USA > Illinois > Randolph County > The history of Randolph county, Illinois, including old Kaskaskia Island > Part 5
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was constructed in the French style of architecture, by driving cedar posts into the ground, and filling the space between them with stone and mortar. For a period of one hundred and twenty-five years it hs stood against storm and flood, and its walls have echoed the pious articulations of many holy m en, who have long since passed to the realms of a brighter existence. Within its portals have been christened the infants of three successive generations, and the marriage vows of the parish people in all that time have been heard at its sacred altar. But mutation has been written upon it as surely as it was upon the minarets of. ancient Ninevah. Though the rites of the church are yet performed within its ancient portals, the time-worn walls are yielding to the pressure of the roof, and must ere long fall to the ground. Preparations have already commenced for the erection of a new one, which will contrast strikingly with the rude structure of the old one.
Among the earliest of the French settlers in Prairie du Rocher, appear the names of Itenne Langlois, Jean Bap- tiste Blais, Jean Baptiste Barbeau, Antoine Louvier, LaCompte, and some others.
Etenne Langlois came from Canada, and devoted himself to farming. He became a very influential man in the com- munity, and left a very respectable family. His oldest son, Etenne, was a wheel-wright, and a very useful man in the town. He left three sons -- Etenne, Charles, and william. Charles is now living about four miles west of Prairie du Rocher. The other two died several years ago.
Francois was the second son of the first Langlois, and the father of Jerard, Antoine, Francois, Michael, and Benjamin, who were conspicuous members of that community forty years ago and later. Francois Langlois, now living about five miles cast of the town, is the son of Jerard. The family is very numerous.
Jean Baptiste Blais was the germ of that respectable family. He devoted himself to the quiet pursuit of farming,
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and was a leading man in the village. He reached an ex- treme old age, and died in the year 1783, leaving four sons -- Antoine, Joseph, Charles, and Louis -- the latter died in early life. The others were industrious, respectable citi- zens. Joseph and Antoine died in 1823; Charles in 1831. Antoine Blais, who is now merchandising in Prairie du Rocher, and Expedient, his brother, living seven miles east of the town, are sons of Antoine, and grandsons of Jean Baptiste Joseph.
Jean Baptiste Barbeau was another of the first cmi- grants from Canada, and one of the founders of Prairie du Rocher. He was the father of the respectable family bear- ing his name, who have always held a prominent position in that community. His sons were Andrew, Antoine, Baptiste, and Henry, all of whom are dead. Their descendents are numerous. Andrew, the oldest son, reached an extreme old age, and died suddenly, while walking upon the bluffs, a few months ago. Mr. Cole and Mr. Crane, of St. Louis, both mar- ried daughters of Antoine.
Antoine Louvier came in early times from Canada and en- gaged in farming. His son Antoine became a very prominent man, and died in 1836, leaving a very numerous family, many of whom are still living in the village.
Damour Louvier was a branch of the same family and lived in the town during a long life.
A Mr. LaCompte was one of the first settlers, and died about the close of the last century. He left & son who was promoted to the post of Major of the Militia, 1812, which place he filled with much popularity. He was among the first men of Prairie du Rocher during his life. He has a son now residing in St. Genivieve, Missouri.
Among those who came in later years are the names of Jean Baptiste du Clais; Frny, Joseph, Alexis and Isadore Godair; Francois and Joseph Tongais; Joseph Champagne; Joseph Lamore; the Fascair family and some others.
Jean Baptiste DuClais was a blacksmith, and a very useful man to the town, and the surrounding country. He lived to be very old, and died in 1838. He had a son, Michael, who was an industrious farmer. He died in 1839, leaving a large family, many of whom are now living in the town.
The Godair brothers came from Detroit and engaged in farming. They became somewhat distinguished for hunting ad- ventures. They left a numerous descendency, who are engaged in farming.
Joseph Tongais lived in Prairie du Rocher 'until his death, in 1827, having spent an industrious life. His brother Francois died in 1827, leaving two sons -- Francois and Amade -- both residing in Monroe County.
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Joseph Champagne was a Canadian, and came to Prairie du Rocher about the close of the last century. He was a carpenter by trade, and built the mansion of Col. Menard, at the foot of Garrison Hill, on the east side of the Kas- kaskia river. This house is still standing, but in a state of rapid decay .* Champagne died in St. Clair County, in 1828.
1825 EPL
Joseph Lamore was a farmer, and died in 1885, leaving no descendents about Prairie du Rocher.
The Fascair family became numerous, and bore a conspicu- ous part in the community. Ambrose, John and Henry Kerr, are descendants of this family.
The history of Prairie du Rocher presents no marked event. It was strictly & French village for more than an hundred years, and the orderly inhabitants quietly pursued their various avocations, enjoying their social amusements undisturbed. They were a happy, contented people, unambi- tious, and careless of wealth or distinction. They were free from that strife, contention and turmoil which attends the pursuit of wealth and political preferment. Their life was an uninterrupted stream of quiet, joyous happiness.
About the year 1800, the first English or American settlers appeared among the people of Prairie du Rocher. Archibald McNab came from Kentucky and established a tan- yard -- the first in the place -- and carried on that business until 1821. In that year he died. Alexander McNab, now living in the town, is a son of Archibald.
About the same time, or probably as early as 1795, Clement Drury, from Maryland, came to Prairie du Rocher, and erected a horse-mill. This mill stood near the present residence of Mr. Sprigg. . It did a good business, and was a great benefit to the people for many years. Mr. Drury died in 1812, leaving four sons -- John, William, Clement, and Raphael. John emigrated and settled in Missouri. William and Clement located in town, and died there some years ago, leaving families. Raphael died in California.
Henry Conner came from Kentucky, in 1812, and settled in the town. Two years afterwards, he was appointed to the office of Sheriff. He was Marshal of the Territory at one time, and filled other offices. He left three sons -- Barnet, William, and Edward. Barnet located in Monroe county, and died there in 1852. William lives in Wisconsin. Edward located in Prairie du Rocher, where he died, leaving a family which still reside there.
In 1814, Henry Kerr, an Englishman, came from Boston, and established a store. He continued in this business several years. Ambrose, John, and Henry Kerr, before re- ferred to, are his sons. The two former are merchandising; the latter lives two miles from town, and is engaged in farm- ing.
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"The Menard house has been restored. E.P.L.
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In 1824, the population of Prairie du Rocher was about five hundred. In that year, Andrew Barbeau built a mill about one mile below town. In 1825, the town was incorpo- rated, but there appearing to be no necessity for an organi- zation, it was abandoned. In 1835, it was renewed again, but since has ceased to exist. In 1840, William Henry, Esq. erected and put in operation a steam-mill upon the same ground where the new mill of Brickey & Lce now stands. In 1850, an impetus was given to the progress of the town, since which time it has been improving rapidly, and promises a healthy and vigorous growth.
The place now contains one first class flouring mill; four dry goods stores; two grocery stores; two furniture stores; one saddlery shop; one tailor shop; one boot and shoe shop; one wagon shop; three blacksmith shops; one wagon manufactory two caprenter and cabinet shops; two hotels; one church -- no resident pricst. Present population about five hundred.
RANDOLPH COUNTY
A special sketch having been devoted to the leading events which precede the existence of Randolph county, and which transpired within its limits; and, also, a sketch of the towns which have marked its progress, but little remains of its history beyond the transition from a wilderness to the high state of prosperous development which it now enjoys, and the arrival of the pioneers who laid the foundation for that great change.
1798 *- Tradition has it that when Col. Clark took pos- session of the country, in 1778, he named the district around Kaskaskia "Randolph County", as a compliment to Edmund Ran- dolph, the distinguished Statesman of Virginia. The limits of the county were not defined; neither was there a comiy organization. Upon the arrival of Governor St. Clair, at Kaskaskia, in 1790, he established St. Clair County, which embraced all the southern part of the State below a point on the Illinois river, including the region which Col. Clark had previously named Randolph County .
1795 -- In 1795, however, Randolph Countywas formally es- tablishcd, and the machinery of local government put in op- eration. It included all that part of the State which lies south of a line running upon the parallel of the New Design Settlement, in Monroe county, due east to the wabash river. ·
At the time the county was organized, the area which it now includes was an almost unbroken wilderness, interrupted only by the villages of Kaskaskia and Prairie du Rocher. But the precursors of civilization and refinement were on their way, and the rays of a new era were reaching into its wild woods. The story of its fertile soil, its delightful and health-giving climate, and its crystal streams of water, had gone to the Atlantic coast and awakened a spirit of emi- gration. Lured by the accounts of a country for which Nature -37- *I believe this is a misprint and should be 1778. E. P.L.
had done so much, the pioneers began to drop in and join the scattering few who had already located amidst its darkened forests. These were a brave and noble race of men, and merit a place in these sketches. They opened the way for the great improvement that has followed, the blessings of which are now enjoyed by those inhabiting the county .. They, too, furnished the materials, and with them occurred the events which impart all that is interesting to the early history of Randolph County.
SETTLEMENT -- AND PIONEERS OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
1780. -- A little colony of pioneers -- some of whom were soldiers under Col. Clark -- made a settlement on the east side of the Kaskaskia river, three miles from town, as early as the year 1780. The names of these settlers were John Montgomery, Joseph Anderson, John Dodge, John Doyle, David Pagon, M. Augustus, James Curry, and Levi Teel. They erected a few rude cabins, and made small farms. John Montgomery located upon the identical spot where stace McDonough settled when he came to the country twenty years later. The settlement was almost broken up before the year 1790.
These pioneers experienced all the incidents common to frontier life, and encountered . perilous adventures of a character so thrilling as to assume the air of fiction. One day, James Curry and Levi Teel were out hunting, and being overtaken by nightfall, they encamped in a new house just erected by David Pagon, but not yet occupied. During the latter part of the night, the house was besieged by a band of sixteen Piankashaw Indians. Teel proposed to sur- render, lest a worse fate should befall them. To this proposition Curry resolutely demurred. He was brave, ren to desperation; and knowing the house had been built suh- stantial, and that the door was strongly barred, he de . termined to give battle. Tecl went to the door, either to open it, or reconnoitre, and while standing near it, the Indians stuck & spear through a hole in the door into his foot, which fastened him to the floor. Instinctively he seized the spear to pull it out, when another spear was driven into his hand. His heartless enemies now had him fast, and they jagged and cut his hands in a most shocking manner. Curry, fearing lest Teel should open the door, mounted the loft and commenced firing upon the assailants. He fired three shots in rapid succession, each time bring- ing a warrior to the ground. Still fearing that Teel would open the door, he descended to the floor, and finding him disabled, he again sprang to the loft and renewed his des- perate defense. Discovering that the Indians had huddled close against the house to avoid his destructive shots, he tumbled the weight-poles of the roof down upon them, killing their chief, and wounding some others. This intrepid feat, and the approach of morning light drove the Indians from the house, leaving Curry the victorious champion of the siege.
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By his fearless daring he seved himself and companion from Indian captivity , and probably death at the stake.
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Curry was one of Clark's favorite soldiers, and dis- tinguished himself in the capture of Forts Gage and Sack- ville. He was foremost in every perilous enterprise, and never quailed before danger. His life was one of thrilling adventures, and fate doomed him to a tragic end. In company with Joseph Anderson, he went out hunting and never returned. The presence of lurking, hostile savages, left no doubts about the manner of his death.
Joseph Curry, now an old man, living at Mr. Riley's Mill, is a grandson of the pioneer hero.
This little settlement was harrassed unceasingly by the Indians until the settlers were forced to abandon it. But it was renewed again in a few years, and became one of the most important in the county.
1780 - In the same year that this settlement was made opposite Kaskaskia, another one was commenced on the same side of the river, above the mouth of Nine Mile creek, by some of Clark's soldiers, and a few friends whom they had induced to come to the country. Among the settlers were Daniel Hicks, Henry and Elijah Smith, Hitterbrand, Hayden, Lanceford and some others. Mostof these men lived and died in this settlement. They were quiet, industrious people, and took but little part in any thing beyond the limits of their own neighborhood. The descendants of some of them are still living in the county.
1783 -- In the year 1783, Thomas Hughs, from Kentucky, came to the Territory to select a place with a view of bring- ing out his family. He marked a place for settlement on the eastern side of the Kaskaskia river, in the Montgomery neighborhood, and then returned for his family in Kalvesy. On his return to that State, he persuaded some friend" s) ac- company him, and a small party started for Illinois. while crossing the Ohio river, they were attacked by Indians, and Hughs and three others of the party were killed. Mrs. Hughs was sitting in the boat with her child at the breast, and a ball from one of the savagest guns spattered its brains in her face.
The balance of the party escaped and returned to Kentucky. Some years afterwards, Mrs. Hughs married James Pillars, and with his two sons-John and Richard, and the surviving son of Hughs -- James -- they resolved to resume the journey to the wilds of Illinois, which had been so suddenly interrupted by the death of Hughs.
1795 -- They arrived at Kaskaskia in 1795, and made a settlement on the east side of the river -- on the farm which is now occupied by Henry Hughs, and widely known as the "old Hughs place". Pillars remained upon the farm several years, and was an. industrious, quiet and respected citizen.
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James Hughs -- sone of him who was killed by the Indians -- returned to Kentucky and married, and came again to Illinois in the year 1800. He was a man of remarkable energy and sound judgment, and became a very important constituent of the infant settlement. He was in the United States ranging service, in 1812, He obtained possession of his step- father's farm, and lived upon it until his death. His sons have borne a respected position in this county.
James Hughs was the oldest, and became a very popular man. He was often elected to fill important offices. He died in Kaskaskia, in 1842. John Hughs was the second so :. , and now lives about ten miles northwest of Chester. Stace located on the west side of Kaskaskia river, in the 0:Harra neighborhood, and died there in 1857. Felix resides near his brother John, is a farmer, and holds the office of magis- trate. Henry lives upon the farm of his father where he was born.
John Pillars opened a farm about half a mile northwest of his father, but moved soon afterwards, and located on the western side of the Opossumden prairie. He was a man of high standing, having been chosen major of the militia, which position he held for a long term of years. He died in 1851, on his farm, where he had lived nearly half a century.
Richard Pillars was of a migratory disposition, seldom remaining long at any place. He last lived on Mary's River, near the Little Mill seat, and died there in 1844. The descendants of the Pillars are still residing in the .county.
1797 -- Stace McDonough, one of the most conspicuous ard leading characters of pioneer times, came and located in the Pillars' settlement in 1787. He was a soldier in the Ker- tucky militia, and was in many expeditions against the Ii.di - ans. He served under Col. Clark in an expedition to the Wabash, in 1786. He was in the disastrous defeat of Gen. St. Clair, in 1791, and miraculously saved himself from that dreadful carnage. He commanded a boat on the Ohio river, in 1793, and while passing down the stream was shot in the shoulder by some lurking savages on the shore. This wound affected him through life. He was also with Anthony Wayne, and suited the character of that General, whose exploits gained for him the sobriquet of "Mad Anthony. " During the war of 1812, he carried the mail from St. Louis, by way of Kaskaskia, to Shawneetown, and though the route was beset by dangers from the hostile Indians, he made his trips regu- larly. He was elected Captain of & ranging company, and filled the station with marked ability. He lived on the farm where he first settled, for nearly half a century, and died much lamented. He left two sons -- James and David; the former settled in the lower end of the opossumden Prairie about the year 1820. He died there some years ago, and his family are living around the old farm. David lives on the farm made by his father.
* as in acigvial but probably meant to be 1787. 2. P.
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1798 -- Another addition was made to this settlement in the person of Jonathan Pettit, in the year 1798. He was e noble specimen of the pioneer class, and by his enterpris- ing energy he became a valuable acquisition to the little colony in which he located. He erected a mill on Nine Mile creek at the point where the Chester and Evansville road. crosses that stream. Some evidences of the existence of this mill may yet be found. Pettit was an active, industri- ous man, full of life and energy. Like. most of the brave pioneers, he joined the "Rangers" in 1812, and discharged his military duties in & manner very creditable to himself and the service. His sons were David, Henry, Jonathan , and Joseph. The only one of the name of this family remainin in the county is Henry Newton Pettit, who lives about rive miles northwest of Chester.
1795 -- About 1795, John J. Whiteside, and some others, laid off a town on the western bank of the Kaskaskia river, not far from the northern limits of Randolph county, and called it Washington, but it ceased to grow and be called a town in a very few years. It was a town only in name. Som9 of the Going family located in this town, but they remained but a short time.
Before the close of the century, another settlement was commenced in Horse Prairie -- a name"given it because of the great number of wild horses found in 1t. The settlers here were Samuel and Winder Kinney, Jarrot Brickey, Chance Rat- cliff, Gibbons, Robert McMahon, and some others. These men had first located about the New Design, in Monroe County. For a time this settlement promised to become permanent and lasting, but it was harrassed by the Indians until nearly all the settlers left it.
One of the most shocking Indian butcheries that ever befell the family of any man, happened to that of Robert McMahon. The Indians attacked his house one day, while the family were all at home, and killed Mrs. McMahon and four children. McMahon himself, and two small daughters, were fettered and taken prisoners. The Indians, with their captives, hurried away, lest the whites should pursue them. Some days afterwards, Mr. Judy went to McMahon's house, and instead of finding the family alive and well, as he had ex- pected, he found the mangled bodies of five stretched in a row upon the floor, and the dead body of the baby in the cradle, supposed to have died of hunger. The sad intelli- gence was given to the settlements around, and a small party started in pursuit of the Indians, but they had made good their escape.
The people of the surrounding neighborhoods gathered together and buried the dead bodies, and after the funeral was over, a religious meeting was held. The solemn devotions, prompted by the awfully sorrowful occasion, continued until a late hour in the evening. Just as the congregation was about breaking up, Mr. McMahon came in, nearly exhausted,
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and fainting from fatigue and mental anxiety. If some mysterious being from the spirit world had appeared in the midst of that assembly, no greater surprise could have been produced. He was informed that his family had been buried that day, and the awful butchery of which they were the vic- tims, had been the occasion of that meeting. Struggling emotions of piercing sorrow and thankful joy filled his heart. His family had been murdered, but kind friends hed buried them, and mingled tears of sorrow with the sod over their graves; he had escaped from a horrible captivity, and generous friends surrounded him, but the thought of his two lovely daughters, still subject to the will of heartLess savages, almost made him frantic. Imagine, if poss_b.), the feelings of that man with such reflections upon his mind. He told the story of the attack upon his house, and how brutally his lovely family were murdered before his eyes, while he was bound and tied down, unable to defend them. When his wife and four children lay dead upon the floor, he and the two little girls were marched off, and started under the control of their captors, they knew not whither. The first night after they started, the Indians tied McMahon down with tug-ropes, stripped him of most of his clothing, and put a belt containing little bells around his body, so that escape was impossible.
This night a heavy snow fell, and the weather turned excessively cold. The next day they traveled hastily over the snowy, frozen ground, which almost killed McMahon and the little girls. The third night the party camped above Sugar Creek, not far from the locality of Lebanon, in St. Clair County. They had nothing but dried venison to eat, and so little of that, that it did not satisfy the cravings of nature. But McMahon, although nearly starved and frozen, determined to make his escape if possible. The Indians took the precaution to tie and secure him as they had done the previous night, but, after they had all lain down and were asleep, he slipped the cords from his wrists and body, and tied what little clothes he yet had on. around the belt of bells, so that they made no noise. He was just attempting to rise, when one of the Indians raised his head up and looked around, but not noticing Mcmahon, laid down again. When the Indian again slept, he rose quietly and escaped, leaving his shoes and most of his clothing. Traveling a short distance, barefooted and almost naked, he thought it would be death to continue, and returned to the camp and tried to get his shoes, but he could not without waking the Indians. Prefering to die a free man, of cold and hunger, in the woods, rather than risk his life with those who had cruelly murdered his family, he started for the New Design, scarcely expecting to ever reach it. The night following that of his escape, he laid down by a log, and covering him- self with leaves, he slept a little, but his feet and elbows were severely frost bitten. The next day, late in the even- ing, he arrived at Prairie du Rocher, nearer dead than clive From there he proceeded to the Lemons' Fort to join his friends as above related.
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Hedid not inform his daughters of his intention to escape, feiring they might cry and prevent him from get- ting away. He left them bitter as was the necessity, to the mercy of the savages, trusting that they might yet. be rescued; and so they were.
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