USA > Illinois > McLean County > The good old times in McLean County, Illinois : containing two hundred and sixty-one sketches of old settlers, a complete historical sketch of the Black Hawk war and descriptions of all matters of interest relating to McLean County > Part 62
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Mr. Smith married, November 23, 1837, Lydia Ann Goddard. She is a woman of ready wit, and is a good judge of character. They have had eleven children, of whom nine are living. Mr. and Mrs. Smith both appreciate practical jokes, and their chil- dren are not far behind them in this respect, and occasionally put their love of fun into practice. It is said that during one morning, when Mr. Smith called his children to the house to at- tend devotional exercises, they all came except Fletcher. This young man had an idea which he wished to develop. He waited until the exercises commenced, when he took his father's dog by the neck and pitched the unfortunate animal between two bee hives, which were standing close together. The bees were en- raged and swarmed out everywhere, and the poor dog ran off howling. Fletcher took good care to keep out of the way. The devotional exercises were carried on under difficulties, and it is said were suspended for the time being.
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Mr. Smith's living children are :
Ann Mary, wife of George B. Ogeson, lives in Lexington.
Sarah Francis, widow of Marinus W. Strayer, lives in Lex- ington.
William A. Smith lives in Lexington township, south of the Mackinaw.
Fletcher M. Smith is married and lives in Lexington.
Carrie, Kate, Louis, George and Estelle (the pet) live at home.
Mr. Smith is about five feet and eight inches in height, is strongly and squarely built. His hair and whiskers are white and his eyes are gray. His mouth has a firm expression, and his eyes twinkle when he sees anything funny. He is a very religious man and belongs to the Presbyterian church. He is very con- scientious in his dealings, and is widely known and respected. He is always anxious to speak well of his neighbors, and char- itably conceals their faults.
THOMAS McMACKIN.
Thomas MeMackin was born March 15, 1823, in Green Coun- ty, Tennessee. His father, Thomas McMackin, was a native American, and his mother, whose maiden name was Rachel Monteith, was partly Irish and partly American.
In the fall of 1838, Thomas McMackin and his widowed mother came to McLean County, Illinois. They came with an- other family and two young men; and during a part of the jour- ney they had with them an old Quaker as a guide. This old gentleman was exceedingly honest, and was pained at sight of any immoral act. When the young men stole a couple of gourds, the old gentleman was so shocked and so angry that he broke the gourds over the young men's heads. The journey was, on the whole, a pleasant one, but a few incidents occurred which are perhaps worth relating. Mr. McMackin says that just before the party came to the Kentucky shore he saw the meanest man he ever knew. He was a Baptist preacher, named Rush. This man compelled his slaves to work until ten o'clock at night and made them go four miles after dark for potatoes, and sent them off to work the next morning by sunrise. This preacher had two large orchards, but forbade any of the party to go near
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them. Nevertheless, this order was not obeyed, and the party went through the orchards, but found no apples fit for eating. Mr. McMackin does not wish it thought that he has any feeling of disrespect for preachers as a general thing, but he certainly did have a lively sense of the meanness of this Baptist preacher, Mr. Rush.
During the latter part of November, the party arrived at Cheney's Grove. There the McMackin family lived for two years on the place belonging to the heirs of Benjamin Thomas. In 1843, Thomas MeMackin was a boatman on the Illinois and Wabash Rivers. He also flatboated for a while on the Vermilion River. He had evil fortune, as people sometimes do, and lost his health and used up all his earnings in regaining it.
Mr. McMackin married, February 13, 1848, Elizabeth Dow- ney, eldest daughter of Benjamin Downey. He has lived since that time in Lexington township, with the exception of one year.
He made the usual trips to Chicago, when prices seemed little or nothing compared with the present, and went long dis- tances to mill. For some unexplained reason he seemed to live easier and better then than at the present time, and took more pleasure in life. He has carried his axe fifteen miles to help a neighbor raise a log cabin, going one day and returning the next.
Mr. McMackin thought the land in the West would never be settled, and neglected to buy land until it was all taken up and could not be had, except at high prices. He now lives on twenty-five acres of land, which he has bought with hard earned money. He was offered a square of land in Bloomington, near the Wesleyan University, for eighty dollars, and it is now worth twenty thousand.
Mr. McMackin has three children, James, Eliza and Joseph Grant MeMackin, all of whom live at home.
Mr. McMackin is five feet and eight inches high, has brown hair and whiskers and gray eyes. He is a good man and has a kind expression in his face. His nose is good natured and Roman. He is very peaceable and quiet, but sensible in conver- sation. He seems very conscientious and honorable in his deal- ings. He has been pathmaster for some time, but insists that he shall not be compelled to serve again. Notwithstanding the
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quietness of his manner, Mr. McMackin is bold when boldness is required, and has great presence of mind during an exciting moment. He once rescued a lady, who had fallen into the San- gamon river, after she had sunk for the third time. He was on horseback at the time, and when apprised of her danger rode into the water, jumped from his horse and succeeded in bringing her out. She was insensible, but was revived after some exertion.
MARTIN.
WILLIAM WILEY.
William Wiley was born August 24, 1813, in Garrett County, Kentucky. His father's name was John Wiley, and his mother's name before her marriage was Hannah Sampson. Both were of English descent. When William was three or four years of age his father's family moved to Switzerland County, Indiana. When Mr. Wiley was eighteen years of age, he went with his father during the winter season on a flatboat down the Ohio and Mis- sissippi. In the Ohio River their boat grounded on a sand bar, and by the falling of the water was left twenty or thirty feet in the air ; but the water rose and they floated on their way. They often made landings on the shore of the Mississippi, and the negroes would come on board to trade sugar for meat. They said that all the meat they could get was obtained in that way. Their only allowance (he thinks) was a peck of meal per week. They were poor, and lacked the energy of the negroes of Kentucky. The latter were fatter, sleeker and greasier.
In the fall of 1835 the Wiley family came to Mackinaw tim- ber, in the present township of Lawndale. The weather during the journey was cold and rainy, and the Wileys were often mired down in the sloughs. They reached the Sangamon in November. Their sheep refused to cross until William Wiley took one by force and dragged it over.
At Mackinaw timber, William Wiley helped his father make a farm, and then made one for himself, where he now lives.
Mr. Wiley speaks most eloquently of the sudden change of
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December, 1836, and of the great difficulty in driving his cattle from the creek bottom to prevent them from freezing fast in the water.
The deer, in an early day, were very thick in the Upper Mackinaw timber, and in the fall of the year would make bad work in the cornfields. Mr. Wiley has counted eighty deer in a line coming from the prairie into his cornfield at the edge of the timber, during the evening of a cold day.
Jolin Messer, the great hunter on the Mackinaw, frequently came to Mr. Wiley's, and they went out hunting together. The two men once went to Burr Oak Grove, where they killed several coons, and became much excited in the sport. Mr. Messer put his hand into a hole to feel for coons, and unexpectedly got a bite, for a vicious coon grabbed his thumb. He said nothing, but kept his hand perfectly still until the coon let loose. He told Wiley that the coon was very strong, and induced that gentleman to try his skill ; but Wiley first put on his buckskin mittens, and when he heard the coon snarl, withdrew his hand. That little joke could not be passed around.
Mr. Wiley speaks of old Milton Smith, and says, that when he came to the country, he brought with him from Kentucky an old negro woman, whom he had hired in order to hold her in a free State. But she was a high-tempered woman, and when she learned to use the ox-whip, she occasionally mistook old Milton for the steers she drove.
The old settlers particularly enjoyed practical jokes. Mr. Wiley speaks of a yellow jacket's nest, with an advertisement or notice posted over it to draw people there. Those who were victimized appreciated the joke so highly that they allowed the notice to stand, and called the attention of others to it.
On the 30th of September, 1841, William Wiley married Nancy Hopkins. They have had eight children, six of whom are living. They are :
John Wiley, who lives just east of his father's. He enlisted in the Eighth Illinois Infantry, and was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, siege of Vicksburg, and many others.
Robert Wiley, who enlisted in the regiment some time after its organization, died of the measles about six months after his enlistment.
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Joseph Wiley served in the same regiment during the last eighteen months of the war. He lives at home with his father.
William R., James, Amelia and Nancy E. Wiley, live at home.
Mr. Wiley is about five feet and ten inches in height. His eyes are dark, his hair is black, but his whiskers are white with age. He is a good man, and is blessed with a family of intelli- gent and happy children.
LYTLE ROYSTON WILEY.
Lytle R. Wiley was born November 7, 1815, in Garrard County, Kentucky. When he was about two years old his parents left Kentucky and came to Switzerland County, Indiana, and there lived until November, 1835, when they came to Illinois. Here he found matters very unhandily arranged, for there was no village near by, where even the necessaries of life could be pur- chased. The mill was fifty or sixty miles distant, and wheat was hauled to Chicago for fifty or seventy cents per bushel. The pork was so cheap that it was almost given away. Mr. Wiley was never a hunter, but occasionally took amusement by chasing wolves. He attended carefully to his farm, and found always plenty to do. Although he has been an active, hardworking pioneer, his life has had in it very little of adventure. The only " lively time," which he particularly calls to mind, was his chase after his cattle on the creek bottom of the Mackinaw, to prevent them from freezing into the slush during the sudden change in December, 1836.
On the 13th of June, 1843, Mr. Wiley married his relative, Miss Sarah Wiley. They have had nine children, of whom eight are living. They are :
Thomas, who intends to be 'a physician; Rhoda Margaret, John James, Hannah Elizabeth, William Sampson, Sarah Lucin- da, Lytle Richard and Mary Cassandra Wiley, all live at home with their parents.
Mr. Wiley is five feet and eleven and one-half inches in height, is rather slim in build, has brown hair, and whiskers partly gray. He has attended closely to his business and succeeded well. He has hunted very little, but has employed all of his time in farm- ing and caring for his stock, and by this means has accumulated
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a fair amount of property. He seems to have looked after his affairs carefully, and has not allowed anything to go to waste for want of attention. He is a thrifty farmer and a good American citizen.
CURTIS BATTERTON.
Curtis Batterton, brother of Martin Batterton, of Lawndale township, was born January 11, 1810, in Madison County, Ken- tucky. He lived in his native State until he grew to manhood. No very important or remarkable event occurred during his early life. He received the education which could be obtained at that early day.
In the fall of 1831, Curtis Batterton went with two men, Martin and Linsey, to South Carolina, with a drove of swine. They stopped at certain places, where notices had been posted that on certain days swine would be sold, and in this manner dis- posed of the drove. The negroes there had very queer ideas. Their thoughts seemed to be confined to their bodily wants. They nearly all wished to go to Kentucky, for they knew that swine were driven from there, and they supposed that negroes in Ken- tucky could have all the pork they wished to eat. The negroes hated the cotton-fields, and were willing to do almost anything rather than pick cotton. They were well clothed, indeed he saw only one ragged negro.
In the fall of 1836, Mr. Batterton came through Illinois to Missouri. He took a careful observation, and decided that it was hardly worth while to settle there as long as he could enter land. in MeLean County, Illinois. During the fall of 1836, on his way back to Kentucky, he bought eighty acres of land in Macki- naw timber, and came to it in the spring of 1837, and made a farm and broke prairie. The wolves were exceedingly trouble- some. He had a flock of twenty-five sheep, and made every ex- ertion to protect them ; but they went one by one, and during a single night five of them became missing. At one time he awoke at night and found a sheep running around the house, a wolf after the sheep, and his dog after the wolf. He only saved one sheep out of the twenty-five.
Mr. Batterton was never much of a hunter. He pursued the wolves and caught a great many of them to protect his stock, but
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he never hunted as a business. His time was spent in raising stock and cultivating his farm. He tells of a lively hunter, who killed two deer, skinned one of them, and as it was cold, threw the skin over his shoulders, and began skinning the other. A youthful hunter mistook the man for a deer and fired at him. But the young man missed his mark, as youthful hunters some- times will, and no damage resulted.
In the fall of the year the settlers went to Chicago, and great strings of wagons, indeed almost caravans, were seen on the road. No one mourned for want of company.
Going to mill in the early days was a task, and usually re- quired some time. Mr. Batterton tells a joke on an early settler, who required twenty-seven years to go to mill. A few of the settlers became seriously indebted to various merchants, and the laws for collections were then very stringent, and parties could oftentimes be taken on a capias. One person, who was about to make a settlement elsewhere, and had a few little dues outstand- ing, loaded up his slight worldly possessions as if going to mill, and left. Twenty-seven years afterwards he returned, and was asked if his grist was yet ground !
On the 10th of August, 1837, Mr. Batterton married Melinda Henline. He has had seven children, of whom four are living. They are :
Tilitha, who is a milliner, and lives at Lexington.
John Batterton enlisted at the outbreak of the war in the Eighth Illinois Infantry. He died of sickness at Jackson, Tenn. He was a brave boy and did his duty.
Franklin, William and Albert, all live at home.
Mr. Batterton is five feet and ten inches in height, is straight and rather spare. He is careful, thrifty and honest, has worked well, and has seen the fruits of his labor in the plenty which sur- rounds him, and makes his life pleasant. He is a kind, good man, and likes a chat with his neighbors and friends.
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MONEY CREEK.
JESSE TRIMMER.
Jesse Trimmer was born March 14, 1818, in Huntington County, New Jersey. His father's name was John Trimmer, and his mother's name before her marriage was Elizabeth Lan- terman. John Trimmer was an active business man, and his worldly circumstances were very fair. In August, 1826, the Trimmer family came to Smith's Grove, McLean County, Illi- nois. After they crossed the Wabash, on their road to the West, they saw no white person until they reached Smith's Grove. They traveled on an Indian trail and found no wagon track this side of the Wabash. No white person was to be found at that time in Mackinaw timber. Jonathan Cheney was at Cheney's Grove, John Dawson lived at Old Town timber, and about fif- teen families lived in Blooming Grove.
In October of that year, before the family had built a house and while they were yet living in a camp, John Trimmer died, leaving Mrs. Trimmer with a family of eight children to oversee and provide for. Mr. Trimmer was buried in a coffin made of walnut lumber, which had been made by splitting thin pieces from a log and dressing them down with an axe and a jack plane. Jacob Spawr, W. H. Hodge, William Orendorff and John Hendryx helped to make the coffin and assisted at the funeral.
The family settled first on Money Creek, about one mile north of where Towanda now stands, and lived there about ten years.
When Mr. Trimmer came to the country he was a child, and his playmates were the Indian boys, with whom he often ran races. The clothing of the pioneer children consisted of a shirt, but nothing else to speak of. Mr. Trimmer once witnessed a race between George Harness and an Indian boy, in which the latter came out ahead. George was beaten but not discouraged, and declared that if he could pull off his shirt he could beat the little savage. He drew off his shirt, and on a second race came out ahead. The Indians were very friendly and stole water- melons in a sociable way. They sometimes raised corn, and
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when they moved away the white folks were asked to take care of it in the lofts of their cabins. The Indians were always glad to get a night's lodging, and Mr. Trimmer remembers when two of them stayed at his mother's house over night. She gave them mush and milk for supper, but they did not know how to eat it until the little Trimmers commenced.
During the deep snow the Trimmers had the experience com- mon to all of the old settlers. In the fore part of the winter, Frederick Trimmer and one other went to St. Louis to bring goods for James Allin. They returned as far as Springfield, when they were caught in the deep snow. They left their loads and came home with four horses, riding two and driving two alead in a single file to break the road. As soon as the horse on the lead gave out, it was put in the rear and another took its place. The goods were not brought to Blooming Grove until the April afterwards.
Mr. Trimmer married, March 7, 1839, Amanda Gilmore, who was born and reared in Fayette County, Ohio. She came to Money Creek timber in 1837. Her family was four weeks on their journey to the West, and Amanda walked all the way and drove cattle.
Mr. Trimmer has had ten children, of whom seven grew up, and six are living.
William Trimmer enlisted in the Thirty-third Illinois Volun- teers in August, 1861, was discharged from the hospital at St. Louis, on account of continued sickness, and died three months afterwards of sickness contracted in the army.
Eliza Ann was married to John T. MeNott, and lives at Normal.
John F. Trimmer was a soldier in the Ninety-fourth Illinois, and afterwards in the Twenty-seventh, and served nearly three years. He lives in Money Creek timber.
Sarah E. Trimmer married Joseph A. Scott, and lives in Hudson township.
Frank, Mary and Enos Trimmer live at home.
Mr. Trimmer is rather less than the medium height ; his hair is dark and turning a little gray and his face is broad. He seems in good health, is in comfortable circumstances, and appears to be a man of responsibility and standing. He is
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friendly in manner and modest in appearance. Very few men have too little self assertion, but this certainly seems to be the case with Mr. Trimmer.
HENRY MOATS.
Henry Moats was born November 26, 1810, in Licking County, Ohio. His ancestors were of German and Irish descent. In the fall of 1829, the Moats family came to Buckles' Grove, where they remained six weeks, then went to where Hudson now stands and remained a month ; then came to Money Creek timber and made a permanent settlement. They did some farm- ing, hunted "right smart," pounded their corn during the " hominy session," which was the winter of the deep snow, and hauled fall wheat to Chicago for forty cents per bushel.
Mr. Moats married, November 2, 1837, Elsie Van Buskirk. He has had four children, of whom two are living. They are :
Francis Marion Moats, who lives west near by his father.
Mary Jane Moats, who is married to John Rankin, and lives a mile and a-quarter northeast of her father's.
Mr. Moats is fully six feet in height, has broad shoulders, is strong, is good natured, accommodating and pleasant. He works hard, and has done fairly well since his arrival in the West. He has a full head of rather bushy hair, which is turn- ing gray, and his whiskers are grayish black. He always enjoys himself in the society of the frank spoken old settlers, and thinks they are much more social than at the present time.
WILLIAM STRETCH.
William Stretch was born March 24, 1817, in Fayette Coun- ty, Ohio. He is of English, Scotch and Dutch descent. His father was Jesse Stretch, and his mother was Elizabeth Vando- lah. The Stretch family came to MeLean County in the fall of 1830. They had a very pleasant journey, were nineteen days on the road ; but William shook with the ague during the most of the time and was not in a situation to appreciate the grandeur of the West. The family settled on the east side of Money Creek timber, where William Stretch now lives, and there built a cabin and began farming. During the first winter of their residence in this country they pounded their meal, and the Stretch boys had great sport in chasing the deer.
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During the summer of 1832 the Stretch family lived in their own cabin, and did not run for protection on account of the wars and rumors of wars, which were flying around.
William Stretch has led a quiet life, and has not had it di- versified by many adventures. At one time, when he killed a deer in Mackinaw timber, he became lost. The day was cloudy and it was impossible to see the sun. He dragged his deer du- ring the greater part of the day over the snow, and at nearly nightfall discovered the house of Samuel Bigger, and then un- derstood his position.
Mr. Stretch married in 1850, Elizabeth Ann White, who died in 1854. He has had two children :
Almeda Josephine, who is married to Samuel Nichols, and lives with her father.
Samantha Jane, who is married to William Stretch, her cousin, and lives on a part of the homestead place.
Mr. Stretch is five feet and ten and one-half inches in height; his hair is dark, and his eyes are a light hazel. His form is large, and he weighs from one hundred and ninety to two hun- dred pounds. He has great muscle, and his features are massive and heavy. He seems to be a man very independent in manner and feeling, though quiet and modest. He is a good neighbor and a kind father, and a man whose word can always be relied upon.
ALBERT OGDEN.
Albert Ogden was born in 1798 in New York, and was of English descent. He came to Ohio at an early day and there worked at his trade as a cooper. He married Margaret Riddle, who was born in Pennsylvania. Her descent was rather mixed, as her ancestors were Scotch, Irish, Welch and Dutch.
Albert Ogden lived in Madison County, Ohio, for a long while, and was a famous hunter there. He often hunted deer by torchlight on Deer Creek. This creek in some places spread out into ponds, and here the deer came in the night time to feed on moss. Mr. Ogden hunted with a canoe at night. He placed a torch in the canoe, and in front of the torch was a board with a hole in it, giving the torch the appearance of a dark lantern. Behind the board was the hunter. He could come up within a
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few rods of the deer, as they were feeding on the moss, for they would gaze at the light with astonishment. Mr. Ogden under- stood the nature of deer, and hunted them accordingly. In Madison County were many barrens, and on these were knolls of ground. When the deer were scared they were sure to run up on a knoll and look around. Mr. Ogden, understanding this, would take his position near a knoll, and send his boy around to scare up the deer, which would run to the knoll, and there Mr. Ogden's unerring rifle would bring them down.
Albert Ogden came to Money Creek timber, McLean Coun- ty, Illinois, in the fall of 1831, and there helped his son Benja- min to make his farm. He did very little hunting after his arrival in the West, but worked hard and faithfully. He died August 13, 1845. He had ten children, of whom eight grew up. They are :
Mrs. Polly Dawson, wife of James R. Dawson, lives in Money Creek township.
Abner Ogden died in Ohio, never came West.
Jonathan Ogden lives in Money Creek township.
Benjamin Ogden died in September, 1873, at his home in Money Creek timber.
Deborah Ogden was first married to Hiram Tipton, and after his death she was married to Elder Henry Stump.
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