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 70
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Mr. Bishop had at first nothing with which to support his wife and six children. He borrowed $100, and entered eighty acres of timber land and went to work. But notwithstanding
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these difficulties, he lived a happy life. In the evening he sat and made shoes, while his wife worked her spinning wheel, and all the money they could earn by their united efforts was used to enter land. It was then very easy to raise stock. Cattle were fattened by turning them loose and allowing them to eat grass.
Mr. Bishop has been something of a hunter. He often chased wolves. At one time he dug out a den and found five little wolf puppies. The old ones were looking on in the distance, but did not dare to come up. He has hunted deer, but had no danger- ous adventure; he never had a buck turn on him for fight. Mr. Bishop was always cautious about hunting deer, after an adven- ture which happened to Asa Weedman. Mr. Weedman was a great hunter, and on one of his expeditions he creased a buck, that is, shot it on the top of its neck and stunned it. He quickly ran up to cut its throat, but his knife was dull, and soon the deer arose and the hunter dropped his knife to hold it. The struggle was a very long one. Mr. Weedman held to the horns of the buck and could do nothing else. At last his strength failed him, and he concluded to quit if the deer was willing; so he let go of the buck and lay down and "played 'possum." The deer pawed him and looked at him suspiciously, then ran off a short distance and looked back, then went a little farther and looked back again, and finally went away entirely. Mr. Weedman lacerated his hands badly in trying to hold the buck, and his clothes were almost torn off of him.
Just before the Black Hawk war, Mr. Bishop, Robert Rut- ledge and William G. Wright, went to Chicago, and were inter- rupted by the extraordinarily high water. They crossed the Calumet swamps by putting eight yoke of oxen on each wagon and drawing it through. On their return they crossed the Des- plaines River by unloading and taking their wagons across in pieces in canoes, which they had lashed together. They took across their salt, a small part at a time. They crossed the Dupage River with the assistance of only one canoe. At the Illinois River, they were fortunate enough to find a boat large enough to bring their wagons over, but they swam their oxen.
Mr. Bishop has been very happy in his domestic life, and has ยท raised a large family of remarkably intelligent children. They are :
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Mrs. Sarah Ann Hand, of Farmer City, a widow, who was the wife of Philip Hand. She lives with her family.
George Bishop, lives in Randolph's Grove, about two miles from his father's.
Mrs. Hannah Cusey, lives in Downs township with her hus- band, Senator John Cusey.
Mrs. Charity Adams, wife of Wyatt Adams, lives in Downs township, about four miles north of Mr. Bishop's.
Jacob C. Bishop, lives about four miles east of his father's, in Downs township.
Mrs. Charlotte Stringfield, lives with her father at the home- stead. Her husband, A. J. Stringfield, died of sickness con- tracted while in the army.
Mrs. Elizabeth Fry, wife of Abram Fry, lives about six miles from her father's in Randolph township.
William F. Bishop, lives about two and a-half miles from his father's in Downs township.
Mrs. Emma Fulton, wife of James Fulton, lives a mile and a-half east in Downs township.
Mrs. Harriet Louisa Wilson, wife of George Wilson, lives about three miles east in Downs township.
John S. Bishop, lives in Randolph township, about six miles from his father's.
Asbury Mills Bishop, lives at home. He lost his arm in a threshing machine.
Joseph Allen Bishop, lives near his father's.
Mr. Jacob Bishop was, before he became bent with age, five feet and six inches in height. He is one of the most tender hearted of men, is exceedingly kind to his family, has worked hard for them and is anxious to see them prosper. He has the most fine and delicate feelings, is exceedingly hospitable, and feels grieved to think people are not as hearty and kind as the old settlers were. IIe has worked hard himself and always taught his children to be busy. He would like very much to see the old camp-meetings revived, and thinks they are much plea- santer than churches. All except two of his children are mem- bers of churches. His wife, Mrs. Mary Ann Bishop, died in January, 1873. She was a most excellent lady, and in all of the hardships of pioneer life she bore her part bravely.
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MATTHEW COVARDALE.
Matthew Covardale was born August 13, 1807, in Maryland. His father's name was Matthew Covardale, and his mother's name before her marriage was Nancy Fisher. Matthew Covar- dale, sr., was of Irish descent. The mother of young Matthew died when he was quite small. His father, Matthew Covardale, sr., was a seafaring man and had very little time to look after his son. The latter had no regular place of abode, but was shifted around from one person to another. When he was nine years of age an event happened which changed the whole course of his life. While Matthew Covardale, sr., was bringing the vessel, of which he was captain, into Delaware Bay, it was foun- dered, and he became ruined in fortune. He was utterly broken up by this shipwreck. He took little Matthew by the hand, and they started on foot for the West. They traveled over the moun- tains to Wheeling, thence to Columbus, Ohio, then out towards Lake Erie, then to Licking River, then down to Zanesville, then across the Muskingum, and then to Chillicothe. There they went on a keelboat down the Scioto River ; but while they were in a sparse settlement the keelboat sunk. This was at night. They remained on the shore until morning, then picked up their knapsacks and went to Maysville on foot, there crossed the Ohio River and went to Lexington, Kentucky, on foot, and from there to the north bend in the Ohio River, below Cincinnati. From there they went to Jackson County, Indiana, and then back to Hamilton County, Ohio. Here they made a stopping place. Matthew Covardale, sr., died here, when his son was only six- teen years of age. The latter worked by the day, by the week, by the month and by the year. He worked every way possible in order to make an honest livelihood. In the fall of 1830 he came to Randolph's Grove, McLean County, Illinois. Here he worked for Jesse Funk until no more work could be done during that season.
During that winter Jesse Funk took a drove of hogs to Ga- lena, and had many adventures, for it was the winter of the famous deep snow. The cold was intense, and Mr. Funk was obliged to wear a false face to protect his nose and cheeks and prevent them from freezing. The snow and frost gathered on
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this false face as he breathed through the aperture, and it ap- peared most frightful. When he had occasion to stop at a cabin on the way, the moment the door was opened the children would scream, and sometimes the women also would be fright- ened.
But Mr. Covardale did not accompany Mr. Funk on this trip. The latter stayed during the winter with a man named Richard Gross, and usually kept pretty close to the house. At one time he saw some prairie chickens some distance, across a slough, and he picked up a gun and started to shoot them. While cross- ing the slough, where the snow was very deep, he broke through the crust and went down. He threw his gun on the crust and tried to work himself loose. But the more he worked the deeper he went down, down, deeper and deeper, and the snow closed over his head, and in spite of all exertion he continued going down. But he continued struggling until he packed the snow underneath him and obtained a firm foot- hold. Then, by packing the snow below him, he rose high enough to crawl out on the crust. He returned to the house, and the people there asked whether he was going to shoot those chickens. Mr. Covardale remarked that his ambition for hunt- ing was satisfied for one day. The cold during that winter was severe, and at one time Mr. Covardale had his eyelashes frozen fast, and the tears were frozen on his cheek. During that win- ter Mr. Gross hunted deer and Mr. Covardale pounded corn. The corn was sifted through a sieve made of finely dressed deer- skin stretched over a hoop of white oak, and fastened with a whang. The holes through the buckskin were made with a burning iron. In order to keep warm during that winter Mr. Covardale and Mr. Gross cut wood and kept the fire burning. Their chimney, built of sticks and clay, sometimes caught fire, and they kept water ready to throw up the chimney.
During the next season Mr. Covardale worked for Jesse Funk and for other parties. He worked hard and succeeded well. After working for a few seasons as a renter, Mr. Covar- dale obtained some land of his own, broke prairie, split rails and made fences. He succeeded in all of his un- dertakings. He raised stock, which he sold for prices which would now be considered next to nothing. He made
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the customary trips to Chicago, Pekin, Peoria, and other places, camping out at night and sleeping under the wagon, which he made his dwelling.
Mr. Covardale married Mrs. Anstis Thompson, a widow, who was born in Virginia. Mr. Covardale has never had any chil- dren of his own. His stepson, William Thompson, carries on the farm. Franklin Thompson, his eldest stepson, is in Mont- gomery County, Kansas. Mrs. Mary Bishop and Mrs. Elizabeth Cresswell are his stepdaughters.
Mr. Covardale is about five feet and nine inches in height, weighs one hundred and forty or fifty pounds, and has a san- guine complexion and white hair. He is a hard worker, and a most honest and worthy man. He thinks a great deal of the old settlers, and has himself seen some of the severest hardships of the early days. But he had the courage to do and the will to overcome. He is very frank and kind, and likes fair dealing, and possesses the fullest confidence of all with whom he is ac- quainted.
SAMUEL STEWART.
Samuel Stewart was born May 5, 1790, in Monongehela County, Virginia. His parents were Americans. His father died when Samuel was quite young. When he was twenty-one or two years of age he went to Hamilton County, Ohio, and be- gan farming with his brother, who had preceded him there. He returned to Virginia for a short time, but went back to Ohio. All of his travel was done on horseback.
He was married in May, 1816, to Jane Hanley. This lady was born in 1791, and is yet living, and bids fair to enjoy life much longer.
Mr. Stewart made a visit to Illinois in 1830, and bought a claim of A. M. Stringfield at Randolph's Grove. During the following year he moved to Randolph's Grove with his family in wagons. He immediately went to farming, as that was the oc- cupation of nearly all the old settlers. He also made brick and put up a brick house. The lumber used was sawed with a whip saw, indeed, this was almost the only way to make it. The cabins in early days were built without nails, and were simply pinned together. The door was made of split boards or shakes,
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and was called a clapboard door ; the floor of the cabin below was puncheon, while the floor of the loft was usually of linn bark.
The Stewart family were for a long time after their arrival, very much annoyed by wolves, which made such a howling and barking around the house at night that it was impossible for any one to sleep. Mr. Stewart was often obliged to go out and fire his gun to frighten them away, in order that the family might obtain a little rest.
During the celebrated sudden change in the weather in De- cember, 1836, Mr. Stewart had great difficulty in getting the children home from school. The Little Kickapoo was overflowed, but he succeeded in getting the children across by bringing them over on horseback, two at a time.
Mr. Stewart was accustomed to hunt occasionally, and kept for this purpose a horse, which had quite a history. It was born in Pennsylvania, and emigrated to the West across the mountains. It was taken by a soldier through the Black Hawk war, and on its return was traded to Mr. Stewart. Having seen many adven- tures, it may be supposed that the horse was possessed of a good degree of smartness. It could go anywhere, and open any gate or door, indeed if its smartness had continued to increase it might have learned to pick a lock or go through a dwelling. Mr. Stewart hunted with the horse, but after a while the animal be- came too refined for this, and pretended to be frightened by the report of a gun, and refused to allow Mr. Stewart to shoot from its back. When this horse was twenty-one years of age (its legal majority) it was supposed to have been stolen from its master, but the probability is that it considered itself too smart to ac- knowledge a master and ran away.
The early settlers of course "went visiting," but their visits were made at times to suit their circumstances and the necessities of their life. They came before breakfast, and when they went to quiltings and house-raisings, they were on hand particularly early in order to do a good day's work, and return home early to feed their stock.
Mr. Stewart had nine children in his family, and of these eight grew to be men and women.
John Hanley Stewart lives in Bloomington.
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James Newton Stewart died in Kentucky in 1845. Mrs. Isabel Jane Noble died in 1855.
Sarah Ann Stewart died in 1845.
Robert Stewart died in 1869.
William Curtis Stewart lives two miles north of the home- stead. He was a bachelor until thirty-nine years of age, when he did his duty and married Mrs. Amanda Vandevort, who died March 19th, 1874.
HIon. Archibald Evans Stewart is a physician. He lives at Randolph's Grove, at the old homestead, and is a member of the legislature. He served as surgeon in the Ninety-fourth Illinois Volunteers from 1862 until 1865. The homestead house, where he lives, was the first house built of brick in McLean County. It was erected in 1834. The brick was made on the farm.
Mr. Samuel Stewart was six feet in height, rather spare, had brown eyes, rather light hair, was not very muscular, had a mild, pleasant expression on his countenance, and was indeed a worthy citizen. He was a strong friend of Governor Moore, and was one of the men who persuaded that gentleman to take an active part in politics. Mr. Stewart died January 8, 1841.
JOHN HANLEY STEWART.
John H. Stewart, eldest son of Samuel Stewart, was born October 28, 1817, in Hamilton County, Ohio. In October, 1831, the Stewart family, consisting of nine persons in all, together with the family of George Thompson, came to McLean County, Illinois. The reason why the Stewart family came West, was a desire on the part of the father of John H. Stewart to secure land for every member of his numerous family.
Mr. Stewart, the subject of this sketch, went to school only six months in Ohio, and if his mother, who is a well informed lady, had not taken the matter in hand, his education would have been finished. Mr. Stewart speaks very highly of his old schoolmaster in Ohio, William Bebb, who afterwards emigrated to Illinois, where he died. Mr. Stewart was raised a farmer, like his father, but all the Stewarts are mechanics by nature. They possess great skill in the handling of carpenters' tools. They themselves did all the wood-work of the house of which we have spoken in his father's sketch. Their journey from Ohio
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to McLean County was without any adventure worthy to relate. They came with one horse team and one ox team, arriving at Randolph's Grove in the fall of 1831, the father having previously (in 1830) bought a claim from A. M. Stringfield. During their first winter here, Mr. Stewart, and his brother, James Newton, slept in a wagon, and the wolves often came when they were in their beds, snuffing and snorting around this primitive couch. Mr. Stewart's father, Samuel Stewart, gave A. M. Stringfield one hundred dollars for his claim, and as he had brought four hun- dred dollars with him from Ohio, he entered this claim and two hundred and forty acres besides. Mr. Stewart, sr., also entered eighty acres for A. M. Stringfield.
Times were hard when the Stewart family came, and they had, of course, to endure all the hardships of a frontier life. When they came to the country they brought as many groceries with them as would last during the first year, which they had purchased at Cincinnati. After that they made their own maple sugar for many years. The family, on the whole, enjoyed good health, and soon found themselves in easy circumstances. All the children of Mr. Stewart, sr., the father of John H., were born in a log house in Hamilton County, Ohio, except Dr. Stewart, the present member of the legislature, who was born at Randolph's Grove, when the house of which we have spoken in the fore- going sketch was about half finished. The Stewart family was a happy, hard working family. The mother of the present stock is still living on the homestead farm, where they first settled. She is a remarkable lady, who now, at the age of eighty-three years, can walk a distance of half a mile as rapidly as a young girl of twenty. Her life is entirely wrapt up in her children, grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, (Della, little daughter of Mr. H. C. Horine.)
Mr. Stewart never was much of a hunter, but he occasionally chased wolves, killing them with a stirrup when the chase was on horseback, which was the custom in those days. He also killed now and then a deer, but these animals were already scarce when he came to the country, the winter of the deep snow having made havoc among them.
Mr. Stewart speaks with the greatest admiration of Squire A. M. Stringfield and Mrs. Stringfield. He says, that whatever
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Squire Stringfield says is a fact to be relied on, and whatever he promises he will perform.
In 1839, Mr. Stewart commenced farming on his own ac- count-and married, of course. The lady of his choice, who is still living, was Miss Jane Evans, daughter of Owen Evans, of Randolph's Grove. His father made him a present of eighty acres of land, to which he gradually added more. He continued farming up to 1857, when he sold out his timber-farm on account of failing health, and because he wished to give his children an education ; but he still carries on farming about six miles south of Bloomington, on the Main street road, on a tract of three hun- dred and twenty acres.
He moved to Normal about the time the Normal University began its labors. There Mrs. Stewart kept a boarding-house, which was the first house of the kind established in Normal. During most of this time Mr. Stewart was in partnership with A. C. Washburne in a meat-market, from which they supplied the whole of Normal with meat for about eight years.
In 1872, Mr. Stewart went into the agricultural implement and machinery business, which is now carried on by him and his son-in-law, Mr. H. C. Horine. This house was started in 1870, by Frank Stewart, a nephew of Mr. Stewart. Mr. Horine be- came partner of the business in 1871, and when Frank went out of the firm, Mr. Stewart stepped in. The business, under the name of Stewart & Horine, is carried on at the corner of Main and Grove streets, Bloomington.
Mr. Stewart has three children living. They are :
Sarah, wife of William Houser, who lives in Randolph town- ship.
Emily, wife of H. C. Horine, lives in Bloomington.
Mary I., wife of W. S. Vinyard, resides with her parents in Bloomington.
Mr. Stewart is about six feet two inches in height, is well pro- portioned, appears to be quite muscular, and has a very erect walk. His hair and beard are almost gray ; he has gray eyes, and uses glasses when he reads and writes. He is a very con- scientious man, and thinks well before he decides on anything ; but when he sets his mind on doing anything he will do it with-
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out hesitation. He is a kind and indulgent father to his children. He has been, (by reason of care and industry,) successful in life, which is in a great measure.due to his kind and hospitable wife.
DAVID NOBLE.
David Noble was born in September, 1795, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was of English and Dutch descent. His father was an old English sea captain, who came to the United States and married a Pennsylvania Dutch lady, and became thoroughly Americanized. David Noble was born in Cincinnati, when that place was no larger than Heyworth, that is, a village of two or three hundred people. He had a limited education, and as his parents were poor, was obliged to work his way through the world without learning or wealth. In 1817 he was married to Rebecca Karr. In 1828 he went to New Orleans in company with his brother, with a load of chickens and various other kinds of poultry, and by good managemert and good fortune they did very well with their stock. In the fall of 1830 he came to Illinois to see the country, and visited various points in Sangamon and Taze- well counties. He returned to Ohio during the same fall, and prepared to come West. During the following year, October 3, 1831, the Noble family started for McLean County, Illinois, and arrived there on the 20th. They traveled with a four-horse team. They came in near Squire A. M. Stringfield's place, and saw him chase a wolf on foot and catch it with his hands. Mr. Noble set his dog on the wolf before Stringfield caught it, but the dog was quickly whipped. Mr. Stringfield took the wolf home alive. Their journey was a hard one, as it rained nearly all the time they traveled. During one day they only went ten miles. They traveled long distances over corduroy roads. At one time they were mired down, a little this side of Urbana, and Mr. Joseph Noble (David's brother) was obliged to carry out his wife. Joseph Noble rode an old gray mare, which had a bad habit of lying down in the mud, when it was deep, and refusing to get up. The only way of compelling her to rise was to hold her head under the mud and water for a while.
David Noble lived, during nearly all of the first winter, in a cabin on old Mr. Passwaters' place, about one mile south of where William Noble now lives. After that the family went to the
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cabin near where John Wakefield now lives. There they did some pretty hard grubbing, as the place joined the timber. David Noble stayed there until 1844 or '45, and then came five miles north, bought some new prairie and made a farm.
The wife of David Noble died in 1837. In 1841 he was mar- ried to Mrs. Jane Arnold, a widow lady.
Mr. Noble suffered with a stroke of paralysis a few years be- fore his death, which occurred in September, 1863. His domestic life was pleasant. He had ten children to raise and care for, six by his first marriage and four by his second. They are :
William C. Noble, who lives at Randolph's Grove.
Mrs. Sarah Jane Munson, wife of Ira Munson, who lives in Randolph's Grove.
Stephen K. Noble, who lives in Bloomington.
James K. Noble, who lives in Bloomington.
Mrs. Mercy Ann Rust, widow of George W. Rust, deceased, lives in Randolph's Grove.
Thomas Jacob Noble lives a mile north of Randolph's Grove.
The four children by his second marriage live with their mother in Champaign County, near Homer. They are :
Mrs. Maria Louisa Custer.
Mrs. Eliza Ann Hollis.
Mrs. Martha E. Custer.
Harrison David Noble.
David Noble was five feet and eleven inches in height, had a large, strong frame, and, before he was afflicted with paralysis, weighed two hundred pounds. He was very muscular, worked hard, and had usually good health. His hair was naturally black, and his eyes pleasing and expressive.
WILLIAM CRIVLIN NOBLE.
William Crivlin Noble was born February 25, 1818, in Ham- ilton County, Ohio. His education was not very liberal, but was all that could be expected at that time. The scholars were then more remarkable for their muscle than their intellect, and had a habit of turning out the teacher on Christmas day. At one time, when they threatened to turn out the master, he compro- mised the matter by giving them a gallon of whisky and some eggs, and one of them was carried home insensible. Mr. Noble
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went to school to William Bebb, who was afterwards Governor of Ohio. The schoolmasters in those days made desperate attempts to teach the children politeness; the girls were taught to courtesy to whoever they met, while going to or returning from school, and the boys were taught to bow, or as it was called, " make their manners." Mr. Noble came to Randolph's Grove with his father, David Noble, in the fall of 1831, and continued his schooling for two winters in Illinois. The falling of the meteors in 1833 impressed him very much. They fell it seemed by millions, to the north, south, east and west, and some of them made a large blaze. He felt no fear on account of this wonder- ful phenomenon, but the next morning, when he went to mill, he met so many persons who were frightened by the meteors that he began to be frightened himself. Some people were made crazy with fear.
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