But the result was a wholesome one to the com- munity adopting the plan. The Indian Point schcol is an illustration, for they, adopting this plan in a very early day, have always had the very best of schools-the best in the entire county, perhaps.

After the adoption of the present school system, the interest in education was greatly advanced, and, at present, our districts in every part of the county are enjoying the very highest privileges. Each district has a neat and pleas- ant schoolhouse, furnished with every comfort and necessity. The best of teachers can be employed, and a public fund is provided to meet all the expen- ses. Subjoined, we give some important items from the County Superintend- ent's report for the year ending July 30, 1879.

There are, under twenty-one years of age, males, 3,226 ; females, 3,041 : total, 6,267. Between the ages of six and twenty-one years, males, 2,160; females, 2,012; total, 4,172. Number of schools in the county, 63. Frame schoolhouses, 35; brick, 28. Number of teachers employed during the year, males, 58; females, 53; total, 111 .. Months taught by males, 327; by females, 266 ; total, 593. Total number of days attended, 264,043. Number unable to read and write, males, 8 ; females, 4; total, 12. This includes, of course, only those between six and twenty-one years. The cause, in one case, was men- tal incapacity ; in all the others, the cause was the neglect of parents. Aver- age wages paid to male teachers per month, $51.37; average paid to females, $34.13. State fund received, $4,650.22. Interest on public fund, $264.77. Amount of district tax levy, $14,833.16. Total sum expended in the county for school purposes during the year, $38,386.28. The county never had any normal school till during 1878, and the summer of 1879. Each term was of six weeks, and forty pupils were in attendance during each term. Each term was a decided success.

WAR RECORD.

Under this head, we think it best to give the entire history of Menard County as connected with the various wars in which the United States has been engaged since the State came into the Union. The Black Hawk war was spoken of in the history of the village of Salem ; it is therefore unnecessary to repeat what was there said. Ever since the Indian troubles of the country, the Western people have shown the strongest devotion .to the interests and honor of the whole country. And when a portion of the frontier citizens of the country, after repeated and long-continued abuses from heartless and despic- able neighbors, appealed to the whole country for aid, and a call was made for

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volunteers, the whole American people were filled with enthusiasm. The citi- zens of the " Lone Star State," as it has since been called, had for years been engaged in a kind of guerrilla warfare, with varying results; but in 1836, a battle was fought at San Jacinto, wherein Santa Anna, the dictator of Mexico, was captured, and, being held in strict confinement, he was finally induced to sign a treaty acknowledging the independence of Texas. But, in violation of the treaty and of every principle of honor, the republic of Mexico treated Texas and the Texans just as she had previously done. From this time on, petitions were frequently presented to the United States asking admission into the Union. But Mexico, through sheer spite, endeavored to prevent the admission of Texas, by constantly declaring that her reception would be regarded as a sufficient cause for a declaration of war, thinking, perhaps, that this would serve to intimidate the United States. In the Presidential canvass. of 1844, this was one of the leading issues before the people, and Mr. Polk being elected, this was taken as a public declaration on the subject. After this, Congress had no hesi- tancy in granting the petition of Texas, and, on the 1st of March, 1845, for- mally received her into the sisterhood of States. Mexico at once, in her indig- nation, broke off all diplomatic relations with the United States, calling home her Minister immediately, which was a clear declaration of war. War was soon declared. Congress passed an act, authorizing the President to accept the ser- vices of 50,000 volunteers, and appropriating $10,000,000 for the prosecution of the war. Just at the opening of actual trouble with Mexico, the United States was disputing about the boundary of Oregon, the motto being " 54, 40 or fight." But, as we had one war on hand already, it was thought best not. to get into trouble with Great Britain, and the boundary was placed at the 4otlı parallel of north latitude. When the call for volunteers was made, the requisition on Illinois was for " three regiments of infantry or riflemen." As to the pay, that matter was nothing, being only $8 a month. The troops were to be enlisted for a term of twelve months, and the privates were lim- ited to eighty men in a company.

The call of the Governor-Ford-was issued May 25, for the organization of the three regiments. Soon the State was alive with almost frantic enthusiasm. The strains of martial music were heard in almost every village and liamlet. The first man to enroll himself a volunteer was the well-known and brave J. J. Hardin. In ten days, thirty-five full companies were raised, and by the middle of June there were no less than forty companies in excess of the call. After the three regiments had rendezvoused at Alton, and had been received and sworn in, Hon. E. D. Baker, member of Congress from the Sangamon District, was authorized by the Secretary of War to raise another regiment in Illi- nois. The regiment was promptly raised, and was composed of two com- panies from Sangamon, and one company from each of the following coun- ties : Macon, McLean, De Witt, Logan, Tazewell, Edgar, Perry and " Little Menard." Hon. Thomas L. Harris, of Petersburg, and whose family still

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reside in that place, was, by general consent, recognized as Captain of. the company, though no election was held till some time later. They stopped for a short time at Springfield, where they were partially drilled. At Alton, they were sworn in and received arms. They then removed to Jefferson Barracks, twelve miles below St. Louis, on the Mississippi River. When they reached the barracks, they still had no officers, except Capt. Harris who · was tacitly regarded as such. Here an election was held for regimental offi- cers, which resulted in the choice of E. D. Baker as Colonel; the former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, John Moore, of McLean, as Lieutenant Col- onel, and Thomas L. Harris, of Petersburg, as Major.

Officers were here elected for the company. A. D. Wright, of Petersburg, was elected Captain ; William C. Clary, First Lieutenant ; Shelton Johnson, Second Lieutenant ; Robert Scott, Third Lieutenant. The whole number of men in the company, mustered in, was eighty-two ; these, with Maj. Harris, promoted, made eighty-three men from Menard County actually entering the service. Some others volunteered, but they never went so far as to be mustered into service. So soon as the Fourth Regiment reached the city of Alton, a serious question of rank arose between Col. Baker, of the Fourth, and Col. John J. Hardin, of the First Regiment. This matter was referred to a court of inquiry, composed of Capts. Bishop, Crow, Coffee, Dickey, Elkin, Hicks, Jones, McAdams, Morgan, Roberts and Wiley, and G. T. M. Davis as clerk. After a careful investigation of the whole question, Col. Hardin was declared the senior officer. The men who went from Menard County were the following:

Clayborn Altig, Lewis Atchison, Robert Bishop, Wilson Bess, John Bond, Banister Bond, Greene Bond, Jesse Browne, Preston Berry, Andrew Bell, Oliver Cox, William Close, David Clark, Robert Clary, William Clary, Thomas Clary, Daniel Clary, Franceway Day, Phillip Day, Washington Denton, Aaron Durben, Isaac Estil, Samuel Ely, Elijah Elmore, Napoleon Greer, Isaiah Goldsby, Wade H. Goldsby, Charles Gum, Christopher Goodman, Conover Gum, Evans Greene, Amos Gurnsey, John Garber, Alvin Hornback, William Hutchinson, Peter Hamilton, Elias Hohimer, Aaron Houghton, Michael Hed- rick. John Jones, Robert N. Jones, Shelton Johnson, Richard Johnson, Walter W. King, Joseph M. King, Jesse Lukins, Robert Moore, Royal Miller, John Miller, Philemon Morris, T. Nance, Henry Nance, George W. Nance, James Patterson, William Phillips, Cornelius Rourke, Robert Rayburn, William Rhodes, John Ritchie, William Stone, O. H. F. Smith, Daniel Staten, Robert Scott, Richard Smedley, Jonathan Simpson, David R. Short, Robert Smith, Anderson Trent, Robert Trotter, Samuel Tibbs, Owen Thomas, J. P. Walker, John Wright, Enoch Wiseman, John Wiseman, Thomas Watkins, Richard Witt, Capt. A. D. Wright, James Watkins, Benjamin Wiseman, Nelson Yocum, George Yocum.

This list contains eighty-two names, and, with that of Maj. Thomas L. Harris, makes the number of men from Menard County eighty-three in all.

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This was Company F, in the Fourth Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. From Jefferson Barracks, William Phillips came back home on furlough, and never returned to the army. At New Orleans, Elias Hohimer received permission to return home, and remained there. All the remainder of the Menard County men, eighty-one in number, boarded the brig Mary Jones and were landed at Point Isabella, at the mouth of the Rio Grande River, in Texas. This was a seven days' voyage, and on the way, two men died, and were buried in the Gulf. After landing, they marched up the Rio Grande toward Camargo. This was a toilsome march, and the climate nor food agreeing with the soldiers, death made fearful havoc among them. Every day's march was marked by a grave. In that short journey, twenty-one men died, among whom were Short, Atchison, Thomas Clary, Joseph M. King ; seven others were sent home, being unfit for service, on account of disease. From Camargo, they marched by land to Tampico, a distance of near five hundred miles. On this march, seven more men died, making thirty-seven in all from the ranks by death, and returning to the States. From Tampico, the command sailed to Vera Cruz by the steam- ship Alabama. In this battle, the company did not lose a man. From there, they marched to Cerro Gordo, and entered the battle with forty-two men. In the engagement, three of this company were killed and three severely wounded. George Yocum, Al Hornback and Lieut. Johnson were killed. Robert Scott, John Ritchey and Cornelius Rourke were severely wounded. Mr. Rourke lost his left leg, it being shot off near his body. He still lives, however, an honored member of society. His home is in Petersburg, where he is engaged in the lumber trade. He is now Major in the State militia. The command was discharged shortly after the battle of Cerro Gordo, their time having expired, and they reached home in the fall of 1847. By the best information we can get, there are fourteen of those who started out with this company who are still living. The remnant of the company who still survive, are sorely scat- tered, and it is almost impossible to obtain a correct list of the survivors and the places of their residence. A few, however, still live in this and adjoining counties. Col. Cornelius Rourke, William Hutchinson, Walter W. King and Robert Bishop live in Petersburg. Washington Denton, Charles Gum, Elias Hohimer, Samuel Tibbs, Aaron Houghton and Thomas Watkins are still citi- zens of Menard County. Dr. J. P. Walker is a successful practitioner of medicine in Mason City, Mason Co., Ill. William Clary lives in Kansas, R. N. Jones is in Iowa, and Richard Witt is perhaps in Nebraska. Royal Miller lives in Sangamon County. Soon the last of them will be gone to their final reward.

WAR OF THE REBELLION.

It is not our purpose to write a history of the " War for the Union," for, even if we had time, space and material, we should not then be tempted to the task, as there is, at present, vastly more war literature extant than is read. And this is not to be regretted, as this class of literature is very unreliable.

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But a history of Menard County that did not contain its war record, would be no history. Nothing will be of greater interest to coming generations in our country, than a true and faithful account of the events of those four long and gloomy years. It. is a duty that we owe to the soldiers who took part in the bloody struggle, to record and preserve the leading facts ; especially do we owe this to the long list of the dead, who willingly laid down their lives for their country's honor and preservation ; we owe it to the maimed and mangled cripples who were lacerated and torn by shot and shell ; and last, but not least, we owe it to the widows and orphans of our brave soldiers, who, for love of country, forsook home with all its endearments, and whose bodies fatten the soil of the Sunny South. Menard County had been Democratic in politics for many years, and in the Presidential race between Lincoln and Douglas, just at the beginning of the war, notwithstanding the high esteem in which Mr. Lincoln was personally held by the people, Mr. Douglas received a large majority of the votes cast in the county. A large class of people boldly opposed the Republican party and its policy ; yet, when the grim visage of war began to frown over the land, when the American flag was fired upon at Fort Sumter, and the blood of American citizens had been actually spilled, the feelings of patriotism ran high, and the pulses of all began to beat full and quick ; and when the question of union and disunion was brought full before the face of all, then Democrats and Republicans forgot old issues, and petty quarrels, and, with united hands and hearts, resolved to sacrifice all else for the preservation of the Union. When the first call was made for volunteers, it set the entire State in a blaze of excitement, martial music was heard in every town and hamlet, and tender females, no less than males, were wild with enthu- siasm. Wives encouraged their husbands to enlist, mothers urged their sons to patriotic devotion, sisters tenderly gave their brothers to the cause of their country, while cases are not unknown where the bride. of an hour, joyfully though tearfully, gave the young husband the parting embrace, admonishing him to be brave and true. We propose now, in as brief a manner as we can, to give the part that Menard County took in the late war.

The reader is doubtless aware of the fact that the State of Illinois furnished, in all, six regiments of men for service in the war with Mexico. Those in authority at the beginning of the rebellion, thought it due to the patriotism and devotion of the heroes of that war, to begin the numbering of the regiments raised in the State with seven, thus preserving the numbering of those old reg- iments. It will, therefore, be borne in mind that the Seventh Regiment is in reality the first furnished during the rebellion. This " Seventh " Regiment of Infantry, Illinois Volunteers, was mustered into service the 25th of April, 1861. The first regiment that had a representation in it from Menard County was the " Fourteenth," and Company "E" was raised in this county. This regiment was first called into the State service for thirty days, under the "Ten Regiment Bill." It rendezvoused at Jacksonville, Ill., and was mustered in for thirty

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The History of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois, Part 25

Author: Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 848

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 848