USA > Illinois > Woodford County > The Past and present of Woodford County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c.; a directory of its tax-payers; war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; general and local statistics etc > Part 44
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The first bridge in the town was built over the Mackinaw River near the old village of Bowling Green, about 1849-50, and was a wooden structure, very good of the kind, but a poor substitute for the splendid iron bridges of the present day. Last Winter, the township had an iron bridge thrown across the Mackinaw at Farnisville, which cost $4,100, and is a model of excellence and a source of great benefit and accommodation to the citizens generally.
WAR AND POLITICS.
As a singular circumstance, and one deserving of note in the history of Woodford County, Montgomery Township is Republican, and on national questions, wherein the full strength of a party vote is brought out, the town goes about two to one Republican. The war record was good, and many of the brave citizens of the township left
" The plow in the mid-furrow stayed,"
and rushed forth to the wars to do battle for " the Constitution as it is, and the Union as it was." Every quota was made up, as soon as ordered, but one, which caused a draft of a few men, but all other calls were filled without a draft. We have heard of none of them, however, distinguishing themselves beyond regular soldiers of the rank and file, whose bravery was unquestionable, and whose fidelity to the cause in which they were engaged was unimpeachable. No high or distinguished officers were among them, but there were plenty of as brave hearts as any that beat under a General's uniform.
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JOHN SNYDER METAMORA TP.
457
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
There were any number of Indians in this section when the first white peo- ple came here. During the Black Hawk war, and even after it was over, there were plenty along the Mackinaw River, and in. the groves of timber on the various creeks. They were apparently quite friendly, and gave no trouble to the settlers. But a few years after the close of the Black Hawk war, the decree went forth for them to " move on," and, with the star of empire, they have taken their course toward " the land of the setting sun."
NAME AND ORGANIZATION.
When the county was organized into townships, in 1852, the first Super- visor of Montgomery was Mr. James Vance. Adam Stephens is at present Supervisor of the township. In naming the township, which was a rather difficult task, as no two could have the same name in the State, Mr. Vance received a letter from John Wells, an old settler and highly estimable man, requesting the name of Montgomery to be given to this township, which was done without controversy. Where he got the name or why he wanted it called Montgomery, no one can now tell.
Montgomery Township, like Partridge, Worth and Spring Bay, contains a good deal of hilly, rolling land. It is estimated that but nine sections of the entire township, being just one-fourth of it, is prairie, the remainder is timber ; and while a portion of the timber and " barrens" are good farming lands, some of the bluffs and hills are good for nothing, except the timber, and even it is not worth a very great deal.
KANSAS TOWNSHIP.
Little Kansas is scarcely half of a Congressional township, and its sonthern boundary zigzags into a similar section in McLean County. In fact, Kansas and White Oak Township, of McLean County, make a complete town between them, and so very nearly connected, both socially and geographically, that to trace the history of the one, without mixing in that of the other, is a somewhat difficult task. It lies in the southeast part of Woodford County, and is bounded south and east-by McLean County, north by Palestine and west by Montgom- ery Township. The Mackinaw River and Denman Creek irrigate the soil and carry away the superfluous water from its surface. More than three-fourths of the lands are timber and barrens, some of which is bluffs and brakes, and not very well adapted to farming purposes. There are, however, some very fine farms in the township, and what little prairie land there is is very fine. Kansas is known as Township 25 north, Range 1 east of the Third Principal Meridian, and, according to the Assessors' books of 1877, has taxable property to the amount of $183,623.
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458
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT.
Among the early settlers of Kansas Township were the following, viz. : Smith Denman, Robert Phillips, Isaac Allen, Zachary Brown, Reuben and Abraham Carlock, Samuel Kirkpatrick, Adam Moore, Thomas and Elisha Dickson, and perhaps others whose names have been forgotten. The first settlement is suposed to have been made by Smith Denman, in 1829. Should we make a mistake and get over into McLean County,* while tracing up these old settlers, we hope not to be considered a trespasser ; but owing to the jagged edge of the township, it is rather hard to at all times " keep within due bounds." Denman came from the old Buckeye State and settled in the southeast part of the town, in the timber of Denman Creek, and from whom the creek takes its name. He is still living, but is a resident of McLean County.
The Dicksons, Samuel Kirkpatrick and Adam Moore were also from Ohio, the land of the Buckeye and of the present President. Thomas and Elisha Dickson came to Illinois in the Fall of 1829, and settled in White Oak Grove, as this section was then called, and a name it bears to the present day. They, after living here a number of years, sold out and moved to Missouri. Samuel Kirkpatrick settled in White Oak Grove a short time after the Dicksons. Adam Moore, whose father, William C. Moore, is mentioned as finally settling in Montgomery Township, after much drifting around, came to this section soon after his father's settlement in Montgomery, and where two other brothers now live.
" DEMOCRAT" CARLOCK.
This old Jackson Democrat, together with his family, and his brother Reuben Carlock, his family, Isaac Allen and Zachary Brown, were all from the sunny South-
"The land of the orange, the myrtle and vine."
They came from Tennessee, the home of the old hero of New Orleans and of the cotton bags. Abraham W. Carlock, or as he calls himself for short, " Old Democrat " Carlock, settled in this township near the line, between it and Montgomery, in 1833, the next year after the Black Hawk war. He had settled four years previously, in Morgan County, near Jacksonville. His father and two brothers were soldiers under Gen. Jackson, in the war with the Creek Indians, and also at New Orleans. Mr. Carlock is proud of the fact, and boasts of it on every occasion, that his first vote for a Presidential candi- date was for Gen. Jackson, and his last for Samuel Tilden. He is a Democrat of the old school, and believes the country will continue to go on to wreck and ruin until it gets back into. the hands of the Democrats. Reuben Carlock settled here one year after his brother, where he lived an honored and respected citizen, and died some years ago, regretted by all. His widow is still living, and is quite active for one of her age. Mr. Carlock was a great hunter, as
*It is said by some that Denman's settlement was in McLean County.
459
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
long as there was game in the country; and when it had followed the red man to the lands beyond the great river, he, like Alexander when he had conquered the world, grieved that there was not another world of game here for him to conquer. He is worthily represented by his two sons, John J. and Winton Car- lock, who live in the neighborhood where the father spent the last half of his life. The sons of Abraham Carlock are Madison, John G., William and A. H. Carlock. John G. Carlock lives in McLean County ; William Carlock is a lawyer, in Bloomington ; Madison Carlock is a preacher, and lives in Logan, while the other son lives with his father.
Isaac Allen and Zachary Brown settled here about the same time the Car- locks, and were, as already stated, from Tennessee. Robert Philips came from Indiana, and settled in this township about 1830, and died a few years after his settlement in the neighborhood.
THE FIRST BLACKSMITH.
A man named Craig is said to have kept the first blacksmith shop in what is now Kansas Township.
" The smith, a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands ; And the muscles of his brawny arms Are strong as iron bands."
Where this smithy stood, whether like the one described by Longfellow, it stood under a " spreading chestnut tree," or not, we do not know. We can give no further particulars than that a Mr. Craig kept the first blacksmith shop.
There is not a store nor a post office in Kansas Township, nor has there ever been an institution of either kind within its borders. Our readers, however, must not infer from this that the citizens of Kansas do not read or get any mail, for such an impression would be a very erroneous one, and there are several post offices within easy reach, if there is none in their own town. Kansas is also about as destitute of churches as of stores and post offices, though there are a number around it, and just over the line in somebody else's territory. But it does not follow that the people are heathen. No more intelligent and religious people live in Woodford County, and the neighboring churches are well attended and well patronized by them. And we believe there is one chnreh, of the Christian denomination, which is really inside of the Kansas line, although we were told by one or two parties that it stood over in McLean County, and we propose to give the Kansas people the credit for having one church within their territorial limits.
The first sermon preached in this region was by Rev. John Dunham, mentioned as preaching the first sermon in Montgomery Township.
In these early times, religious services were held at the residences, or per- haps more properly speaking, the settlers' cabins, until the era of school houses,
460
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
when they were devoted to that use and remain so still, in localities where there are no churches.
SCHOOLS, ETC.
The first school for the benefit of Kansas Township was taught by Rev. Abner Peeler in a little log cabin, and which is said to have been just over the line in McLean County, but supported principally from this township. The first school house was built in the east part of the town, near Zachary Brown's, away back about 1850. From the last annual report of Samuel Lautz, School Treasurer, to Prof. Lamb, County Superintendent of Schools, we take the following items :
No. males in township under 21 years of age. 138
" females in township under 21 years of age.
132
Total
270
No. males in township between 6 and 21 years.
83
" females in township between 6 and 21 years
83
Total. 166
No. school districts in the township.
3
" public schools sustained in township
3
Average number of months taught ..
6}
No. males attending school in township.
71
" females
63
Total
134
No. ungraded schools ...
3
Estimated value of school property.
$1,464.00
School fund (of both counties*)
2,858.86
District tax levy for support of schools
592.20
Balance on hand October 1, 1876.
325.90
Interest of township fund received.
133.24
Special district tax received.
574.39
Highest monthly wages paid teachers
40.00
Lowest monthly wages paid teachers.
25.00
As a school township, Kansas is fractional with White Oak Township, of McLean County, and some of the items in the school reports are given jointly with the latter town. All of the school districts in Kansas are supplied with good, comfortable, frame school buildings, and the schools are in a most flour- ishing condition.
THE FIRST DEATH.
The first victim of the Grim Monster in this township was Robert Phillips, who died in 1835. He was one of the very earliest settlers, but lived not to enjoy the fine country long, to which he had emigrated full of hope. Since that distant period, many have crossed the dark river from this place and many others are waiting on the shores, and soon they, too, will cross over.
#As a school township, one-half of it is in McLean County.
461
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
Kansas, like Montgomery Township, has a grand iron bridge across the Mackinaw River. It was put up last winter, and cost about $4,000, and is quite an accommodation to all who have business on both sides of the treacherous stream. Before these bridges spanned the "dark rolling river," the people were often caught " on the other side," and had either to remain, or swim their horses across, which was not always safe or pleasant. W. Stephens is at present Supervisor of the township.
Kansas was, originally, a part of Palestine Township, and so continued up to 1859, when the people petitioned the Board of Supervisors, to be made a separate and distinct town, which, after considerable controversy, was agreed to. After its formation as a township, the subject of a name came up, and it being just the time of the Kansas troubles, P. H. Vance, then Supervisor of Montgomery, pro- posed the name of Kansas, which was adopted. Its political and war record is pretty much the same as in other portions of Woodford County.
1
1
462
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
REPORT OF CROPS IN WOODFORD COUNTY. FOR THR YEAR 1877.
TOWNS.
Acres
Wheat.
Acres Corn.
Acres Oats.
Acres Meadow.
Acres other Field Products.
Acres Enclosed Pasture.
Acres Orchard.
Acres Woodland.
Minonk.
289
13,563
2,881
2,243
1,430
1,835
106
Clayton.
688
10,639
3,045
2,380
243
2,313
166
Linn .
642
11,144
3,387
1,931
788
2,981
226
94
Cazenovia.
463
7,547
1,968
2,083
621
4,923
219
3,675.59
Partridge
584
3,970.33
186
535
9.93 649.23
166
53
1,082
Worth
2595
4,070
807
1,265
47
385
290
13,024.46
Metamora
1082
6,555
2,090
1,840
550
4,070
290
3,960
Roanoke
632
8,763
2,605
1,795
421
2,134
239
Greene ..
711
9,646
2,409
2,298
513
3,522.29
235
2,068.41 68
Panola ....
55
13,662
2,462
2,129
466
2,634
190
El Paso.
29
7,361
1,459
617
143
1,429
131
Palestine.
235
7,500
3,700
1,710
300
4,600
265
4,593
Olio.
177
6,954
2,223
1,376
237
2,991
218
2,585
Cruger.
190
3,643
1,332
1,003
73
1,739
113
283
Montgomery.
597
6,527.23
1,565.56
1,955.46
762.87
2,941.54
134.81
8,821.99
Kansas
100
1,300
350
300
120
1,700
30
7,700
Total
9301 125,409.56 32,739.56 25,705.46 7,374.03 40,368.83 2,970.31 63,243.39
POPULATION OF WOODFORD COUNTY, BY TOWNSHIPS.
1870.
1860.
TOWNS.
TOTAL.
NATIVE.
FOREIGN.
WHITE.
COLORED.
WHITE.
COLORED.
Cazenovia.
990
830
160
990
954
Washburn
272
210
62
272
Clayton.
1022
695
327
1022
449
El Paso ..
852
669
183
852
El Paso.
1564
1341
223
1561
3
890
1st Ward
779
641
138
776
3
Greene,
349
328
21
349
208
Linn
1718
1397
321
1717
1
1601
I
Metamora.
2115
1498
617
2115
Minonk
1122
850
272
1122
1st Ward
226
212
14
226
2d Ward
259
203
56
259
3d Ward
284
173
111
284
4th Ward.
652
497
155
651
1
872
Olio ..
2508
2218
290
2503
5
1983
Eureka
1233
1154
79
1228
5
604
Palestine ..
1325
1131
194
1325
1354
Secor.
407
349
58
407
Panola ..
1260
981
279
1260
524
Partridge ..
395
314
81
395
946
Roanake
998
723
275
998
805
Spring Bay
475
376
99
475
515
Spring Bay.
235
178
57
235
Worth
1000
553
447
1000
1204
548
Metamora.
702
609
93
701
1
966
Minonk ..
785
700
85
785
2d Ward
938
769
164
933
770
Kansas
800
571
229
800
548
353
262
91
353
Montgomery.
5
64.50 15,287.94
Spring Bay
232
2,585
270
245
WOODFORD COUNTY WAR HISTORY AND RECORD.
ABBREVIATIONS.
Adjt .... Adjutant. e ..
.. enlisted.
Art
Artillery,
excd.
.. exchanged.
Colonel. Col ..
inf. infantry.
Capt ..
.. Captain.
kid .. killed.
Corpl. .Corporal.
m. o ..
.. mustered out.
Comsy
.Commissary.
prmtd
promoted.
comd. commissioned.
prisr
-prisoner.
caY ....
.... cavalry.
rect .. recruit.
captd.
captured.
Regt Regiment.
consdn .consolidation.
resd.
.resigned.
disab.
disabled.
Sergt
Sergeant.
disd.
.discharged.
wd
wounded.
FORTY-SEVENTH INFANTRY.
The Forty-seventh Regiment, Illinois Infan- try Volunteers, was first organized and mus- tered into the service of the United States, at Peoria, Ill., on the 16th day of August, 1861.
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On the 23d day of September, 1861, the regi- ment moved, by rail, from Peoria to St. Louis, Mo., going into quarters at Benton Barracks, near the city, where it was clothed and armed complete. Remained in Benton Barracks, undergoing a thorough drilling, daily, until the 9th day of October, when it moved, by rail, to Jef- ferson City, Mo., where it remained doiug garri- son duty until the 22d day of December, when it moved, by rail, to Otterville, Mo., remained there drilling and doing garrison duty, until the 2d day of February, 1862, when it marched north to the Missouri River; crossing at Booneville, marched down the north side of the river to St. Charles, where it arrived on the 18th day of February, crossed the river at St. Charles, and moved, by rail, to St. Louis, where it embarked on the steamer War Eagle, and moved down the river, arriving at Cairo on the 23d day of February. On the 25th day of February, moved back up the river 30 miles, to Commerce, Mo., where the regiment disembarked and joined Pope's command, then preparing for a campaign against Island No. 10 and New Madrid. Marched from Benton, Mo., March 2d, arriving in front of the enemy's works at New Madrid, March 4th. On the night of March 10th, the regiment, with the Eleventh
1
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Missouri Infantry, marched ten miles below New Madrid, taking with them a battery of Light Artillery, to Point Pleasant, blockading the river and cutting off the enemy's communi- cation by river below New Madrid and Island No. 10. Here the regiment was brigaded with the Eleventh Missouri Infantry Volunteers, Twenty-sixth Regiment Illinois Infantry Vol- unteers, and the Eighth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry, and placed under command of Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Plummer. Remained at Point Pleasant, encamped iu a disagreeable swamp, with continual heavy rains, until the 7th day of April. The enemy having evacuated New Madrid on the night of the 5th of April the regiment marched with the brigade up to New Madrid, on the 7th, and on the 9th were paid four months' pay by Major Witherell. On the morning of April 10th, the regiment embarked on board of steamer Aleck Scott, and proceeded, with the army, down the river, nearly to Fort Pillow, returning on the morning of the 11th, and disembarked at Tiptonville, Tenn., twenty miles below New Madrid. April 12th, re- embarked and moved up the river to Cairo, drew clothing and took on coal, and, on the night of the 20th, moved up the Tennessee River, arriving at Hamburg Landing, Tenn., on the morning of the 22d of April, disembarked and camped near the river.
During the following 15 days, the regiment accompanied Gen. Pope's army in its advance in the direction of the enemy's position around Corinth. A portion of the way it had to con- struct corduroy roads through extensive
464
WAR HISTORY AND RECORD.
swamps. On the 9th day of May, was engaged at Farmington, Miss., in which engagement Lieut. Col. Daniel L. Miles was killed. On the 28th day of May, the regiment participated in an engagement near Corinth. On the night of May 29th, the enemy evacuated Corinth, and the regiment accompanied Gen. Pope's army, in pursuit of their retreating forces, as far as Booneville, Miss., returning' to Camp Clear Creek, six miles south of Corinth, June 11, 1862, where, in a few days, the regiment re- ceived two months' pay from Maj. Etting. On the 3d of July, the regiment marched to Rienzi, Miss., remained there until the 18th day of August, on which day Col. John Bryner took leave of the regiment-his resignation having been accepted on account of poor health. Aug. 18th, broke Camp Rienzi, and marched to Tus-' cumbia, Ala., rejoining the Brigade on the road, arriving there Aug. 22d, and on the 24th received two months' pay from Maj. IIemp- sted. Marched from Tuscumbia, Sept. 8th, and arrived at Camp Clear Creek, Sept. 14th. Left Clear Creek on the morning of the 18th, and marched toward luka, Miss., participated in the battle of luka, on the 19th, where the army, under Gen. Rosecrans, defeated the enemy's forces under Gen. Sterling Price. In this engagement Maj. John N. Cromwell was taken prisoner. Followed the retreating army of the enemy one day and then returned to Corinth, arriving there on the 3d of October, and took part in the battle of Corinth, Oct. 3d and 4th. In the engagement of the 3d, the brave and honored Col. William A. Thrush was killed while bravely leading his command, in a charge. Capt. David DeWolf, of Company K, was killed. Capt. Harmon Andrews was severely wounded and taken prisoner. The regiment lost in this engagement 30 killed, and over 100 wounded.
After this battle, the regiment accompanied Gen. Rosecrans' army in pursuit of Price and Van Dorn's defeated army, following them to Ripley, Miss., so closely as to force them to abandon some of their artillery and nearly all their wagons and equipage. On the 14th of October, the regiment returned with the army, and encamped near Corinth, until Nov. 2d, when it marched to Grand Junction, Tenn., and joined Gen. Grant's expedition into Cen- tral Mississippi. Marched to Oxford, Miss., with the army, and returned to Grand Junc- tion, Tenn., Jan. 1. 1863. Jan. 8th, marched from Grand Junction, by way of Bolivar, Tenn., for Corinth, where it arrived Jan. 14th. Moved, by rail, from Corinth, Jan. 26th, to Ridgeway Statiou, Tenn., where the regiment remained, guarding the railroad, until March 12th, when it marched to Memphis, Tenn., and embarked on board steamer Empress, for the vicinity of Vicksburg. Remained near Helena, Ark., ten days, and again moved down the river, disembarking on the Ist day of April, at Duckport, twelve miles above Vicksburg. Here the duties of the men were of various kinds-guard duty, loading and unloading
steamboats, digging on a canal, and contriving the best plans at their hands to keep from re- posing in water at nights. On the 2d of May, the regiment marched with the army down the west side of the Mississippi River, crossing it at Grand Gulf, and, with the Fifteenth Army Corps, then commanded by Gen. Sherman, marched to Jackson, Miss., where, on the 14th day of May, 1863, it participated in the en- gagement which resulted in the capture of that city. On the morning of the 16th was rear guard. On leaving the city, Col. Cromwell, then commanding regiment, rode back to see if a detachment of troops, left back to bring up stragglers, were doing their duty, when a body of rebel cavalrymen came up between him and his command, and called on him to surrender, which he refused to do, and tried to escape, but was killed in the attempt, several bullets passing through his body. The regiment par- ticipated in the charge on the enemy's works at Vicksburg, May 22d, losing 12 men killed, and quite a number wounded. During the siege of Vicksburg, Maj. John D. McClure re- ceived a severe wound, and carries the bullets in his body to-day. On the 4th of June, the regiment participated with the brigade, under command of Gen. Joseph A. Mower, in the defeat of a force of the enemy at Mechanics- ville, Miss., thirty miles from Vicksburg, near the Yazoo River. After the fall of Vicksburg, during the months of August, September and October, the regiment encamped at Bear Creek, twenty miles east of Vicksburg.
In the middle of November, 1863, the regiment moved up the river to Memphis, Tenn., and from there to La Grange, Tenn., guarding the Memphis and Charleston line of railroad. A portion of the time, however, was occupied in scouting after the rebel Gen. Forrest's command. Ou the 26th of January, 1864, left La Grange and arrived at Memphis, Jan. 28th. Feb. Ist, em- barked ou board steamer for Vicksburg, where it arrived Feb. 3d, and went into camp at Black River Bridge, twelve miles from Vicks- burg. Feb. 23d, marched to Canton, Miss. Returned to Black River, March 3d, and to Vicksburg, March 7th, where it embarked, March 10th, on hoard steamer Mars, for the Red River expedition. Was present at the capture of Fort DeRussey, La., March 14th. Participated in the battle of Pleasant Hill, La , April 9, 1864. During this expedition the regiment was under fire several times, and en- dured many very severe hardships. On the 22d of May, the regiment arrived with Gen. Smith's command, at Vicksburg, having been for nearly three months engaged in as tedious and fatiguing a campaign as has ever fallen to the lot of any army to undergo. June 5th, regiment embarked for Memphis. Moved up the river to Lake Chicot, disembarked, moved inland, and came in contact with a force under Gen. Marmaduke, who was defeated and com- pletely routed. Regiment lost in this engage- ment 11 men killed, and quite a number wounded. Maj. Miles received almost a fatal
465
WAR HISTORY AND RECORD.
shot in the neck, and Capt. Biser was killed. Regiment then proceeded to Memphis, and accompanied Gen. A. J. Smith to Tupelo, Miss., with the exception of the men who had re- enlisted, numbering about one hundred, who left the regiment at Moscow, Tenn., and went to Illinois on veteran furlough. The veterans returned to the regiment on the 8th day of August, and, with the regiment, accompanied Gen. A. J. Smith's expedition to Oxford, Miss. Returned to Memphis, Aug. 27, 1864. The original term of service of the regiment having expired, it was ordered to Springfield, Ill., where it was finally discharged on the 11th of October, 1864.
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