USA > Illinois > Randolph County > The history of Randolph county, Illinois, including old Kaskaskia Island > Part 8
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They were valuable additions to that community, and men of high character. Their descendants are numerous and respect- able.
1817 -- Henry Will settled upon the point of the bluff above Kaskaskia in 1817. His character was that of an in- dustrious farmer and good neighbor. His son, Daniel will, now lives upon the same place. Around this point an im- portant settlement was formed, and a church organization was made several years ago.
1818 -- Joseph and Thomas Orr, from Virginia, settled in the O'Harra neighborhood in 1818. Joseph was chosen Major of a militia regiment, which post he filled with creditable ability. He was an early citizen of Sparta, and do in that place in 1850. Thomas moved to Pike county in ".323.
1818 -- Benedict Harrel was added to the O'Hare Settlement in 1818; Cornelius and Thomas Harrel now living in the same neighborhood are his sons.
1818 -- John Brewer, another emigrant from Kentucky, came to the O'Hara Settlement in 1818. He brought with him six sons -- Thomas, Felix, Vincent, George, Pius, and John, all of whom became important constituents of the community. John once filled the office of County Commissioner, and is now a Justice of the Peace.
1818 -- The Hull family arrived in the O'Hara settlement in 1818. They were from Kentucky -- four brothers -- Norton, Samuel, Lewis, and Thomas. Norton Hull was a conspicuous man, having conferred upon him the office of Captain of a militia company. He and his brother Samuel died where they located. Thomas and Lewis died in Pike county.
1818 -- In this year, Rev. Silas Crisler, from Boone county, Kentucky, arrived in Illinois, and made a farm six miles east of Kaskaskia, not far from the Harmon Settlement. Possessing strong natural faculties, a large amount of kind- ness and generosity, and some eccentricity, he became well- known, and highly esteemed. Much of his time was devoted to his sacred calling. Gravel Creek Church, of which he was the founder and pastor for many years, was among the first Baptist churches in Illinois. He died in 1851. His three sons -- Abel, Leonard and John are all living, having been highly respected citizens of the county during life.
1818 -- Amasa Aldrich,, a native of worcester County, Massa- chusetts, came to Kaskaskia, in 1818. He remained a few years and then located upon a farm two miles north of Chester, in a region around which there were no settlements near. He was the pioneer of his settlement. In 1853 he died, having lived to see the country around changed from a wild into a thickly settled and highly cultivated district.
1819 -- Alexander Campbell, from Tennessee, came to the Irish Settlement in 1819. He remained here a few years, then
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removed to a farm near the Bowerman Settlement. He was a quiet, good, industrious citizen, and died in 1827, leaving a large family. His sons were Edward, John, Andrew, William, and Alexander. The latter three are dead. Edward lives near his father's old place. Has been County Commissioner and Justice of the Peace. In 1838, John Campbell was elect- ed to the office of Sheriff, and continued in that position ten successive years; was afterwards elected Judge of the County Court, then Sheriff again; and he now holds the of- fice of Judge of the County Court.
1819 -- Eli Short was an emigrant from Kentucky. He settled on the eastern edge of the prairie which bears his name, and lived there until his death, in 1844. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, having enlisted in a Ker sucky regiment, and was at the celebrated battle of Tippecanoe, where he received a wound, from which he never full recovered. He drew a pension as long as he lived. Seeing the want of Gospel ministers in the new country, he commenced preaching and continued to discharge the duties of his holy office until he died. His oldest son, Abraham, remained in Ken- tucky, and died there. Three others came with him to Illi- nois. Denard Short settled near his father, and died in 1830. John is still living, and occupies a farm two miles east of Steelesville. Jefferson Short went out in the cam- paign against the Indians in the Black Hawk war, and was killed.
1819 -- David Hathorn came from Ohio, and settled first near the present location of Evansville. In 1825, he lo- cated in the southern end of Oppossumden Prairie, where he remained until his death. He was a good citizen, and bore the part of a high-minded, generous man. His sons were Samuel, James, Thomas, David, and william, of whom James alone is living.
1819 -- James Baird, from Ohio, came in 1819, and settled the place three miles south of Sparta, now occupied by Alexander Wylie. In his younger days he was strong, athletic, and a leading man. He is now in the sere of life, and his friends are as numerous as his acquaintances. One of his sons, John Baird, is Judge of the county court of Perry County.
1819 -- Adanijah Ball made a settlement upon Rock Castle Creek, in 1819 -- penetrating a little farther into the wilderness. He lived and died in that region. One of his sons, Franklin Ball, became a prominent man, and once represented the county in the General Assembly. He died in 1856.
1819 -- Arthur Parks came out from Kentucky in the spring of 1819, and cultivated a crop during the summer. In the fall he returned and brought his family. He made a farm on the eastern end of Lively Prairie, where he spent the remainder of his life, which closed in 1844. Possessed of a strong, practical mind, and discriminating judgment,
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he was a man in whom the people placed confidence. He once held the office of County Commissioner, and was a Justice of the Peace for a great number of years. He had eight sons, four of whom are now citizens of the county; James B. Parks, of Sparta, who has held the office of County Surveyor; John Parks, of Chester; Arthur and Alfred, who live upon the farm of their father.
1819 -- George Stratton came in 1819, and settled in the American Bottom. Soon afterwards he bought the land on which that part of Chester situated upon the hill now stands, and made a farm which embraced what is now known as the Buena Vista Addition.
1819 -- Isaac Rust, a native of Maine, who had spent several years at sea, came to Kaskaskia in 1819. After re- maining a few years, he went to sea again, and spent a year upon the "Ocean wave"; then returned and located permanently in Kaskaskia. He was a wagon m a'r'r, and introduced an im- proved style of that vehicle among the people of 'that vil- lage. In 1836, he purchased and moved upon the farm two miles east of Chester, where he now lives. Firmness, deci- sion, industry and generosity are the leading traits of his character .. He is the main pillar of the community around him, and often neighborhood difficulties are referred to him for adjudication. The appeal of want never reached his ear without a cheerful response.
1819 -- Shelton Evans and Levi Simmons settled on the point below Kaskaskia in 1819, or probably before that date. In 1825 they moved and located permanently in Horse Prairie. Emanuel Evans, living near Red Bud, is a son of Shelton Evans. Levi Simmons left a large family. One of his sons, William Simmons was a joint proprietor of Red Bud.
1820 1000 -- Robert Bratney came from Tennessee to the Irish Settlement, in 1820. His life was that of an industrious farmer, good citizen, and generous neighbor. But one of his sons came to this county with him. He settled upon Plumb Creek, and lived & long and useful life in that community. He was the father of John B., Robert N., and James C. Brat- ney, all citizens of the same neighborhood where their father lived and died. John B. Bratney holds the office of Justice of the Peace.
1820 -- Martin Smith, an emigrant from the State of New York, came to the county in 1820. The greater part of his life was spent in Randolph County. His only surviving son, John S. Smith, now well advanced in years, lives two miles from Chester, on the Plank Road. He improved this farm more than thirty years ago, and he has spent his life thus far upon it. He is a quiet, industrious, intelligent, good citi- zen, and an accommodating neighbor.
1820 -- John Thomison made a farm in 1820, four miles wost of Sparta, where he lived several years. Towards the close of his life he spent his time with his children, in Short's
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Prairie. George Thomison, a highly respected citizen and merchant of Steelesville, is a son of John Thomison.
1820 -- Mr. Adams, from Kentucky, settled in Horse Prairie, about the year 1820. He was an excellent repre- sentative of the Kentucky pioneers. His son, samuel B. Adams, is a prominent citizen of that prairie, and has filled the office of Associate Justice of the County Court. He now holds the office of Justice of the Peace.
1820 -- About the year 1820, the McDills -- Thomas, William and John, settled in the region around the present city of Sparta. They became the leading men of that part of the county. Thomas McDill is yet living at an extreme old age, an admirable representative of a past generation. He made a farm one mile and a half west of the location of Sparta, and has lived upon it ever sinc e. William and John settled in Flat Prairie, where they lived, highly esteemed citizens for a long series of years. The descendants of these men are numerous.
1820 -- Alexander Alexander came in the latter part of 1819, or the beginning of 1820. He was from Chester, South Carolina, and located upon a farm one mile south of the locality of Eden. He was the pioneer of that now populous and wealth region. His five sons are still living, respect- able, industrious citizens like their father.
1820 -- John and Samuel Cochran, from Belfast, Maine, arrived in the county in 1820. John first settled upon the farm now belonging to Mr. Darwin, near the mouth of Mary' s river. Soon afterwards he settled upon the farm now occupied by Isaac Rust. He moved away to Hancock County about the year 1829. Andrew Cochran made the farm .two miles and a half from Chester on the plank road, which is occupied by the Widow Douglas. He moved to Hancock County about the year 1830.
1820 -- About this year, or probably the year before, David Cathcart, John Dickey, and John McMillen, came and settled in the lower end of Flat Prairie. The arrival of these three men with their families added much strength to the little settlement, and gave it a prominence and charac- ter which induced others to settle in it. They became in- fluential, highly esteemed citizens. Their descendants are now numerous, and among the best citizens of that region.
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1821 -- Ebenezer Alexander, from Chester, South Carolina, and James Anderson, from Pittsburgh, came to the settlement in the lower end of Flat Prairie , in 1821. Mr. Alexander is still living, having spent nearly forty years of an in- dustrious, useful life in the same neighborhood. He has a large family.
James Anderson was an intelligent, honorable, high minded citizen, and died much lamented. He left two sons -- Francis B. Anderson, Esq., of Sparta, who occupies a respecta-
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ble position at the Randolph Co. Par and Jemes Anderson, a respecte- ble farmer, living near his father's old place.
1822 -- This year, Samuel Douglas, with James Bean, Thomas McBride, James Redpath, and some others, made a settlement in Hitchcock Prairie. Samuel Douglas came to Illinois in 1804, with John and James Anderson. He was then but ten years old. Having reached man's estate, he married and lo- cated as previously stated, and became an influential, lead- ing man in his settlement. He once held office of County Commissioner. His five sons -- John A., Archibald, George W., Samuel H., and James T. Douglas, are all living, and their descendants are numerous.
James Coulter, John and Alexander Mckelvey, settled in the Grand Cote Prairie, in the northeastern part of the county, in 1822, and were, therefore, the pioneers of that region. They are all still living, having gathered around them a numerous population. They have always held a re- spectable position in the community, and stood high in the church.
In the same year, Elisha, George, Charles, and Fortiss Hitchcock, settled in that prairie, from whom it has taken its name. There is none of this family now remaining in the prairie.
Gyin Sometime previous to 1825, William Świn, Burke, House- man, and James Gillespie had settled in the region of the Bradleys. The descendants of Gwin are living in the same neighborhood. John K., and Thomas C. Burke, sons of the pioneer, are leading men in that community. James M. House- man, a respectable farmer in that region, is a son of the pioneer. James Gillespie is still living, and the people of the county have often testified their appreciation of his worth by electing him a member of the County Court. He now holds the position of Associate Justice.
(Thus meeting each pioneer as he arrived, and noting the locality of his settlement, a mirror-like view of the settlement of the county has been presented. It is diffi- cult to decide at precisely what period of time the immi- grants ceased to be pionecrs, but reference has been made to them just so long as it was required to settle the vari- ous districts or settlements of the county. Omissions have probably occurred; indeed, if they have not, it is remark- able. There may be some inaccuracies respecting dates. The authority which was considered most reliable has been followed, though it has been difficult to decide, in some instances where a difference has occurred, which was en- titled to preference. )
Scattering settlements having been made in nearly all parts of the county, the transition from the wild state in which it was found, commenced with determined certainty.
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Making farms and raising corn was the chief occupation of the settlers until about the year 1825, when they commenced planting and exporting cotton. During the next five years, much attention was given to the production of this article in the neighborhood of Columbus (now Sparta) and several cotton gins had been erected. In 1830, about eighty bales of cotton, of good quality, were exported from Smith's Landing, (now Chester).
The production of cotton gradually gave way to the rais- ing of castor beans, which, for some years, was the chief article of commerce. Oil mills were erected in various parts of the county, for the manufacture of castor oil, which was shipped to eastern markets, and always supplied the country with money.
About the year 1839-40, the Messrs. Cole, who had erected a steam flouring mill at Chester, commenced export- ing flour to Southern and Eastern markets. This induced the cultivation of wheat, which has gradually increased until now it is the staple crop. Corn, oats, and hay have grown to be important crops, and great quantities above home consumption are annually exported to foreign markets.
In the past twenty years the increase in every depart- ment of agriculture has been most wonderful. There are now thirteen first class merchant mills in successful operation, and yet great quantities of wheat are shipped to distant markets. The production of fruit has become an important item of commerce, and the soil and climate are found to be well adapted to its successful growth. Irish potatoes have proved a profitable crop, and farmers are devoting much at- tention to its cultivation.
The county contains about five hundred and sixty square miles of Territory. Its western boundary is the Mississippi river -- forty miles in extent. The Kaskaskia river, navi- · gable during a greater part of the season, divides it nearly through the centre. Its northern and eastern boundaries in- clude the extreme points of the great prairies of the state. Along its southern border stands a heavy growth of timber. The interior is an intermixture of the boundaries. .
Though the agricultural capacity of the county is im- mense, its great source of wealth is stone coal. Nearly the area of three townships, in the centre, is underlaid with a seam of stone coal, of a superior quality, varying from two to six feet in thickness.
The population of the county is about twenty thousand. The census to be taken next year will probably show a great- er number, as the population is increasing rapidly.
For more minute particulars of the progress of business, and its present commercial capacity, the reader is referred to the sketches of the cities and towns which follow.
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RANDOLPH COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
In the year 1851, the enterprising farmers of Flat Prairie conceived the idea of organizing an Agricultural Society. On the 9th of January, 1852, the Messrs. Addison, Crawford, Craig, Robertson, Brown, Beattie, and a few others, met together and constituted the society. Robert Brown was chosen President, Jacob B. Beattie, Treasurer, and will- iam Addison, Secretary.
The first Annual Fair, or Exhibition, was held the third Wednesday in October, 1852, on the farm of James Craig, Flat Prairie. The second Fair was held at the same place, 4th October, 1853. And the third Annual Fair on the farm of William Robertson, Flat Prairie, 25th October, 1854. The members of the Society -- and consequent need of addition- al accommodation having greatly increased -- the citizens of Sparta joined with those of the surrounding country in rais- ing subscriptions to board-fence a lot in Sparta, which Mr. Matthew McClurken handsomely gave free, for five years. On this lot the three successive Fairs of 155, 156, and 157, were held, each surpassing the other in interest and attraction, and in the numbers in attendance.
In the early part of 1858, the Executive Board pur- chased a beautiful piece of land, of ten acres, at Sparta -- and at an expense of nearly two thousand dollars, have had it substantially fenced, with extensive stables for horses, cattle, &c, and buildings erected for exhibiting ladies ' work, mechanical, and other articles. On this ground the Fair of 1858 was held, on the 6th and 7th days of October, and every year they are, adding to the improvements and em- bellishments of the grounds. The grounds and improvements are not the property of any company or of individuals -- but belong to whoever are the members of the Society. The Officers, and Executive Committee for 1859, are: John A. Nelson, President; William Addison, Secretary and Treasurer. Executive Board: Samuel L. Boyd, Wm. Robertson, James Craig, Aaron M. Allen, and John watson -- with Vice #residents, who cre ex-officio members of Executive Committee -- for Sparta, James Crawford; for Georgetown, Her. Heightman; Liberty, H. McLaughland; Chester, Jacob M . Bair; Kaskaskia, Joshua G. Burch; Prairie du Rocher, W/m. Henry, Esq .; Union Precinct, R. D. Durfee; Burnet's, Wm. Rutherford.
WESTERN RANDOLPH COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
The enterprising farmers around Evansville organized an Agricultural Society in 1854. After holding four suc- cessive and creditable exhibitions, wisdom suggested the propriety of uniting with the other Society; hence this one has been discontinued.
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DIRECTORY
Township 6 South, Range 7 West -- Kaskaskia
Anderson, John -- farmer
Deppe, F. C.
farmer
. Buyat, Joseph, -- farmer
Bauvais, Alexis -- 11
Derouse, Lewis
=
Detrech, Conrad
wagonmaker
Barlow, William -- Clock re-
pairer
Evans, Adam
farmer
Beiter, Danatus, shoemaker
Beare, Christopher, farmer
Beare, John = =
Feaman, Jacob
capitalist
Bilderback, James
Feaman, Adam
farmer
Boucherie, Edward,
coroner
Barnskawky, Joseph farmer
Balweizer, Daniel farmer
Bond, Squire A. =
Gary, Theodore 11
Bode, Henry
Gant, Thomas
Brown, Charley
11
Gant, Alfred
Buyat, August
Gant, Harvey
Buyat, Belonie
11
Gant, Wesley
Burghard, Joseph
Burch, J. G.
11
Burk, Jamos
11
Gant, Thomas, Jr.
11
Caplot, Pierre "
Caplot, Antoine P.
Caudle, Henry
Caudle, Gregory
Huls, Joel, Sr. 11
Huls, Joel, Jr.
Hartman, Michael
Caudle, Harrison
Haney, John
Cannady, Henry
Haney, James
Cannady, James, laborer
Harmon, Joseph
Crew, John laborer
Harmon, James
Harmon, Henry
Chenoix (Che-nu) , Julian, farmer
Harmon, Elijah
Chenoix, Henry, farmer
Harmon, Michael
=
Canbery, Charles,
tailor
Harmon, Abram, Jr. cooper
Conrad, John
farmer
Harmon,
John, sr.
farmer
Colbert, George =
Harmon, Lewis
Conant, Nathan
Harmon, Felix
Conant, Sullivan, cooper
Harris, E. merchant
Crisler, Leonard, farmer
Harris, John
farmer
Crawford, William H.,cooper
Heard, James
farmer
Crisler John M.
cooper
Harmon, James
Cullen, Owen
=
Heard, Joseph
Cullen, Daniel
=
Heard, william
= = =
Gardner, A.
Goulding, James
Gubernater, George E.
"
Caudle, William
Caudle, John
Caudle, Elney
Haney, Patrick
Caudle, Anderson, Jr.
Hargus, James H.
Gant, Robert
Gant, william
Fisher, Henry
11
Barker, Lemuel 11 Barker, Fayette =
Derouse, Peter
wagonmaker
Derouse, Belo J. farmer
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(Note: Since this history was written in _ this directo- ry would be the people living in the county then. )
Hill, Stephen farmer
"
Murphy, Owen farmer
Mulholland, William 11
Meyers, Christian 11
Morrison, George 11
McDonough, Thomas J.
Morrison, Rev. A.A.
Morrison, Hugh
teacher
· Jones, Armstead, Sr. Jones, Armstead, Jr.
Kavanaugh, Davis
farmer
Kane, John
11
Kamynski, Otto
physician
Kavanaugh, John
farmer
Karstetter, Samuel 11
Karstetter, Martin =
Karstetter, William
LaChapelle, Lewis farmer
LaChapelle, John
=
Labrier, Antoine 11
Labrier, Peter
Leavitt, Abijah 11
Leavitt, John
Leavitt, Edward
Ledbetter, John
11
Ledbetter, Martin
Lehnherr, Jacob 11
Leming, Harvey
Leming, William
11
Lilly, John J.
11
Linch, Isaac
=
Lortz, Henry M., blacksmith
Mackey, James, farmer
Mackey, William
=
Mackey, George
Mann, Jonathan B.
Mann, W. H.
Mann, Alfred
11
Mann, John 11
Maxwell, Robert A.
Maxwell, William =
Maxwell, John
=
Maxwell, Ferdinand, mer- chant
Menard, Edmund,
farmer
Milligan, William A.
Milligan, James 11
Milligan, Thomas 11
Morrison, H. H. 19 -69-
Reily, Daniel, miller & mer- chant
Raleigh, William farmer
Roam, John 11
Ruckenberg, Henry 11
Rocke, John,
Rocke, Thomas
11
Ruckle, John
Roberts, Hiram
Roberts, Jacob
Roberts, Perry
Roberts, wiley 11
Roberts, Volney
11
Roberts, Daniel P. lawyer Runck, Frederick E. farmer Runck, Fred
Seymour, Edward farmer Seymour, George "
Seymour, Henry 11
Scharppell, John S. 11
Scharppell, John 11
Sinker, Henry
Smith, William
Smith, Stephen =
11
Nixon, William J. =
Nixon, James "
Nixon, William
tt
Oatt, John
farmer
Owens, Anthony, 11
Owens, George L. 11
Owens, Timothy
1
11
Pearman, James 11
Pearman, Jesse "
Pariset, P. 11
Porter, Joseph 11
Porter, H. 11
Prew, Francis
Murphy, William farmer
Hock, Henry Hunt, James Hunt, Henry 11
Hughes, Henry 11
Hughes, John 11
Hughes, James
=
Nifong, John
farmer
Nifong, H.
11
Link, John
Snow, William E. farmer
Spindle, John D.
Styles, David
Stype, Henry, Justice of
the Peace
Staley, George W. - Merchant
Sulser, R. M. farmer
Sykes, Aaron B.
=
Stanley, Joseph laborer
Uhls, Alonzo
farmer
Unger, El1
Unger, Philip, merchant &
postmaster
Young, Andrew
farmer
Young, Stephen
11
Verlin, Joseph
farmer
Vansan, Samuel =
Vansam, William
Welch, John, farmer
Weigel, Peter
wundt, W. H.
Williamson, Bird
vivir, James W. Weir, william J. Wiswell, Andrew
=
Wissal, Conrad
wood, A. C. walster, Nicholas
Wright, Isaac, Jr. farmer
Wheeler, James M.
CHESTER
In the early part of the year 1819, a company was organized in Cincinnati, Ohio, composed of the late Major William Oliver, W. Bart, David Brown, Daniel D. Smith and others, for the purpose of purchasing the lands at the junc- tion of the Mississippi and Kaskaskia rivers. Daniel D. Smith (afterwards killed by Winchester, at Edwardsville,) came to Illinois as the agent of the company and purchased a large tract of land near the mouth of the Kaskaskia, and commenced what he intended should be the future metropolis of Illinois, and named it Portland. The year following, the late Benjamin A. Porter (afterwards the founder of Helena, Arkansas,) came out and erected a number of dwellings under a contract with the proprietors, and also built a steam mill. But towns in those days were not needed, and despite the prodigious efforts of the proprietors, this town obsti- nately refused to grow. Ten years afterwards it had be- come a ruin, and now only the faint vestige of the mill may be seen.
In 1829 Samuel Smith, James L. Lamb and Thomas Mather purchased the land on which Chester now stands, from the late Judge John McFerren who had entered it in the year 1818. In the summer of 1829 Mr. Smith built the first house in Chester, the same that is now occupied by R. H. Mann as a residence. In the same year Mr. Smith commenced the erec-> tion of a mill on what was then known as the "Screw Auger" principle. This, however, was abandoned before completion.
In the fall of 1829, Mather, Lamb & Co., (then mer- chants of Kaskaskia,) built a slaughter house for the pur- pose of slaughtering and packing the beef of the county,
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which was then plenty, and of good quality, In the same ' year Mr. S. B. Opdyke, representing the house of Mather, Lamb & Co., built a storehouse and opened a stock of goods. A large warehouse was erected at the same time.
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