Gh hr AA AK EC y art eee at iN a aT SERVE RD AN AS RN SNS o se Ey Bae ai eye crt cA Weta i vase Che Av abet ee aah 13) ayaa er} eas Ret oS oe i aired Sak ave Ht ca Bp brat a Hed Ma Ge fae SAR Pent CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FROM Fistory Fees DATE DUE | pF eset se ee eee Sas esese gaaaaS AAR RASA ATS =. 4 fees i q 1763. § E [Fi : INED His : oom lop P i cai OF | | onelby and Moultrie Ki COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. t f {ith [lustrations A DESCRIPTIVE OF THEIR SCENERY Fi AND a Pingray ical Sketches off some off their frominent len ann Aioneers. TE | ch [F PUBLISHED BY | E BRINK, McDONOUGH & CO.,, iE ae are emer a CORRESPONDING OFFICE, EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. EF #1881. # O\. aearg apa wg i os SRS EaD Er SESPEPEaneEeSESaTELY DAFF A743 478
277
Atkinson, John... . ~~ - 246
PAGE.
Baker, Wm. K. .....- 211
Baker, Evan. .... - 232
Bandy, Geo. A... ...- 315
Barbee, John. ....-... 302
Biddlecome & Toby. . . . + 228
Bisdee, Edward. ...... 173
Birkett, Skelton ...... 250
Blythe, Alfred, (dec’d), . . . 233
Blythe, Joseph, .....- 308
Bristow, D. F.......-. 193
Brisben, Capt. John P, . . . 240
Brownlee, James... . . 2 - 220
Calvert, E.L. .. . ee ah Din
Calvert, William... ... » 272
Campbell, A. C. 206
Catherwood, (M.D.) Thomas L. 172
Carlisle, Dr. McDonald . . . 293
Chew, Hon. Wm... .... 171
Cheever, (M. D.) Nathan. —. 228
Clarke -G.:G) sg ape ee 198
Clark, WilliamR. ..... 287
Cochran, W.A......-.-- 163
Compton, Chas. .... + - 296
Cokenower, Dr. J. W.. . . . 193
Craddick, A.M. ..... » 278
Crowder, Robert, (dec’d). . . 247
Daugherty, Reuben. . 265
Davis, J. W.. . 2 2 ee ee 215
Davidson, (M. D.) David L. . 251
Day, Henry F.. ... . 207
Dawdy, John W.. ...- - 212
Dearing, B. P.. ..... > 162
De Garmo, Rufus. ..... 286
Dilley, Matthias... .... 177
Dove, 8. L. . 2. ee . 280
Doyle, E.M.. 2... 2 e+ - 205
Dunscomb, John H. . 198
Duncan, Dr. John... ... 297
Durkee, Geo. A. ... 2... 803
Eden, John R.. 2... 186
Elder, Wm... . . 192
Elam, Joel J. ~ 313
Frazer, JamesE. . . . 170
PAGE
Francisco, Allen... .... 299
French, E. 8. .......- 304
Freeland, James, (dec’d). . . 245
Freeland, John A. ..... 191
Friedley, John M..... - 202
Fringer,Dr.G.W. .....- 277
Fritts, Hon. Thos. J... . . 218
Foster, (Lieut.) W.C.. . . . 228
Foster, Joseph... 2... +. 252
Gammill,S.F........ 212
Gaskill, Rev. Allen... ... 307
Gilbert, W.C.. . 2.2... 194
Gillham, Perry B. .... - 195
Graybill, ThomasJ.. ... . 167
Greene, Alvin P....... 189
Grier, Dr. D.D. 2. 2 ee 211
Hadley, Wm.T....... 220
Hall, Gyrus... 2. eee 175
FM Gone Gees e's ae la 278
Hamlin, Howland J. . . . . 174
Hamer, J.W. .. 2... 166
Harper, Robert. ...-... 267
Harris, Joseph T.. 2. 1. 189
Hess, W.W... .« - eas 165
Higginbotham, Lafayette. . . 160
Hill, GeorgeB.. . . . 3. . 267
Hilsabeck, Dr, W. F. . . . . 241
Hodkinson, George... . . « 283
Homrighous, John W. . - . 311
Howell, Charles... 2... 229 -
Howell, John T....... 229
Hoxsey, Dr. Anderson P. . . 208
Hughes, Thomas M. . . . . 207
Huffer, John C. .. 1... 173
Jackson, W.H. ...... 302
James and Yantiz. . . . «177
Johnson, Hiram. . we BOT
Keeler, George W. .... 168
Kellar, Dr. A.R.. . . . . 197
Kennedy, JamesO. .. . 244
Kelly, Wm.0.. .. .. . .176
Kinkade, John B. (des’d) . . 212
Kirkwood, Wm. . . ‘ . 190
PAGE,
Kirkwood, James. . .... 198
Kleeman and Goldstien.. . . 164
Knox, Dts Jide yo ae og 312
Karty, Cid swe eas So we 178
Lane, John EZ... . 2... 318
Leonard, John T, .. 1... 214
Lloyd, J. Wm........ 176
Longenbach, Isaac... .. 304
Marshutz, W.B....... 158
Martin, Horace L. ..... 166
McDermith, James... ... 293
McDermith, Dr.S.T..... 292
McDonald, J.F....... 274
McNutt, Dr. Isaac BL. . . . 219
Meeker (Judge)J. .. 2... 187
Messer, Harrison, (dec’d) . 308
Middlesworth, John. 296
Middleton, David. ..... 287
Miller,Wm.C........ 284
Miller, D. Qs. 3 we ee ais 279
Miley, Aaron... . 1... 197
Minor; BM, 6 ee es ee 226
Mitchell, JohnB.. .. 2... 248
Maze Weed cnc we awe ke 192
Morgan, Dr. John. . ... . 280
Morrow, George, (dec’d), . . 236
Moulton,S.W... 2.2.4. 159
Nance, Wm. W. . . . « . + 298
Noble, Thomas. ...... 245
Noble, RobertC.. ..... 253
Osborn, A. Lanson.. . .. . 286
Pierce, Addison G. . . . . 284
Penwell, Dr. Enos... .. 171
Price,J. Henry. ..... . 240
Reber, (M. D.) Chas. T. . . . 172
Roane, Charles L. . ... . 192
Robson, Victor... .... 294
Rowdybush, Milton. . 218
Sanner, Samuel, (dec’d). . . . 256
Sanner, JohnW....... 257
Sanner, E. B. . « « «259
Sanner, 8. H. . 2... . . 260
Sanner, David G.. .
6 TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE, PAGE PAGE. PAGE.
Sanner, Jacob H. . . . . 262 Wright, Wm.M....... 158 Campbell, J.C... . facing p. 206 Strain, J. A. . . fac’g p. 192
Scott, James W. .. . . « . 253 Wright, Capt. George... . . 303 County Maps. . . . ef 9 Thompson, G.M.. . ‘“ 258
Scott, A.E.D.. 2.1... 193 Wright, James B. . . —. 285 County Buildings of Moultrie Thompson,H.B... ‘“ 262
Sharp, Robert H. ..... 195 Zeigler, Charles E,.. . . . 292 County...» . . facing p. 70 Thornton & Sons... “= 172
Shepherd,M.T. .... . 227 . County Poor-farm.. . “ 152 Turner,John. . . ‘ 254
Shelton, Arch... ..... 169 ——— Craddick,A.M.... ‘“ 278 Vanhise, J. H. » 7M 226
Shinn, W.H. ... . . 191 De Garmo, R.... “ 286 Vaughan, Geo.W... “ 196
Shuman, Charles... . . . 265 TOWNSHIP HISTORIES. Doyle, E.M..... “204 Webster,8.H..... “ 240
Sittler and Launey.... . . 174 Ash Grove. . . ew eu es 805 Dubler, W.H. ... “ 240 Wemple,H.M.... “ 266
Silver, J. H.. dome eo TD) Big Spring. . 2 2. 2s. « 230 Fisk, L.,Mr. & Mrs...“ 312 Whitfield, Z.B.. .. “ 296
Simpson, John T. ..... 220 Cold Spring. 1... . . . 216 Friedley,J. M,... “ 202 Wiley, J.B... .. “ 264
Smart, Ae Die goa wg @ 40s 219 DS palates orca. oats per al 233 Foster, John... .. “ 288
Smith, William... .... BU! | Bie Beha <4 ae se 289 Goodwin, Geo... . ‘“ 256 Tee
Smith, Samuel... ..... 279 Bast Nelson... . 2. es . 263 Hall, John H.... “ 278 PORTRAITS.
Smith, Col. Dudley C.. . . . 162 Hat Bravichs &<: aca es 281 Harris, Joseph T. . . " 178 a Gates Eos ae aii
a a ee EISSN ete s eae OD at Sa a2 : am Birkett, Skelton, sen’r. facing 250
Snyder, Valentine... .. 204 Jonathan'sCreek. . . . . . 273 Lane, JohnE. ... ° 12 Birkett, Mary, (decd). “ 250
Snyder, Wm. J. 2... 2... 233 Tevingtey «eva sos 291 Log School-house. . . . 5 p- Be Birkett, Elisabeth. . . “ 250
eee: eRe | lane fe RES 8 ee ete ee ee ER 1 Bie Tho sso dh acc 271
laa Fs Oe ee oe Marrowbone. .... «=. ae Penne a: ie Campbell, A.C. 2.0... 206
Stuart, Thomas W...... 178 Moawequa.........- 199 eile Nathan. .. “ 286 Geena WP AS eee: ase tee
Sweet, Orson... ..... 260 Oconeeeee Gh ksB- la tot atak ob 213 Barksrood, dias sca “ (264 ii Mia ee ice
eee se OSE uw SIS a eS an oe i Se Friedley, John M. 5... 202
Thornton, Gen. Wm. F.. . . 157 Penn pees oa. a 255 ae David ee ane ag 280 Hoslan Sesethe a4 waa 3 ann
pects Judge, Anthony. . 161 Pickaway, 2 ss eee 300 Mittendorf, Louis. . “ 272 Boslar, Maky, ss + «BSB
Trower, ee beast Me adn ee. Prairies a Boe ee 309 Nazworthy, Ws aes 804 Graybill, Thomas J. . . . . 167
Torrence, Lieut. L.G.. . . . 290 Richland. ...... 313 Ney, Frederick, wong S| 284 a Opts oo «4 ais
Torrence, R. a. ee oe a es DOE Ridge. 4 wea wa es 268 Old log eure heats » "© 194 Hess, W.W...... igs
Turney Family, ..... . 299 Risers: ee eee 317 Public Buildings of Shelby Homrlghouse, Hattie sae fs 316
Turner, John... 1... . 254 Rural. . ...- Lae eas 266 Renny, P otoane p. 56 UBbpaed Wits. 40, san
Van Reed, Dr.D.R.. . . 160 Shelbyville. .. 1... . 152 Public School Building is p. 89 eo 908
Ee LER ES si BUND: ks ae i ea 189) BBS e Es beste «Ger > Bn Shad we ai
iat -Branchiy 6:0 2 ib ea) ee oe we ee te . . 1,080
Rural, . . : wee woge Lin eee ae es 1,045
Ridgijs = = £ = @#ee ©4e@ ea a8 1,015
Okaw,. sw wee so ne . 913
Pickaway, . ee % ‘ 8 834
Penn, . ji eles a - i os 614
Todd's. Pon, 2245 2b Be 8 eRe ‘2. . 609
29,951
Shelbyville, the capital of the county, is situated in township 11
North, Range 4, on Sections 7 and 18—it derived its name from the
county, and it from Isaac Shelby, an officer of the revolution. Its
location is near the center of the county, and on the line of the
Indianapolis and St. Louis Railroad. The Kaskaskia river in its
sinuous course passes along the eastern boundary of the city, fur-
nishing a most excellent drainage. The city by rail is one hundred
and ten miles north-east from St. Louis, seventy-nine west from
Terre Haute, and one hundred and fifty miles west of Indianapolis.
Land Surface—The land surface is divided between timber and
prairie, the greater part being originally covered with a luxuriant
growth of timber, a large portion of which has, ere this, given way
before the axe of the pioneer and old settler. The surface in
different localities is rather undulating. There are occasionally
small hills or bluffs adjacent to the streams, principally along the
Kaskaskia river and its tributaries.
Soil and Agriculture.—This county contains within its limits some
of the best, richest and most productive soil in the state; especially
is it so of the North-western section of the county. Agricultural
pursuits are in fact the leading employments of the people, and the
rich returns which it brings to those engaged in them, promise to
attract strangers, and reward all who devote labor to it. The
leading staple products are Indian corn, wheat, oats, potatoes,
hay, tobacco, and sorghum; the productions are so various as to
warrant the assertion that no year or season can occur in which the
prudent husbandman will be completely disappointed in his hopes.
Every desirable fruit, every useful grain, every nutritive grass is
found here growing to perfection; industry may grow rich by the
proper use of its resources, and domestic comfort, and even luxury,
may find ample opportunities to ‘gratify every reasonable desire.
Its intelligent and enterprising people may advance in wealth, in
knowledge, in refinement, and in all the arts and blessings of life.
No spot is more favored, and none is more full of promise of future
growth and influence.
Drainage and Climate-—It is drained by several streams—the
Kaskaskia river running nearly through the center of the county,
from north to south, is the largest, and drains the greatest area of
country ; it enters the county on a line almost between Windsor and
Okaw township, and runs in a south-westerly course, in a zig-zag
manner, through Windsor, Okaw, Shelbyville and Rose town-
ships, touching Holland slightly, on the east, and entering Dry
Point on section 3, and leaving it on section 15, (township 9-8).
Its principal tributaries are Robinson's, Sand. Coon, Jordan,
Richland and Brush creeks. Robinson’s creek rises in Pickaway
township, and gathering numerous affluents, drains a large district
and passes through Ridge and Rose townships, and mingles its
waters with the Kaskaskia on section 34. The north western portion
of the county is drained by Long Grove Branch and Flat Branch
and their tributaries; the south-western section of the county is
admirably watered and drained by Beck’s, Opossum, Stone and
Mitchel’s creeks, while the south-eastern part of the county is
drained by the Little Wabash river, Rattlesnake, Copperas, Green
and Wolf creeks and their tributaries; each of these streams has
its affluents, so that the entire surface of the county is well watered
and drained. In portions of the county good water is afforded by
copious springs and small lakes. The surface of the county is
higher as a rule than the adjacent counties, as may be inferred from
the fact that so many streams have their source here. The high
grounds are the water sheds between the creeks. The natural and
artificial groves, the fringed banks of the water-courses, the smiling
farms, with their fields of maize and grain, and herds of cattle, all
go to form a picture of surpassing loveliness. But little of the land
is too flat for drainage, or broken for tillage, and hence the greater
portion is susceptible of cultivation, and affords the widest appli-
cation for machinery. ‘The climate is healthful, and is a happy
medium between the extremes of heat and cold.
Political Divisions of the County.—Shelby county is divided into
twenty municipal townships, or voting precincts, viz.: Big Spring,
Ash Grove, Prairie, Richland, Windsor, Holland, Shelbyville,
Okaw, Todd’s Point, Dry Point, Rose, Ridge, Pickaway, Penn,
Cold Spring, Tower Hill, Rural, Flat Branch, Moawequa, and
Oconee; of this number only eight are congressional townships ;
the balance are fractional, some more and some less than full een
gressional townships. The southern tier of precincts each comprise
one and a half townships, or fifty-four sections of land.
MOULTRIE COUNTY
Was originally a part of Shelby and Macon counties, out of which
it was formed. It is bounded on the north by Macon and Piatt
. HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 31
east, by Douglas and Coles, south by Shelby, west by Shelby and
Macon counties. It is situated a little south-east of the center of
Illinois, and was organized out of the north-eastern portion of Shelby
and the south-east corner of Macon, and was named in honor of
William Moultrie, a brave and gallant soldier of the Revolution.
The greatest length of the county from the north to the south line
is about twenty-three and a half miles, and its greatest breadth from
east to west is eighteen miles. It contains 218,524 69-100 acres, or
nearly 342 square miles, divided into sections, many of which con-
tain more and some less than 640 acres.
Sullivan.—The capital of the county is situated a little south-east
of the center, and at the crossings of the P. D. & E. and W. St.
L. & P. railroads. It is quite a thriving and enterprising place.
Population.—The population of the county as shown by the
census of 1880, is 13,539. The population of- 1870 was 10,385, *
showing an increase in the last ten years of 3,154 persons. Moultrie
is peopled by the representatives of several nations, forming a
mixed population. Here the English or Anglo-Saxon finds his
home. Also representatives of the Celtic and Teutonic races are
found within its borders. Here too are met with, the impassioned
and freedom-loving Frenchmen, and the honest and energetic
Swedes, have also made their homes amongst us—also a few fami-
lies of the colored race.
Topography.—The general surface of this county is flat or level;
however, in some parts it is gently undulating, and in the regions
of the various water courses the land is more broken; particularly
is this the case along the Okaw (or Kaskaskia) and West Okaw
creeks, where there are low sand and clay hills, and in several places
they rise to a considerable height above the surrounding surface.
Originally there were about 65,920 acres of timber land in belts
ranging from two to six miles wide along the various streams,
much of which has been cleared and made into farms, yielding
annually large crops of important cereals. The larger part of the
county consists of prairie, the timber being confined to belts along
the Okaw and West Okaw creeks, and their tributaries. In the
southern part where it predominates, there is some timber of excel-
lent quality. In the northern tier of townships there is only a
narrow strip along the West Okaw, in Lovington township, there
being no natural timber in either Vora or Lowe.
Hydrography.—The principal natural water course in this county
is the Okaw (or Kaskaskia) creek—or river, as it is called lower
down. It enters the county on the east side of Section 24 in East
Nelson township. Its course through this county is north, west, due
west, and south-west, and after making numerous crooks and turns
through East Nelson, and the southern portion of Sullivan town-
ship, it passes out of this county into Shelby near the south-west
corner of Section 31, (Tp. 13, R. 5). Jonathan Creek heads in
Section 3, T. 14, R. 6, and meanders in a southerly course, and has
its confluence with the Okaw on Section 17, East Nelson township.
It has several small affluents. Whitley Creek, which flows into the
Okaw in the south-eastern corner of Sullivan township, enters the
county on the north-east corner of Whitley township, and has
several tributaries which drain the south-eastern part of the county.
The West Okaw, which drains the more central and western
portions of the county, rises in Piatt county about one mile and a
half north of the county line between Moultrie and Piatt. In its
course it flows in a south-westerly direction, through Lovington,
north-west corner of Sullivan township, along the east side of
Marrowbone, touching the north-east corner of Shelby county,
where it changes its course to a south-eastern direction, and mingles
its waters with the Kaskaskia on Section 31, (13-5). Marrow-
bone creek, the largest tributary of the West Okaw, rises in the
north-western part of Dora, and with its affluents drains the
southern and the central portions of Marrowbone township. Wel-
bourn creek flows across the south part of Marrowbone town-
ship, from west to east, and empties into the West Okaw. ‘Thus
it will be seen that this county is quite well provided with natural
drainage.
Tile Draining is being introduced in parts remote from these
water-courses, and in time, when the system of -draining becomes
better understood, and generally applied, it will result in great
good to the agricultural interests of the county. There are many
small and several large ponds and Jakes in the county, two or three
of which contain several hundred acres each, which might in this
way be drained and the land redeemed and cultivated.
This tiling, which has been in general use only some five or six
years, is made out of a species of fire clay, of which extensive beds
are found in the county. The average cost of laying tiling is
twenty-five cents per rod; the average depth to which it is laid in
the ground is three and a half feet. The price of tiling varies
according to diameter, as follows:
Tiling 3 inches in diameter, per 1000 feet, $12
6 4 6c “cc cc “ “cc ‘ 15
“ce cc “ “ “ “ cc
5 ‘ 18
6c 6 “ “ “ce ce ce “ce 85
“c 7 “ “ “ “ “ “ 45
“ 8 “cr “ “ “ce “ oe 5d
“cs 10 6c ce 6c “a “ “ce 90
As the benefits resulting from tile draining become more appreci-
ated, and its importance more fully realized, by the farming com-
munity generally, it will be still more extensively used, and millions
of wealth thereby added to the agricultural interests of the state.
The Resources, Soil, and Agriculture—The resources of Moultrie
county are chiefly agricultural; the manufacturing interests,
according to recent statistics, employ only about one hundred and
twenty-five thousand dollars capital. There are several brick and
tile factories, wagon and carriage factories, flouring and saw mills,
and one woolen mill. The amount of capital invested in the
respective enterprises is fully set forth in the statistics in the
chapter on civil history.
The soil of this county is somewhat diversified ; there is, however,
very little land that is not susceptible of cultivation, and that will
not yield rich returns to the agriculturalist. The soil of the
prairie lands, and these constitute the greater portion of the county,
especially on a line due east and west, and north of Sullivan, are
composed of a black, peaty loam from three to ten feet “deep, and
commonly termed “vegetable mold.” On the Okaw hills or bluffs
the soil has a light yellowish color, with reddish brown clay
containing sand and gravel intermixed. The arenaceous and
argillaceous soil of the timber changes rapidly into the deep, rich
black soil of the prairie.
In all ages, and in all conditions of society, and nations,
agricultural pursuits have been the most necessary and im-
portant ewployment of mankind. From the broad bosom of
mother earth, families and people of every clime have drawn their
sustenance. In the same proportion that the tiller of the soil
thrives and prospers is the success of the merchant, the manufac-
turer, and the artisan. The surplus products of his labor form
constant additions to the wealth of the state, and help to swell the
capital of the nation. When farming fails, famine flourishes,
poverty prevails, commerce ceases, and progress is paralyzed. The
chief occupation of the people of Moultrie county is farming and
stock-raising. Most excellent corn crops are annually raised. The
32 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
average yield of this cereal is about sixty-five bushels per acre,
and sometimes far exceeding this number.
Oats, barley, and rye grow luxuriantly, rarely failing to yield
bountiful crops. The potato, turnip and all other garden vegeta-
bles and tuberous plants, are successfully cultivated. The fruits
and berries of all varieties, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums,
grapes, currants, grow well, and in favorable seasons produce more
than enough to meet the demands of the local markets. But wheat,
especially the winter variety, is considered a very uncertain crop.
However, for the last two years wheat has done well in this county,
and has made a favorable average with other counties in this part
of the State. The principal cultivated grasses are: blue grass,
timothy, red-top, orchard-grass, and clover. These afford rich and
nutritious pasturage for stock, and an excellent quality of hay for
the market. The acreage of pasture and meadow is being yearly
increased, indicating a tendency on the part of farmers to take
advantage of the great facilities nature has here furnished for stock
raising. The domestic animals are of improved breed. The horses,
cattle, sheep and hogs are of far finer quality now than they were
a few years ago, showing progressive spirit and enterprise on the
part of farmers in keeping with all other branches of industry.
Political Divisions.—This county is divided into eight townships ;
a more extended notice of which may be seen in a carefully pre-
pared history of each, in another part of this work. The names
of the townships are as follows: Whitley, East-Nelson, Jonathan-
Crezk, Lowe, Sullivan, Lovington, Marrowbone, and Dora.
Timber—The native kinds of timber in Shelby and Moultrie
counties, are fully set forth in the chapter on the Flora, and hence
demand but brief mention here. The largest quantity of timber
found in the two counties is adjacent to the water-courses, in the
southern tier of townships; in the south-western part of Shelby, was
originally mostly covered with a heavy growth of the several varie-
ties of oak, hickory and elm, linden, wild cherry, honey locust,
black walnut, sycamore, hackberry, and cottcn wood. The same
will apply to Moultrie county, in the valleys and hills adjacent to
the Okaw, Whitley, West Okaw creek and their tributaries; and
occasionally the timber line would jut out into the level or prairie
land. Fine belts of timber originally skirted the banks of all the
streams in these counties, furnishing an adequate supply of timber
for fencing and fuel. Artificial groves and belts, consisting chiefly
of hard and soft maple, elm and fruit trees, and the Osage orange
for hedges, have been planted on the prairies, and add much beauty
by their presence to the landscape. .
RAILROAD SYSTEM.
Transportation Facilities.
Perhaps the most important factor in the business development
and prosperity of a city or county, is its railroad communications.
At least it is safe to assert that such has become a demonstrated
fact with regard to Shelby and Moultrie counties. A retrospection
of their history since the advent of railroad facilities, will convince
the careful observer of the immense benefit resulting from the
introduction of this essential adjunct of commercial enterprise. We
here insert brief sketches of the railroads traversing these counties,
Illinois Central R. R.
The main line of this road enters Shelby county on section 19,
township 14, Range two east, and traverses the north-western corner
of the county in a south-westerly direction, leaving the county on
section seven, in township 13-2. Its course is then through
Christian county, in the same direction, until it strikes section 4,
(township 10-1), Oconee, when after crossing the line of sections
8 and 17, its course is due south. The stations on the line of th
road in Shelby county, are the flourishing town of Moawequa, in tl
north-west corner of the county, and Oconee in the south-west pa
of the county, from which point considerable shipping is done.
The Chicago Branch of this road traverses a little over four mil
of the south-east corner of Shelby county, passing through tt
village of Sigel in Big Spring township. In September, 180\
Congress passed an act, and it was approved by President Fillmor
granting an aggregate of 2,595,053 acres to aid in building th
road.
The act granted the right of way, and gave alternate sections «
land for six miles on either side of the road. The grant of lan
was made directly to the state. On the 10th of February, 185
the legislature of Illinois granted a charter to an eastern compan;
represented by Rantoul and others, to build it, with a capital stoc
of $1,000,000. The legislature, in granting the charter, and tran
ferring to the corporation the lands, stipulated that seven per cen
of the gross earnings of the road should be paid semi-annually int
the treasury of the state forever. This wise provision, in leu ¢
the liberal land grant, yields a handsome annual revenue to th
state. This road has a total length of 706 miles, connecting Cair
with Chicago and Dunleith, or from Cairo to Centralia 112 mile
and from Centralia to Dunleith 341 miles. This road is one of th
great trunk lines of Illinois and the Mississippi Valley ; its princips
leased line in this state is the Gilman and Springfield road, an
with its Iowa division, running from Dubuque to Sioux city, serv
to mark it as one of the principal roads of the west, and connec
Chicago with St. Louis by the Vandalia road. The first groun
broken toward the building of this road in this county was in 185:
And the cars were running the following year, and then Moawequ
and Oconee stations were located.
Indianapolis and St. Louis Railroad.
(Formerly the Terre-Haute, Alton and St. Louis railroad’
Its general offices are located at Indianapolis, its eastern te
minus; and St. Louis being the western termini, the length
track from either termini is 261 miles. The road-bed is of sut
stantial build, well ballasted, tied and ironed. It enters th
state of Illinois in Edgar county, and the principal towns whic
it passes through in this state, are Paris, Charleston, Mattoon, Shelby
ville, Pana, Hillsboro, Litchfield, Bunker Hill, Alton and East §
Louis. The line of the road is laid through a very fertile distric
of the state, and it receives a fair proportion of the traffic.
The act passed by the Legislature of Illinois to incorporate th
Terre-Haute and Alton railroad company went into effect Januar
26th, 1851. An extension from Alton to St. Louis was subsequentl
built, and the road was then for several years known as the Terr:
Haute, Alton & St. Louis R. R. It strikes Moultrie county first o
section twenty-four, Whitley township. Summit, a station in th’
township is about a mile and a half west of the county line; th
general direction of the road through Shelby county is slightl
south-western, passing through Windsor, Richland, Shelbyville
Rose, and Tower Hill townships. The principal station in the latte
county is Shelbyville. At Windsor it crosses the line of th
Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific R. R., and at Tower Hill it furnishe
communication with the north and south, through the O. & M
road. The I. & St. L. and O. & M. run on parallel lines about thre
miles—from Tower Hill to the west line of the county. This is b
far the most important road in Shelby county. It was complete
same date as the Illinois Central.
Peoria, Decatur and Evansville R. R,
The first effort made to build a railroad through Moultrie count:
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 33
was that in connection with the Shelbyville and Tolono road, but
only a survey of the line and a little grading was done when the
project failed.
The P. D. & E. road is a consolidation of the Pekin, Lincoln
and Decatur, and the Decatur, Sullivan, and Mattoon railroads.
The former of these two roads was chartered in 1861, and the
charter was amended in 1865. The road was constructed in 1871,
from Pekin to Decatur, 67 miles. and was leased by the Wabash.
The (D.S. & M.) was chartered the same year (1861), and in 1872
was completed from Decatur to Mattoon, a distance of 43 miles,
Subsequently these two roads, as before stated, were consolidated
and now form the P. D. and E. R. R., which secures to the county
a north-western and south-eastern line of transportation; the north-
ern terminus being Peoria, and the present southern, Parkersburg,
making the road, as extended, 192 miles in length. Through the
efforts of some of the enterprising citizens, they united with the
people of Decatur and Mattoon, and aided by Mr. W. M. Stanley,
then representative in the legislature from this district, procured a
charter for the D. S, & M. R. R., and the Board of Supervisors of
Moultrie county subscribed $80,000 in bonds. These bonds were
issued December 31, 1872, bearing interest at the rate of 8 per
cent. per annum, and to mature January 1, 1883. All but about
$6,000 of these bonds have been paid, and the whole amount will
be cancelled before the date of maturity. This road enters Moul-
trie county in Dora township at Dalton City, and it traverses the
county in a south-easterly direction, through Dora, Marrowbone,
Sullivan, and East Nelson townships, and passes out at Coles
station, in the north-eastern corner of Whitley township. The
most important station is Sullivan, at which place it crosses the
line of the Wabash, St. Louis, and Pacific.
Illinois Midland R. R.
Which is a consolidation of the Peoria, Atlanta, and Decatur and
the Paris and Decatur railroads. It was constructed in the year
1872, from Peoria, via Decatur to Terre Haute Indiana, Peoria and
Terre Haute being the termini, and the entire length of the road is
176 miles, of which 168 are in Illinois. This road enters Moultrie
county from the west, in the northern part of Dora township, on
the line dividing the sections ten and fifteen, and extends due east
to Lake City, where it diverges from a straight line in a south-east
direction to Lovington, at which thriving and enterprising town it
crosses the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific R. R. Here again its
course changes and it traverses the balance of the county due east,
crossing the county line at Arthur on Section 25 in Lowe township.
Lake City, Lovington, Williamsburg and Arthur are the stations
in this county, Lovington being the most important.
Moultrie County has ddne much to foster and encourage her
railroad system. Her people have been liberal, having donated
the right-of-way, and voted moneys to aid in the construction of
the roads. .
The total railroad bonded indebtedness of the county is at
present, $281,000, as follows:
$6,000 of the subscribed $80,000 to the P. D. & E. R. R.
$75,000 donated by vote to P.D.& E.R. R.
$200,000 “« «Chicago & Paducah, now W. St. L. & P.
$281,000 Total.
The $75,000 was issued in one thousand dollar bonds, November
1, 1871, drawing 8 per cent. interest, and the $200,000 in one
thousand dollar bonds, issued May 27, 1872, bearing ten per cent.
interest. Inasmuch as there is believed to have been some irre-
gularity in the manner in which the latter donations were made,
5
the constituted authorities of the county propose to contest the
legality of said bonds. In addition to the above there is a town-
ship railroad indebtedness of $42,000, viz: Sullivan tp. $30,000,
Lowe, $12,000. These bonds are also in litigation.
Wabash, St. Louis and Pacifie R. R.
(Formerly Chicago and Paducah R.R.) This road was built
through Moultrie and Shelby counties in 1873 and ’74, It has
since passed into the hands of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific.
Believing it will be interesting to our readers. we give a brief
description of this great corporation, whose future prosperity is
so intimately intertwined with the growth and development of these
counties. Great Western, whose name has since been successively
changed to Toledo, Wabash and Western and Wabash, St. Louis
and Pacific, the last of which it still bears The Great Western
was an extension of the Northern Cross Railroad, and was comple-
ted to Bement, north of Moultrie county, and the cars running in
April, 1854. More than to any other this immediate section of the
state owes the subsequent rapid development of its agricultural and.
other resources. Its line passes through some of the finest portions
of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. It soon became the popular high-
way of travel and traffic between the East and the West. Under
its new name—Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific—and management,
it has rapidly extended its lines éast and west of the Mississippi
river, comprising at present two great divisions, the eastern and
western.
Total miles east of the Mississippi river, 1381 miles.
west “ “ es ss 777
Grand total Eastern and Western Divisions, 2158 miles.
The Chicago and Paducah branch of this road enters Moultrie
county in the north-east corner of Lovington township, and its
general course is almost duesouth. It traverses Lovington township,
crossing the Illinois Midland R. R. at thetown of Lovington. It
passes on through Sullivan tp. and at the City of Sullivan crosses the
line of the P. D. & E. R. R. Thence through the north-west corner
of Whitley tp., and crosses the section lines between Whitley and
Windsor townships, when it enters Shelby county, and at the town
of Windsor crosses the I. & St. L. R. R., and passes on down
through Richland and Prairie townships. The stations below
Windsor are Strasburg, Hebron, and the thriving village of
Stewardson. The road crosses the south line of Shelby county on
Section 15, (tp. 9-5), Prairie township. By this road and the I. &
St. L,, the two counties are linked together by bands of iron. The
W. St. L. & P. is the most important road’ in the two counties,
and is the great North and South line, connecting with the
principal northern and southern cities. The principal lines of this
road have steel rail tracks, well ballasted road-beds, and altogether
constitute one of the greatest railroad systems in the West.
Springfield Division of Ohio and Mississippi R. R.
This road enters Shelby county on the west line of Section 19,
Tower Hill township, and its course is due east until it reaches the
village of Tower Hill, which is the most important station on the
line of this road in Shelby county. Here the line diverges from
an eastern to a south-eastern course, and traverses the townships of
Tower Hill, Cold Spring and Dry Point. The stations in this
county are Tower Hill, Lakewood, Cowden and Holliday—the
latter village is on the dividing line between Shelby and Fayette
counties. This road was formerly known as the Springfield and
Pana R. R., afterwards as the Springfield and South-eastern R. R.
and on the first of April, 1875, it was sold to the O. & M. R.R.
oh ae
34 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Company. It was built under a charter obtained in 1865, and
completed in 1870. The first construction train to run from Pana
to Springfield was on the 28th of October, 1869. The first through
train from Beardstown to Shawneetown, was run on the 28th of
March, 1872. This road does a fair business, and its influence has
been greatly felt in developing the resources of the south-western
portion of the county.
We append some statistics relative to the above described roads
which will doubtless be of interest to the reader.
A Statement of miles of track and assessed value of R. R. property of
Moultrie and Shelby counties.
MOULTRIE COUNTY.
|
‘Main trackinclu-| Side or turnout| Total value of R.
ding raght of way.| track, R. property as-
: Lenyth. Length. sessed by the
i State Board of
Miles. | Feet. | Miles. Feet. | Equalization.
Name of Roads.
Illinois Midland. 15 | 4515 1 | 1029 $49,407
Indianapolis and St. Louis. 5 1285 31,363
Peoria, Decatur and Evansville. 23 2794 76,051
Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific. 22 | 3218 5216 118 867
Total, 66 | 2453 2 | 4993 $275,688
SHELBY COUNTY.
Indianapolis and St. Louis R. R. 27 1 | 5071 $185,501
Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific, 19 | 2912 1 | 1094 51,517
Ohio and Mississippi. 17 | 3866 3549 79,494
Illinois Central R. R. 16 | 2640 | Ray no tax.
|
=e $b om
CHAPTER IV.
GEOLOGY UF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES.
BY PROF. J. PIKE,M. A.*
SHELBY COUNTY.
OPOGRAPHY.—About two-thirds of the area
of this county is prairie; the northern part
being flat, or very gently undulating, and pos-
sessing a rich soil.
The principal streams are the Little Wabash
river and the Kaskaskia; the former running
through the south-eastern portion of the county,
the latter and its tributaries being in the cen-
tral and western portions.
Among the less important streams are Green, Mitchell’s, Beck’s,
Robinson's, and Mud creeks, the last two being sluggish streams,
with muddy banks, flanked by wide bottoms, and low hills, whose
height does not exceed fifty feet.
The hills along the Kaskaskia are generally about seventy feet
high, and the country, back from the river for a di-tance varying
from a half mile to a mile, is rather broken. The bottoms vary in
width from a quarter of a mile to three-quarters of a mile,
The timber on the ridges, hills, and uplands is chiefly white oak,
* For some of the data in the preparation of this chapter, we are indebted
to the State Geological reports of Prof. A. H. Worthen, its editor.
black-oak, shell-bark, hickory, burr-oak, and sassafras, while th
bottoms produce pine, oak, elm, ash, hackberry, buckeye, maple, an
sugar tree.
The river bottoms and the adjacent hills afford an abundar
supply of good timber.
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS.
Quaternary.—In digging a well on the Kaskaskia bottom, tw
miles below the mouth of Jordan's creek, the first five feet we
found to be soil and dark clay, and the next eleven feet sand
material containing some pebbles.
The Shelbyville hills show about fifty feet of sand and clay, o
which are found rounded pebbles of mica, slate, sienite of variot
colors, several kinds of granite (including graphic granite), quartzit
greenstone, and chert.
Three miles above Shelbyville, a drift bluff is exposed, at an ol
well, and shows sand and pebbles partially united, forming discor
nected layers of firmly cemented conglomerate.
On the Wabash, below the forks, the drift exhibits about twelv
feet of chocolate and buff colored clays, the lower part being sand
and containing a few small pebbles
A well on J. Gallagher’s farm was dug to a depth of seventy
two feet, the first thirty-eight feet being through clay. At the
depth was found muddy sand, in which were leaves, sticks, and on
log. From the depth of fifty-two feet to seventy-two feet, the we
was bored through sand to a stiff clay.
Coal Measures.—About 175 feet uf the upper Coal Measures appear in thi
county, and in the whole thickness there are only two workable coals, grade
No. 14and No. 15, numbered 16 and 8, respectively, in the following condense
sections of the various beds:
FT.
1. Limestone, dove-colored, . . . . wee. a A
2. Fire clay, . 2... 8 Bao 2
3. Shales passing into sandstone, . . rar . 80
4. Limestone, . x A a eee
5. Shales at top, changing into argillaceous limestone, 55
6. Sandstone, «© . ee 4 to 40
7. Shaly bituminous limestone and bituminous shales, } to 4
8; Coal, No. 15; eas + 4 ee 2A wee es 1} to 3
9. Fire clavys Se ok te ee ea lj teu 5
10. Limestone, . . . . . ao eee Gi et -. 0 to 4
11. Shales and sandstone... . . . - 15 to 30
VQ Shales) ose Ao ewe oy ne "i ‘4
13. Calcareous shales, . . 4 ee nel
14, Shales,. .. ee &
15. Caleareous and bituminous shales, wks 2
16. Coal, near Panty 22 6 5 8 et 1} to 15-6
17, Reine eliyy, a8 @ we = 4 : 5
18. Sandy limestone. . 2... 2 2. . 5
Ata mill on Sand creek, about five miles from Windsor, No. |
extends across stream for about 200 feet.
Four miles north-east of Shelbyville, on the river, are found abot
four feet of limestone, the upper part of which is sometimes shal
and fossiliferous, containing Spiriferina Kentuckiensis, Spirif
lineatus, spirifer cameratus, Productus punctatus, Athyris subtilit
Hemipronites crassus, and crinoid stems, The lower part contait
very few fossils.
Just beneath the fire clay, in the same vicinity, are found 20 fe
of sandy shales, and occasionally along the river there are beds
buff sandstone, which make the entire thickness of sandstone an
shales (No. 3) amount to 30 feet. In No. 4, which is a tough ac
very coarse dark gray limestone, are found the fossils, Myalu
subquadrata, Pinna per-acuta, Prod. Prattenianus, Nautilus occident
lis, Allorisma subcuneata, Aviculopecten occidentalis.
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 385
About five miles up the Kaskaskia river from Shelbyville, No. 4,
is found sticking out of the river bank, three feet above low water,
is easily recognized, and affords good fossils. Below the limestone
just mentioned, and including Nos. 5, 6 and 7, there are about 96
feet of sandy and argillaceous shale sandstone, and argillaceous
limestone, with calcareous and bituminous shale. The upper part
is principally argillaceous shale, but the lower part consists of beds
that are not at all persistent. Near the railroad, one mile west of
Robinson’s creek, the argillaceous shale is 80 feet thick; its beds
are very irregular, and the fracture is conchoidal and smooth. The
thinner beds are shaly.
The sandstone (No. 6) also is changeable. Sometimes it is absent
entirely, its place being occupied by sandy shales, as on the Little
Wabash river; at others, it is a thin-bedded sandstone. Two miles
south-east of Shelbyville, it changes rapidly to a shale, again to a
sandstone, and again, back to a shale. Sometimes it rests on the
coal, then again it is separated from the coal by bituminous shales,
which begin at 0, and rapidly increase to a thickness of 1% feet.
At Lilly’s mill, a calcareous shale overlies the coal which in a
distance of 200 feet thickens from 0 to.3 feet; it is divided, after
running a short distance, by 2 feet of clay shale, and the upper
part becomes a firm bed of limestone. But few fossils are found in
these beds, the most important being Sigillarie and Calamites, in
the sandstone, and Cordaites, in the shales.
The fossils in the calcareous shales are much crushed, still the
following can be distinguished; Athyris subtilita, Spirifer Kentuc-
kiensis, Prod. Pratienianus, and Bryozoa.
An examination of the outcrops of coal in various places gives
the following sections, from which may be seen the changeable
character of the adjacent rocks:
On Copperas creek west of Nioga, at J. Young’s coal bank—
1. Drab and blueshale,. .. 2. .......-.. 3 ft.
2. Bituminous coal. . 2... 6. eee tt 14 “
Se PAPE Clap 6: ao ape ee BEE Ce Be a a ete 3
A SOC ies. sek ae hike, al ee 10 ft. to 15“
5. Chocolate and drab-colored arenaceous limestone, . . 2} “
G.Slopes) oo aie Gos ee nie Woe ede A ge eS 5
7. Sandstone, hard and rough,... = ...... 5
On Little Wabash, one mile above the mouth of Copperas creek :
1, Clay and drift... 2... ee ee ee eee 25 ft.
2. Clay shale,...... doe Bawa wake 14 «“
8. A little black slate... 2... 1... ee eee
4. Bituminous coal, . . 2... 6) eee ee ee 0 “to22in
5. Fire clay at top for a few feet, then clay shales, with
nodules of ironstone, ete.,. . . . - 2 ee ee ee 18.
A mile upstream the coal is four feet above the water, and a
quarter of a mile further it is two feet above, and capped by 12 feet
of gray shale, passing into thin beds of sandstone.
At Lilly’s mill, in section 1, T.9 N., R.3 E., the following
section is shown:
1. Slope gentle, .. . 0. we we ee ee ee . 60 ft.
2. Drift clay, sand and pebbles,. . . 2... ..-.- 10“
8. Ash-blue clay shale,.. . «1 2. ee ee eee 4 «
4, Calcareous shale, changing to shaly limestone. . . 0 “to 3 ft.
Oe COA wah fends ose ae tw se erik EL aS oe ano! 0) a G 1 5-6 ft.
6. Fire Clay) 6 a) a ok sg ca els Se we 3 ft.
7. Hard and soft shales, shaly and thickly- bedded gray
and grayish blue, very changeable within a short
Gistan Ge; 3 6.4) eS wy SoS eS & AS ee SB 20 «“
At a coal bank on Robinson’s creek, in section 21, T. 11 N.,
R. 3 E—
1. Gray sandstone, AE er ea a 2a ft
2. Ferruginous bed,. . 2. 2 1 ee ee ee te 0 “ Sin.
3. Black shale, ..... ei Mug aly lke eee TO:
ASCO -icege tao ray sey Geshe TEL Ge Re ae ey ay ee Bo Be
One hundred yards south of the last locality—
1. Limestone with thin lamin of coal, traversing the
loWer part, 20 6 5 ek ee ee ee ee 5 ft.
2. Ochrey ferruginous stratum, ....-.--+-.-- 0 “ 5 in.
3. Blue and dove-colored clay shales, .--..-.. Q: “ae
Bs COM .5 ap be lavehine. Selnareha aes. ua BASE % Qo 6
The hills at this place are about fifty feet high.
In section 30, T.12 N., R. 3 E., on Brush creek,
1. Soil and buff clay . eee Ghd caray a eS . 8 ft.
2. Soft buffsandstone. . a Ulae SG 8 “
3. Thinly laminated light-blue slate, VS Ae ea es 4“
4. Bituminous coal... ....... site: fade a On.
Se Hire clays soe o 6 a ve ee ae we ok = 2
6. Coarse rough nodular calcareous sandstone... .. .
On the land of J. Armstrong, in section 35 of the same township, there are,
over the coal, four or five feet of firm gray or brown sandstone containing
plants.
On Mrs. Sides’ land, one and a half miles south of the railroad,
1. Sandstone, at one place very hard; at another, soft. . . 5 ft.
2. Ferruginous shales passing into conglomerate... . .4to 1 “
3. Lead-blue calcareous shales. . .......5-. 2%
4:\Coalis. @ sy ee ae Ae Ree we about 1} ‘
De EMPE Claes aie Rone GR ara Ge
Near the railroad in section 17, T. 11 N., RB. 3 E., at William Howards,
TE. SandStONe ge cao ca, Ree Beal AP ke RAS a Se Bet
2. Dark gray paleancsus shale thinning out. .. . 2 ft.
a: Coal Seite aoe at Gi SE De, AS RS 1 “6 in.
At Minto’s, a short distance north,
1. Sandstone... ... ee ee ee ee .
2. Ferruginous conglomerate. . . - Lin. to4 in.
8. Dove-colored clay shales. ... . na ‘ 16 “
A Coal. se wh we SB Adee Se Ele 18st
Oo» Pire clay sc eae 2 a ee é 15“
6. Hard limestone ...... «.«.... ws 24 “
One hundred and fifty yards farther up,
1. Savdstones., ci a) is. hoa ae es A ea a Se * ep ate
2. Calcareo-bituminous shale... ...... ae ee 446
Se Coals a0% 2 Bee ne HR wD AES 1 “ 8in
Bs We: Clayes. sade ak a Dae
In section 6, 7.9 N., B.4 E.
1. Olive clay shales... 6 2. eee ee ee 4 ft.
2. Bituminous coal ....... 2... ee eee . 1“ 6in,
3: Eireclay ss @ ey Sestak Se 8 eV ew as zs
4, Buff limestone, fracture gray... ... 1... 1. 4“
At the mouth of Long Branch in section 10, T.10 N., R. 3 E.
. Brown ash-clay, a few pebbles in the lower part. . . . 20 ft.
2. Bituminous coal, the upper one foot has thin bands of clay
—the lower part is good coal . 2. 2... 2. 3
3. Upper part fire clay, in middle are buff nodules of arena-
ceous limestone . .
e
On Mrs. Fancher’s land in section 32, T.10 N., R. 4 E.,
1. Argillaceous shales... 2... ee ee
Dee COR a8 tat ae Ei ee ey Pa ate. a ees pe eda 22 in.
Os BIOCay” (so aa whe eB JRE ae Be es 5 ft.
4, Sandstone in thin beds aftecontting sud, hard, with gray
ripple marked, and thicker brown beds. . . . . . . 15 «“
36 AISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
One mile south of Shelbyville.
1. Sandyshales ss ge aoe 8 He a ew HS 59 ft.
2. Coal, thinseam . ........2022 00 2 in.
8. Calcareous shales fossiliferous. . ....... - ltor*
4. Bituminous coal... . 1... Be eh aha eae. GeO
Coal is at the water’s edge.
In the south part of section 2, T.10 N., R.1 E.,
1. Mostly chocolate-colored argillaceous shales... . . . 10 ft.
2. (=No. 14 of upper.Coal Meas. Sec.) Calcareous shales
containing Hemipronites crassus, Spiriferina Kentuckiensis,
Lophophyllum proliferum, Zeacrinus, and a crinoid resem-
bling Agassizocrinus . 6 6. 1. ee ee ee Ave, abs
3. Blue and bituminous shales... . 2... 1, 3“
4. (=No. 16 of upper Coal Mezs. Sec.) Dark blue calca-
reous shales passing into a shaly limestone; abounds in
Spirifer plano-converus and Hemipronites crassus; also con-
tains Orthis carbonaria, Orthoceras eribrosum, Pleurotomaria
Spherulata, Chonetes Flemingii, Productus costatus, Spi-
rifer cameratus, Euomphalus sub-rugosus, Lophophyllum
proliferonm .........2.. Por
5. Bituminous coal... . 2... 2... - 20 in. to 22 in.
G6. Fire clay, calcareous nodules in the lower part. . . . . 5 ft.
7. Hard rough calcareous sandstone containing Productus
Pratteinanus .
Besides the fossils named above, there are found on the Fayette
county line the following: Productus Nebrascensis, Productus longis-
pinus, SRetzia punctulifera, Spiriferina Kentuckiensis, and Orthis
carbonaria, ,
The rocks of the above section preserve a slight southerly dip for
ten miles; and at the county line, where it crosses Beck’s creek,
they are found about the same distance above the creek; but for
four or five miles toward the north, they rise more rapidly.
ECONOMICAL GEOLOGY.
Coal Mines.—Two coal beds are worked in this county. The
upper (grade No. 15), sometimes called the “Shelby coal,’’ varies
in thickness from one and a half to three feet, but is generally
about twenty-two inches thick. It is generally a firm, good coal,
and is tolerably pure. .
The following are the principal places at which it has been
worked: J. Young’s, in section 24, T. 10 N., R. 6 E; on the west
side of Little Wabash river, in the north half of township 10 north;
Wm. Rudy’s, J. Gallagher’s, Henry Allen’s on Richland creek ;
the railroad bank on Brush creek; Llliott’s, on the Terre Haute
R. R., near Robinson’s creek station. At Lilly’s mill the chance
to side drift is very favorable, and there are many places within
three miles of the mill at which coal crops out, and is generally
easy of access.
The Beck’s creek or Pana coal (grade No. 14) has been mined
in section 15, T.9 N., R. 1 E,, and in section 31, T. 10 N., R. 2 E.
At the latter place twenty-one feet of shales and thin bedded sand-
stone rest on two feet of bituminous shale at the water’s edge, and
coal has been taken out of the bed of the creek (Beck’s). Six
miles north of this place, the coal appears a few feet above the
water in Coal Bank creek.
Building Stone.—The varieties of building stone are silicious
limestone, argillaceous limestone, and sandstone. The silicious
limestone on Copperas creek is excellent for heavy work. On the
west side of the east fork of Little Wabash river, a great deal of
sandstone has been quarried for the construction of culverts on the
Illinois Central R. R. The stone is hard and irregularly bedded,
but is very durable. Good gray sandstone is quarried two miles
south-cast of Shelbyville. Some of the sandstones of this county
make very good coarse grindstones. The limestone found on Sa:
creek and west of the Kaskaskia river four and five miles nort
east of Shelbyville is superior stone for building purposes; it w
used in the construction of the Shelbyville railroad bridge. T
deep blue argillaceous limestone west of Robinson’s creek is ve
irregularly bedded, and often has too much clay in its compositi:
to be good for anything but rip-rap and use in common culverts.
Sund and Road Material.—Good safd for use in plastering e:
be procured on Little Wabash and Kaskaskia rivers, on Sai
creek, and from some of the drift exposures. The sands and nun
rous pebbles found in the drift of this county are good material f
the building of rcads. The city of Shelbyville is particularly fc
tunate in having an almost inexhaustible supply of road materi
conveniently located when’ she chooses to use it. Good clay f
bricks may be found almost anywhere in the county. Limestoi
good for lime can be procured only on Sand creek and four or fir
miles above Shelbyville.
Soil and Agriculture—The soil of most of the northern part
the county is a dark rich loam, and it produces the finest crops
corn to be found in the county, averaging from forty to fifty bushe
per acre. South of the Terre Haute railroad and in the sout:
western part of the county the soil of the flat prairie and timbere
lands is thin; on the mound slopes it is very rich and productiv
Near Windsor and south and west for six miles the land, prair
and timbered, is rich. The woodland near Flat branch is all goc
and capable of producing all the crops raised in this latitud
Good crops of wheat are raised in most of the northern part of th
county and on the timbered lands and mound slopes of the souther
part. The general average of fall wheat is twenty to twenty-fiy
bushels per acre.
Water.—The people get their supply of water chiefly from wel
that vary in depth from 20 feet to 50 feet, the deeper wells bein
on the hilly lands. Chalybeate springs, some impregnated wit
sulphur, others quite sweet, are found on the west side of Beck
eréek about a mile and a half north of the south county line. I
sections 5 and 6, T.10 N., R.3 E., there is a fresh water lak:
Miantonomah, whose surface is almost on a level with the surrounc
ing prairie, and which covers an area of several hundred acre
Around its margin are many broad leaf water plants, and an abur
dance of Cephalanthus occidentalis, Lake Emtah, another quit
large body of water, is in section 5, T. 9 N., R.5 E. In the eas
suburbs of Shelbyville, inexhaustible veins of water are struck at
depth of from 12 to 15 feet. The geological formations, as exh’
bited in these wells, are found to be very peculiar. At about th
depth above indicated, is struck a stratum of quicksand from 5 t
8 feet in thickness, from which pours an abundance of pure, colc
sparkling water, which rises in the wells to a height of from 4 t
6 feet. Beneath the quicksand is a bed of hard clay impervious t
water. In the central portions of the city water is difficult to fin
at any depth, while on the west side of the city it is reached a
about the same depth as on the east side.
GEOLOGY OF MOULTRIE COUNTY.
Geologically, the surface of this county, to the unskilled observe:
presents a tame and uninteresting appearance; but to one who ca
see “ books in running streams, and sermons in stones,” it is elc
quent in language that thrills his heart, and calls forth his be:
thoughts. Scattered over some of its surface, lies the boulder drift
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 37
especially in the more northern tier of townships are occasionally
found huge and lesser fragments of rocks, whose parent beds lie
hundreds of miles to the north of Lake Superior, and the great
chain of lakes, and which fragments have been ground and trans-
ported in the great glaciers from the north east, which plowed over
the surface and planed down the rocks, pulverizing and mixing the
débris to form the productive soil the present dweller finds at his
hand and beneath his feet. Fossils that tell of ocean depths and
the processes of creation are found permeating the soil in every
locality, but all of them of foreign birth—none of them here in situ.
On the bars of the different streams may be found mollusks, inclu-
ding Unio zigzvg, U. dilatata, Alasmodonta truncats, Melania Pulu-
dina, Cyclas, ete.
Topography —The prairies are either nearly flat or gently undu-
lating. The timbered land, gradually sloping near the heads of
creeks, becomes more uneven near the main streams. However,
there is no extensive tract of broken land. Along the south fork
of the Kaskaskia, near the eastern line of the county, the bluffs are
often over forty feet high, but for four or five miles down the
stream, are not often over twenty feet high, and spread out into
white oak flats. Southwest of Sullivan, the hills are sometimes
sixty or eighty feet high, but not very abrupt.
Stratigraphical Geology—The formations in this county consist
of the quarternary and limited coal measure outcrops. Ad/uvim.—
This includes the soil, the loose material, and more recent forma-
tion along the streams. Below Sullivan, the soil on the south fork
of the Kaskaskia bottoms is very sandy, and along the streams
there are many sandbars. The sandy bottoms are often covered
with a growth of Vernonia fuscuriala. Prof. Worthen, in his geo-
logical report on this county, says that three miles south-east of
Sullivan, on land of George Purvis, on the west bank of the Kas-
kaskia, he discovered the head of a bison. It measured across the
forehead above the eyes twelve inches; the same between the roots
of the horns: the latter were short, thick and slightly curved.
The hill above the bank is probably twenty-five feet high; the bank
about eight feet high, forming a narrow bench with the hill, of
about ten feet in width; in this bench or terrace a few feet from
the top, the skull and part of the cervical bones were found. The
surrounding clay was black rich loam. There were several trees
two feet in diameter growing on this terrace.
Drift.—The drift is of great depth in this county. At Sullivan,
which is about as high ground as any other part of the county, a well
was dug 210 feet, and the following stratum was passed through, as
reported by Mr. Patterson, who had charge of the digging:
FT.
1. Yellowish clay,. 2. - - + ee ee ete eee 15
2. Greenclay,....--- i RR Be ee ERs 10
3. Whitish clay and some gravel, ... +--+. 6
4. At 60 feet from top struck a small white sand stone
(probably a boulder), then 21 feet alternations of
sand, gravels, red clay, blue clay, etc. At 81 feet,
struck a big boulder; at 110 feet, blue clay, con-
tinuing to 210 feet; next five feet of quick-sand—-
he could go no farther. A strong vein of water
came in at 15 feet from the surface, also at 108 feet,
another at 180 feet, the last rising to within five
feet of the top, but subsided to 15 feet. It has a
strong sulphate of iron taste.
The following section of drift was exposed on Whitley’s Creek,
on land of Daniel Brown:
FT.
1, Soil at top, with a growth of white oak and black
hickory; below brown clay, with a few small
pebbles, 2. 6 - - ee e e e s 8
2. Mostly blue and brown clay with pebbles, . . . . 16
3. Black, spongy stratum, vegetable mold, no pebbles,. 4
4, Buff clay, and brown sands, with talus from above, . 11
Up:a ravine about a hundred yards distant is a fine spring of
exceedingly clear, pleasant-tasted water, four feet in depth ; bubbles
of sulphuretted hydrogen occasionally rise to the surface—no taste
of sulphur being perceptible, bnt a slight odor of it.
In digging for a well on the south fork of Kaskaskia, below the
mouth of Whitley Creek, the following stratum was observed :
FT.
1. Soil, local drift, ete,. . 6 6 6 ee ee ee
2. Blue clay, with « few pebbles, at the lower parta
very dark stratum of clay, .. - + eee ees 8
3. Brown sand and small boulders... ... +s + 5
4, Blue and brown sand and clay, with some pebbles or
bouldérs: 4 2 4a we ew ee Pe ee 8
5. Very comminuted fine sand beds, some of it concre-
tionary © 6 ee ee 3
G. Dark, purplish-blue sands... 0. ee eee 4
7. Talus of above, with fragments of coal, ete. .
From the appearance of the dark stratum in Nos. 2 and 7, James
W. Loomis & Co. have run in a drift for seventy feet in search of
a coal bed; but they were unsuccessful. The dark stratum at
Daniel Brou’s also induced parties to dig in search of coal. A
better knowledge of geology would have taught them the futility
of searching for coal at these places.
Drift boulders of various kinds of metamorphic rocks are often
found alone on the prairies, especially in the northern part of the
county; four miles north-east of Sullivan there is a boulder of
granite 10x5x8 feet, surrounded only by the black prairie soil; how
deep it is beneath is not known.
ECONOMICAL GEOLQGY.
Coal Measwres.—There have been several efforts to find coal in
Moultrie county, but they have proved unsuccessful. Near Sulli-
van, John Patterson had a well dug 200 feet deep, through drift
clays, and struck a soft sandstone, into which he bored 43 feet.
This is probably equivalent to No.1 of the general section of the
coal measure rocks spoken of in Shelby county. The top of this
rock is probably 140 feet above the Shelby coal (No. 15). On the
South Fork of Kaskaskia, two miles above the junction, the follow-
ing stratum exists:
FT. IN.
1. Long slope of drift, along which are strown many
boulders of various kinds... .. .... .d0
2. Drabsandy shale... 2. ee eee ee ee 5
3. Rough, chocolate-colored limestone ....... 4
4. Olive:clay’ ss 4 yee a eee we Be ee 2 6
Db. Reéedvtlay- 2402 ok Re ae Bo es 2
6. Dark olive clay to low water in river ..... .- 2
North-west of the above, on the West Fork above the ford,
appear tumbled blocks of' limestone sticking out of the bank, at a
regular elevation above the water in the creek. They are some-
what surrounded by a local drift, but apparently above their
proper place.
Down the river a few miles, in Shelby county, this limestone,
(No. 2 of general section), crops out in regular layers, 4 feet thick.
Prof. Worthen, in his report, says that a shaft would have to be
sunk about 330 feet at Sullivan, in order to reach coal No. 15, or
probably 850 feet to reach coal No. 7.
38 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
CHAPTER, V.
FAUNA OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES.
yA\|| HE names, and:a carefully prepared list of the
» animals of a country, state, or county, are
always of interest to the inhabitants, especially
so to the scientist and student of natural his-
tory. After inquiring into the political and
civil history of a country, we then turn with
pleasure to the investigation of its Natural
History, and of the animals which inhabited
it prior to the advent of man; their habits and
the means of their subsistence become a study; some were animals
of prey, others harmless, and subsisted upon vegetable matter.
The early animals of this portion of the state, ranged over a wide
field—and those which inhabited the prairie and timbered regions
of the Kaskaskia and Sangamon rivers and their tributaries—
differ but very materially as to species.
Of the ruminating animals that were indigenous to this territory,
we had the American Elk (Cervus Canadensis), and still have the
deer of two kinds; the more common, the well known American
deer (Cervus Virginianus), and the white-tailed Deer (Cervus
Leucurus). And at a period not very remote, the American Buffalo
(Bos Americanus), must have found pastures near the alluvial and
shaded banks of the Sangamon and plains and prairies of this por-
tion of the state. The heads, horns and bones of the slain animals
were still numerous in 1820. The Black Bear (Ursus Americanus)
were quite numerous even in the memory of the older settlers.
Bears have been seen in the county within the last thirty years.
The Gray Wolf (Canis Occidentalis) and Prairie Wolf (Canis
latrans) are not unfrequently found, as is also the Gray Fox
(Vulpes Virgiuianus), which still exists by its superior cunning.
The panther (Felis concolor) was occasionally met with in the
earlier times, and still later and more common, the Wild Cat (Lynx
rufus). The Weasel, one or more species; the Mink (Putorius
Vison); American Otter (Lutra Canadensis) ; the Skunk (Mephitis
Mephitica) ; the Badger (Taxidea Americana); the Raccoon (Pro-
cyon Lotor); The Opossum (Didelphys Virginiana). The two
latter species of animals are met with in every portion of the
United States and the greater part of North America. The coon-
skin among the early settlers was regarded as a legal tender. The
Bear and Otter are now extinct in the county, and were valuable
for their furs. Of the Squirrel family we have the Fox, Gray,
Flying, Ground and Prairie Squirrel (Scirus Ludovicanus, Caroli-
nensis, Volucetla, Striatus and Spermaphilus). The Woodchuck
(Arctomys Monax); the common Musk Rat (Fiber Zibethicus).
The Bats, Shrews and Moles are common. Of the Muride we have
the introduced species of Rats and Mice, as also the native Meadow
Mouse, and the long-tailed Jumping Mouse (Meriones Labradorus),
frequently met with in the clearings. Of the Hare, the (Lupus
Sylvaticus) the so-called Rabbit, is very plentiful. Several species
of the native animals have perished, being unable to endure the
presence of civilization, or finding the food congenial to their tastes
appropriated by stronger races. Many of the pleasures, dangers
and excitements of the chase are only known and enjoyed by most
of us of the present day through the talk and traditions of the past.
The Buffalo and the Elk have passed the borders of the Mississippi
to the westward, never more to return.
Of Birds may be mentioned the following :*
Among the Game Birds most sought after are the Meleagris
Gallopavo (Wild Turkey), and Cupidonia Cupido (Prairié Hen),
which afford excellent sport for the hunter and are quite plentiful ;
Pinnated Grouse (Bonasa Umbellus); Ruffled Grouse (Ortyx
Virginianus); Quail (Philohela Minor); Woodcock, (Gallinago
Wilsonii) ; English Snipe, (Macrorhamphus Griseus) ; Red-breasted
Snipe, (Gambetta Melanoleuca); Telltale Snipe, (Gambetta Fla-
vipes); Yellow-Legs, (Limosa Fedoa) ; Marbled Godwit, (Scolofax
Fedoa, Wilson); Numenius Longirastris, (Long-billed Curlew) ;
Numenius Hudsonicus, (Short-billed Curlew); Rallus Virginianus,
(Virginia Rail); Cygnus Americanus, (American Swan); Cygnus
Buccinator, (‘Trumpeter Swan); Anser Hyperboreus, (Snow Goose) ;
Bermicala Canadensis, (Canada Goose); Bermicala Brenta, (Brant) ;
Anas Boschas, (Mallard); Anas Obscura, (Black Duck); Dafila
Acuta, (Pintail Duck) ; Nettion Carolinensis, (Green winged Teel) ;
Querquedela discors, (Blue-winged Teel) ; Spatula Clypeata, (Sho-
veler); Mareca Americana, (American Widgeon); Aix Sponsa,
(Summer, or Wood Duck); Aythaya Americana, (Red-head
Duck); Aythaya Vallisneria, (Canvass-back Duck); Bucephala
Albeola, (Butter Ball) ; Lophodytes Cucculatus, (Hooded Mergan-
ser); (Pelecanus erythrorhynchus), Rough-billed Pelican ; Colym-
bus torquatus), The Loon; (Aegialitis vociferus), Killdeer Plover ;
Ball Head, Yellow-legged and upland Plover ; (Tantalus loculator),
Wild Ibis, very rarely visit this locality ; (Herodus egretta), White
Heron; (Ardea Herodus), Great Blue Heron; (Botaurus lentigi-
nosus), Bittern; (Grus Canadensis), Sand Hill Crane; (Kctopistes
migratoria), Wild Pigeon; (Zenaidura Carolinensis), Common
Dove; (Corvus carnivorus), American Raven; (Corvus Ameri-
canus), Common Crow; (Cyanurus ecristatus), Blue Jay; (Doli-
chonyx oryzivorus), Bobo’link ; (Agelaius pheenicians), Red-winged
Black Bird ; (Sturella magna), Meadow Lark ; (Icterus Baltimore),
Golden Oriole; (Chrysometris tristis), Yellow Bird; Junco hye-
malis), Snow Bird; (Spizella Socialis), Chipping Sparrrow; (Spi-
zella pusilla), Field Sparrow; (Melospiza palustris), Swamp Spar-
row; (Cyanospiza cyanea), Indigo Bird; (Cardinalis Virginianus),
Cardinal Red Bird; (Pipilo erythrophthalmus’, Cheewink ; (Sitta
Carolinensis), White-bellied Nuthatch; (Mimus polygolottus),
Mocking Bird; (Minus Carolinensis), Cat Bird ; (Harphorhynchus
rufus), Brown Thrush; (Troglodytes don), House Wren ; (Hirundo
horreorum), Barn Swallow; (Cotyle riparia), Bank Swallow;
(Progne purpurea), Blue Martin; (Ampellis cedrorum), Cedar
Bird; (Pyrangra rubra), Scarlet Tanager; (Pyrangra astiva),
Summer Red Bird; (Tardus migratorius), Robin, came less than
forty years ago. (Sialia Sialis), Blue Bird ; (Tyrannus Carolinensis),
King Bird; (Sayornis fuscus), Pewee; (Ceryle aleyon), Belted
Kingfisher; Antrostomus vociferus), Whippoorwill; Chardeiles
popetue), Night Hawk; (Chetura pelasgia), Chimney Swallow;
(Trochilus colubris), Ruby-throated Humming Bird; (Picus villo.
sus), Hairy Woodpecker ; (Picus pubescens), Downy Woodpecker ;
(Melanerpes erythrocephalus), Red-headed Woodpecker ; (Colaptes
auratus), Golden-Winged Woodpecker; (Conurus Carolinensis),
Carolina Parrot; (Bubo Virginianus), Great Horned Owl; Syrnium
nebulosum), Barred Owl; (Nyctea nivea), Snowy Owl; (Cathartes
aura), Turkey Buzzard; (Falco columbarium), Pigeon Hawk;
(Nauclerus furcatus), Swallow-tailed Hawk; (Icteria Mississippi-
ensis), Mississippi Kite; (Buteo borealis), Red-tailed Hawk, (Ha-
liatus leucocephalus), Bald Eagle; (Falco fulvius), Ring-tailed
Eagle.
*In the preceding mention of animals, both the scientific und common
names are generally given for the convenience of the reader.
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 39
We give the following classification of birds into three divisions,
as found in the “ Transactions of the Illinois State Horticultural
Society ” of 1876.
1st. Those of the greatest value to the fruit-growers, in destroying
noxious insects, and which should be encouraged and fostered in
every way.
Blue Birds, Tit-mice or Chicadees, Warblers, (small summer
birds with pleasant notes, seen in trees aud gardens), Swallows,
Vuros, (small birds called green necks). All birds known as
Woodpeckers except sap-suckers, (Picus varius). This bird is en-
tirely injurious, as it is not insectivorous, but feeds on the inner
bark, cumbium (and the elaborated sap) of many species of trees,
and may be known from other Woodpeckers, by its belly being
yellowish, a large black patch on its breast, and the top of its head
a dark bright red. The male have also a patch of the same on
their throats and with the minor margins of the two central tail
feathers white. This bird should not be mistaken for the two other
most valuable birds which it nearly resembles, to wit:—The Hairy
Woodpecker, (Picus villiosii et vars) ; and the Downy Woodpecker,
(Picus pubescens et vars). ‘These two species have the outer tail
feathers white (or barred with black), and have only a small patch
of red on the back of the head of the males. The Yellow Hammer
or Flecker, (Colaptus auratus) is somewhat colored with yellow,
and should not be mistaken for the sap-sucker. It is a much larger
bird. The Red-headed Woodpecker, (Melanerpes erythrocephalus),
sometimes pecks into apples and devours cherries, and should be
placed in the next division, (2d). The Wren, Ground Robin,
(known as Cherwick), Meadow Lark, all the fly-catchers, the King
Bird or bee-catcher, Whip-poor-will. Night Hawk or Goat Sucker,
Nut-hatcher, Pewee or Pewit. All the Blackbirds, Bobolinks,
Finches, (Fringillide), Quails, Song Sparrows, Scarlet Tanager,
Black, White and Brown Creepers, Maryland Warblers, Indigo
Birds, Chirping Sparrow, Black-throated Bunting, Thrushes, ex-
cept those nained in the next class, and all domestic fowls except
geese.
2d. Birds of Doubtful Utility.
Which include those which have beneficial qualities, but which
have also noxious or destructive qualities in the way of destroying
fruits, and whose habits are not fully determined. (Thus the Robin,
Brown Thrush and Cat Bird are very valuable as cut-worm eaters,
but also very obnoxious to the small fruit growers. The Jay (Blue
Jay) not only destructive to grain and fruits, but very noxious in
the way of destroying the nest eggs and young of smaller and
better birds, Robin, Brown Thrush and Cat Bird, Shrike or Butcher
Bird, Red-headed Woodpecker, Jay Bird or Blue Jay, Crow and
the small Owls (sereech owls), Pigeons and Mocking Bird.)
3d. Birds that should be Exterminated.
Sap-sucker, or Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, (see above), Baltinore
Oriole, or Hanging Bird, Cedar Bird, or Wax-wings (Ampelis
cedrorum), Hawks and the larger Owls.
CHAPTER VI.
FLORA OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES.
N speaking of the flora of the above counties
it is not our purpose to treat exhaustively on
the plants of the respective counties, but rather
to give a list of the native trees and grasses found
within their limits.
“Mere catalogues of plants growing in any
locality,” says a learned writer, “ might without
a little reflection, be supposed to possess but
a3 little value ;” a supposition which would be far
from the truth. The intelligent farmer looks at
once to the native vegetation as a sure indication of the value of
new lands. The kinds of timber growing in a given locality
will decide the qualities of the soil for agricultural purposes.
The cabinet maker and the wheelwright and all other workers in
wood will find what materials are at hand to answer their purposes.
The state of Illinois by the botanist is usually considered under
three divisions; the heavily timbered regions of the south, the
flora of which is remarkable for its variety; the central portion,
consisting mainly of prairie, yet not without groves which are
usually adjacent to water-courses ; and the northern section. The
counties of Shelby and Moultrie represent the characteristics of
both a timbered and prairie country. Few spectacles are so
inspiringly beautiful as a grand prairie at certain seasons of the
year, and yet the luxuriant vegetation, which at first view seems
so various, comprises but few species of plants.
Upon the flora of these counties civilization has produced its
inevitable effect. As the Indian and buffalo have disappeared
befure the white man, so have some of the native grasses been
vanquished by the white clover and the blue grass. Below we
add a list of
NATIVE WOODY PLANTS.
Acer Saccharinum, rock sugar maple
A. Nigrum, black “
A. Dasycarpum, soft maple, silver
leaf maple
A. Negundo, box-elder, ash leaf
maple
ZEseulus Glabra, stinking buckeye
A. Serrulata, smooth leaf alder
Amelanchier Canadensis, true ser-
vice berry
Amorpha Fruticosa, false indigo
shrub
A. Canescens, lead plant
Ampelopsis Quinquefolia, virginia
creeper
Asimina Triloba, paw paw
B. Nigra, river or red birch
Carpinus Americanus, blue beech,
hornbeam
Ceanothus Americana, red root
C. Ovalis, great red root
Cercis Canadensis, Judas tree, red
bud
Celastrus Scandens, false bitter
sweet, wax work
Celtis Occidentalis, hackberry
Cephalanthus Occidentalis, button
bush
C.,Virginica, choke cherry
C. Serotina, black cherry, cabinet
cherry
C. Alternifolia, false dogwood
C. Sericea, kinnickinick
C. Cercinata, pigeon berry
C. Stolonifera, “ * red osier
C. Paniculata, “ -
C. Sanguinea, “ ‘
Corylus Americana, hazelnut
C. Coccinea, hawthorn
C. Tomentosa, “
C. Crus-galli, a8
C. Alba, shagbark hickory
C, Sulcata, thick shellbark hickory
C. Tomentosa, white heart hickory
C. Glabra, pig-nut hickory
Dirca Palustris, leatherwood
Euonymus Atropurpureus, wahoo,
strawberry tree
E. Americana, wahoo
Fraxinus Americana, white ash
F. Virdis, green ash
F. Sambucifolia, black ash
F. Quadrangulata, blue ash
Gleditschia Triacanthos, three
thorned acacia, honey locust
Hamamelis Virginica, witch hazel.
40
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Gymnocladus Canadensis, Kentucky
coffee-nut
Juglans Cinerea, butternut
J. Nigra, walnut
Juniperus Virginiana, red cedar
Lonicera Grata, Woodbine
Menisperum Canadense, moonseed
Morus Rubra, mulberry
Ostrya Virginica, hop-hornbeam,
iron-wood
Plantanus Occidentalis, buttonwood,
sycamore
Populus Tremulvides, quaking asp,
aspen
P. Monilifera, necklace poplar, cot-
tonwood
P. Angulata, cotton tree
Prunus Americana, wild plum
Pyrus Coronaria, crab apple
Quercus Macrocarpa, burr oak
Q. Obtusiloba, post oak
Q. Alba, white oak
Q. Prinus, swamp white oak
Q. Discolor, swamp chestnut oak
Q. Imbreearia, laurel leaf oak
Q. Nigra, black jack oak
Q. Tinctoria, yellow bark oak, quer-
citron oak
Q. Coccinea, scarlet oak
Q. Rubra, red oak
Q. Palustris, swamp Spanish oak,
pin oak
R. Glabra, sumach
R. Radicans, climbing poison ivy
R. Toxicodendron, poison ivy
Ribes Cynosbati, prickly gooseberry
R. Hirtellum, smooth ee
R. Rotundifolium, “ “
R. Lacustre, swamp gooseberry
R. Floridum, black currant
Rosa Lucinda, prairie rose
R. Blanda, wood rose
S. Tristis, rose willow
S. Hamulis, cone willow
8. Eriocephala, silky head willow
8. Nigra, Black willow
S. Fragilis, joint willow, brittle
willow
Sambucus Canadensis, elderberry
8. Pubens, red fruit elderberry
Sassafras Officinale, sassafras
Shepherdia Canadensis,
berry
Smilax Hispida, greenbriar
Spirea Opulifolia, vinebark spirsa
Spirea Salicifolia, hardhack, willow
spireea
Staphylea Trifolia, rattle-box, wood-
bladder nut
Symphoricarpus
berry
Tecoma Radicans, trumpet creeper
Tilia Americana, basswood
Ulmus Fulva, red elm
U. Americana, white elm
U. Racemosus, cork elm, hickory elm
Vibernum Prunifolium, black haw,
arrow wood
V. Lentago, black haw
Vitis Aestivalis, summer grape
V. Cordifolia, frost grape
Zanthoxylum Americanum, prickly
ash
Lindira Benzoin, spice bush
Rubus Strigosus, red raspberry
“ Occidentalis, black raspberry
“ ~ Villosus, blackberry
Robinia Pseudocacia, black locust
buffalo
+
Vulgaris, coral
Our article will particularly treat of the more valuable woods
used in the mechanic arts, and the grasses, plants, vegetables, and
flowers most beneficial to man, and particularly those which are
natives of these counties. The plants are many and rare, some for
beauty and some for medicine. The pinkroot, the columbo, the
ginseng, the boneset, pennyroyal, and others are used as herbs for
medicine. Plants of beauty are phlox, the lily, the asclepias, the
mints, golden rod, the eyebright, gerardia, and hundreds more
which adorn the meadows and brook-sides ; besides are climbing
vines, the trumpet creeper, the bitter sweet, the woodbine, the
clematis and the grape, which fill the woods with gay festoons, and
add grace to many a decayed monarch of the forest. Here are
found the oak, with at least its twenty varieties; the hickory, with
as many more species; the thirty kinds of elm, from the sort
which bear leaves as large as a man’s hand, to the kind which
bear a leaf scarcely larger than a man’s thumb-nail; the black
walnut, so tall and straight and beautiful. is nearly gone; the
hackberry, gum tree, black and sweet, the tulip, the giant cotton-
woods, and hundreds more attest the fertility of the soil and
mildness of the climate. The White Ork is much used in making
furniture and agricultural implements, as are also the Panel Oak,
Burr Oak, and Pin Oak. The Blue Ash is excellent for flooring.
The Honey Locust is a very durable wood, and shrinks less than
any other in seasoning.
In the above list we have given the scientific as well as the
English names, believing such a course best to pursue in the study
of plants, and more beneficial to the student or general reader.
|
There may be some plants omitted, yet we think the list quit
complete.
GRASSES.
In speaking of these we purposely exclude the grain plant:
those grasses which furnish food fur man, and confine ourselves t
those valuable grasses which are adapted to the sustenance of th
inferior animals.
Timothy grass or cat’s tail, natural- Solium Perenne, perennial ray gras
ized Anthoxanthum Odoratum, sweet
Agrastus vulgaris, red top or herbs scented vernal grass
grass Phalaris Arundinacea, reed canar:
Muhlenbergia diffusa, nimble will
Calamagrastis Canadensis, blue joint,
this is a native and grew upon
prairies to the height of a
man’s head on horseback.
Dactylis glomerata, orchard grass
Poa Pretensis, Kentucky blue grass
Poa Compressa, true blue grass
Festuca Elator, meadow fescue
grass
P. Canadensis. canary grass
Paspalum Setaceum,
Panicum Sanguinale, crab-grass
Panicum Glabrum, smooth panicun
Panicum Capillare, Witch grass
Panicum Crus galli barn-yard gras
Setaria Glauca, foxtail
Setaria Viridis, bottle grass
Bromus Leculinus, cheat chess, Setaria Italica, millet
foreign Andropogon Scoparius, broom-bear:
Phragmites Communis, the reed grass
Arundinaria Macrosperma, or cane
8 os
CHAPTER Vit,
PIONEERS AND EARLY SETTLERS.
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE
COUNTIES.
A\ i LE old pioneers are fast sinking to rest after th
6 toils and privations of the border, whither the:
came, buoyed up with hope and nerved witl
vigor, to build for themselves and their love:
ones homes amid this beautiful scenery, whil
yet the whoop of the Indian and the howl o
the wolf resounded on every side, and war’
alarms came nut infrequently, with imperiou
demands for blood and treasure. Here an
there a white-haired veteran, bowed with the weight of years an
the unremitting toil of pioneer life, remains an interesting relic o
fast-fading times. Before all of these old, hardy pioneers, whos
impress was the germ of the present, and whose endowment wa
lofty examples of courage and unabated energy, and who hav
durably stamped their characteristics upon worthy successors—be
fore these have passed away, we seek to place upon the histori
page the record of whom they were, and what they did to mak
their country what it is. The ties of home have, ere now, throw:
around sterile coasts, frozen plains, and mountain cliffs the halo o
the love of a patriotic people.
Is it surprising then that the undulating, flowery prairies ant
open vistas of park-like lawns, which, for extent and natura
beauty, far excel the baronial manors of European aristocracy, an:
watered with running streams and quiet lakes—which beautifu
landscape is embraced within the limits of these counties—shoul
charm the eyes of the first settlers as they emerged from the dark
dense forests of the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, the Old Dx
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 41
minion, and Ohio, and beget in their hearts a love for the surround-
ings of nature that clings to them in their old age, and falls but
little short of reverence when they speak of the old county which
witnessed their first struggles for life and competency? These asso-
ciatious have made it a sacred and hallowed spot.
FIRST SETTLEMENT AND EARLY SETTLERS.
SHELBY COUNTY.
The first permanent settlement made in the county now com-
prised within the limits of Shelby county, was by the Wakefield
family. Charles Wakefield, Sr., wife and family, came into and
settled in what is now Cold Spring township in March, 1818; the
same year io which Illinois was admitted into the Union. Mr.
Wakefield had quite a large family; his three married sons,
Simeon, John, and Enoch, and their families, and Ormsby Van-
winckle, his son-in-law, and family accompanied him, as did also
his youngest son, Charles Wakefield, Jr.; the latter was unmarried
at that time. They came from St. Clair county, IIL, and
were genuine frontiersmen, and were thoroughly conversant with
the habits and peculiarities of the Indians, with whom they were
very friendiy. The Indians were numerous in this locality at that
time. They were a remnant of the Kickapoo tribe; however, most
of them left after the Black-Hawk war, and only returned occa-
sionally in the autumn for a short period of hunting. They were
always kindly treated by the settlers, and they did many little acts
of kindnessin return. The Wakefields—father and sons—were all
noted hunters, and most of their living was gained by the rifle and
other implements of the chase. In the spring of the year they
would plant a small patch of corn, and the balance of the time was
mostly occupied in hunting, fishing, and the sports of the chase.
Charles Wakefield, Sr., settled and built his cabin about three-
quarters of a mile south-east from the Cold Spring, near the present
site of Williamsburg. It was the first house erected in Shelby
county; it was built of rough, unhewn logs, and mud and stick
chimney. By some it has been considered that Simeon Wakefield
was the first settler in Shelby county, but that is uudoubtedly a
mistake; however, very little time elapsed between the coming
of the father and his sons. The Wakefields settled at the Cold
Spring because there they had an abundance of good, pure
water, good soil and plenty of timber, and the surrounding forests
abounded with all kinds of game. Simeon Wakefield settled at the
Cold Spring, and John erected his cabin about three-quarters of a
mile south-west of Simeon’s improvement, and Enoch improved a
place and built a cabin about one mile due west of Cold Spring.
Ormsby Vanwinckle, the son-in-law of Wakefield, located with his
family north-west of the Cold Spring, on a piece of land now known
as the Horsman place. Lemuel Hawkius and family, Arthur
Crocker and family, and the widow Petties and family all settled in
close proximity to the Wakefields, or Cold Spring settlement, in the
year 1818. These families were the first settlers of the county, and
all came up from &t. Clair county, Illinois. Further mention of
them is made in the township history of Cold Spring.
Another early settler was Thomas Pugh, a native of North Caro-
lina, who when quite young moved with his parents to the state of
Kentucky, where he grew up, and married and raised a family. In
the spring of 1819 he moved with his family to and located near the
Cold Spring settlement, not far from the residence of Simeon Wake-
field. The place is now known as the Milligan farm. Mr. Pugh
was a man of considerable force of character, and enterprising to a
high degree. At the time of his arrival here he had a family of
three children, a daughter and two sons. The daughter is now de-
ceased; the sons, John and Robert Pugh, are at present both resi-
6
dents of Tower Hill township. In 1830 Thomas Pugh purchased a
farm one mile north of Shelbyville, and began the improvement of
the same, and lived there until his death, which occurred in 1858 or
1859. It is related by Robert Pugh that, for many -years after
his father came to the county, they could find the horns- of
the elk and buffalo lying in many places on the prairies. Game at
this period was found in abundance, there being plenty of bear,
wolves, panthers, wild cats, deer, wild turkeys, and numerous small
game. Thomas Pugh was quite celebrated as a hunter, and was the
most successful Nimrod of the settlement The nearest mill for the
pioneers was at Greenville, in Bond county. It was a horse-mill,
and occasionally when Mr. Pugh went to mill he would bring home
with him powder and lead, salt and such other things as the In-
dians needed, which he would exchange for bees’ wax, dressed hides,
and other trinkets. Pugh was on very friendly terms with the red
men, and was much loved and respected by them for his honesty.
Robert Pugh says that in the early times bears were very plentiful,
and one could hardly walk into the forests without encountering
bear signs. The bears and wolves destroyed much stock for the
pioneer. The hunter would frequently come across deer that had
been partly eaten by panthers, wild cats, and catamounts; the latter
were very numerous. Mr. Robert Pugh says that he killed twelve
catamounts one winter; and that often large, fat hogs would
come up with several pounds of flesh eaten out of their backs, the
result of attacks by bears. These hogs were in a semi-wild state
and were very vicious, and when in droves would frequently drive
off the bears and other wild animals.
It may be interesting in this connection to mention a little trade
made by Thomas Pugh soon after he came to the settlement. He
gave a cow and calf for a log-cabin, and it was used in common by
the whole neighborhood for miles around; to use Mr. Robert Pugh’s
language, the chain was ‘‘ kept hot.” Implements of all kinds were
very scarce among the early settlers, especially those made of iron.
Another pioneer of Shelby county was Asa Ledbetter, who came
here with his family about the year 1822; he had formerly lived in
the southern part of the state. He was a man of considerable en-
terprise, and built a water-mill on the Okaw river above Shelby-
ville, at a place since known as the Francisco Mill site. Ledbet-
ter’s mill only stood a short time ; it was washed away by the high
water of 1828, and, sad to relate, Ledbetter lost his life at the same
time. He was desirous of saving his mill by weighting it down with
rock which he brought across the river in a canoe, and in making
the last passage the boat sunk. Ledbetter was a poor swimmer ;
he however succeeded in getting on a drift-log, but the weather was
very cold, and before he received assistance he became so chilled
that he fell into the water; the body was, however, soon recovered,
but life was extinct. Ledbetter left a wife and family.
Jenathan C. Corley, a Virginian by birth, emigrated with his
parents to Kentucky in 1808, where he lived until 1823, in which
year he came to Shelby county, and settled on Robinson’s creek ;
he continued to reside in this county until his death, which occurred
in 1860. He was by trade a blacksmith, and is said to have been
the first blacksmith in the county; he was also a farmer. Mr.
Corley raised a family of thirteen children. He was also for many
years a justice of the peace, and figured quite prominently in the
early annals of the county.
Levi Casey settled on Robinson’s creek in March, 1824. He
was a native of South Carolina. When he settled here, he had a
family of six children; three of the six now live in Shelbyville—
John Casey and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Tolly; Nancy, now Mrs.
Howse. Mr. Casey improved a farm on which he first settled,
where he lived until his death in 1855. He was twice married,
42 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
and had four children born in Shelby county. Mr. Casey was one
of the early county commissioners and a man of good judgment and
integrity.
In the fall of 1825, Samuel Little, a native of Illinois, born on
the frontier in the southern part of the state, built a cabin in the
west part of Ash Grove township. In the spring following, his
brother John and his brother-in-law, Robert Duncan, came and
built cabins near by. They were regular frontier-men, and delighted
to hunt and have sport with the neighboring Indians. When the
Indians left the state, the Littles moved to Texas. Duncan re-
mained in this state, and died in Bond county, where he accumu-
lated considerable property.
David Elliott was perhaps the first settler on Richland creek.
He located in what is now Richland township in the spring of 1826.
In early days he had a horse-mill aud still-house, which he carried
on quite profitably fur several years. His brother, Jacob Elliott,
moved into the settlement in the fall of 1826. He subsequently
moved into what is now Holland township. He has lived in the
county for fifty-four years, and is a hale and hearty old man, full
of life and vigor.
Another early settler was William Weeger. who made a settle-
ment on Richland Creek in the spring of 1826. He was one of the
early county commissioners. His eldest son, John Weeger, settled
here at the same time. His wife Anna bore him twins July 4th,
1826. Their names were Julia Ann and Jane. The neighboring
Indians made for them a double papoose cradle, which is still re-
tained in the family, and is regarded as a unique and curious article
of furniture.
Other pioneers in the neighborhood of Big Springs were Samuel
Weatherspoon, Bazel Daniel, William Daniel, and B. Fancher, with
their families, who settled there in 1826. In the fall of 1826 John
Cochran, with his three sons-in-law, John, Daniel, and William
Price, settled in what is now called Cochran’s Grove. Mr. Cochran
raised a family of five children. His youngest son James, who was
thirteen years of age when they came to this county, is the only
member of the family now living, and one of the oldest citizens
now residing in the county. Other pioneers of Ash Grove township
were John Frazer, Robert Templeton, Joseph Dixon, Robert Ran-
kin, Daniel Green, John Bolin and John Storm.
In this connection we must not fail to mention the Renshaw
family. John and James Renshaw were both enterprising men.
They settled on Richland creek in 1826. However, the year be-
fore, in 1825, they came up to Shelby county with a drove of hogs,
which they had driven up from White Co., Ill., where they were
then residing ; they were so pleased with the country, that on their
return home, they sold out their possessions, and the following
year settled in the county as above stated. James Renshaw after-
ward lived for a time in Shelbyville, and subsequently moved to
Decatur. John still lives near where he first settled, and is one
among the few pioneers left in the county. They are both men of
integrity and enterprise.
Among the old settlers of Shelby county was Barnett Bone. He
was a native of Tennessee, and came to Illinois in the year 1825.
He settled on the banks of the Okaw, about two miles south of
where the city of Shelbyville now stands. Here he built a sub-
stantial log-house, where he lived for several years. He was a
public-spirited man, and took a lively interest in county matters and
the development of the country. The first county commissioner’s
court was held at his house above mentioned. He was a consistent
and prominent member of the Methodist Church, and was known
far and wide for his hospitality and kindness to his fellow-man.
He was twice married, and lived to a ripe old age. He died in
this county, respected by all who knew him for his many good
qualities.
Elias Miller, one of the pioneers of this county, was a native of
Virginia, and came to Shelby county before it was organized. He
lived for some time with another old settler, Barnett Bone. He
was a widuwer when he came to the county, and for some years was
engaged in teaching school. At that time he was cunsidered one
of the first in his calling. He afterward married again, and lived
fur several years in Shelbyville. His decease is the sad portion of
this biography. It was some time in the year. 1837 he concluded
he would go down to Dry Point township to visit his friends. The
day was fearfully cold, he lost his way in the timber, and was com-
pelled to lie out all night, and death resulted from exposure to
the cold. Two of his children are stil] living: Mrs. Crockett
in Christian county, and R. B. Miller, of Stewardson, Shelby county.
FIRST MARRIAGES
solemnized in Shelby county, 1827, after the county was organized:
May 2d, John Cochran to Sally Bateman; Oct. 4th, John Hall to
Eliza Cawly; Oct. 4th, Jeremiah Provott to Lidy Willborn; Nov.
7th, Thomas Duty to Sally Rian; Nov. 8th, Henry Smith to Sally
Willbern ; Dec. 2d, John May to Rachel Rooks; Dec. 19th, Thos.
Cole to Louis Hawks; Dec. 19th, Andrew Cronk to Judy Lee
Bone; Dec. 22d, Thomas Ward to Elizabeth Wedick.
There were many other marriages that took place in the county
prior to the above; and they receive mention in the pioneer chap-
ter and the several township histories; but believing that it will be
of interest to our readers to know the names of the parties who
were married and received license the first year after the county
was organized, we therefore make the list a part of this chapter.
Probably no name is so familiar to the early residents of Shelby
county as that of Joseph Oliver, who was a native of the Old Do-
minion, and was born on Christmas day, December 25,1794. He
is descended from a long line of English ancestry, and his fore-
fathers were among the earliest to brave the perils and hardships
incident to the early settlements of the colony of Virginia. His
father, William Oliver, was a captain of a company of volunteers
in the Revolutionary war, and participated in many of the cam-
paigns and battles of that eventful struggle. The war over, he
returned to the bosom of his family. He was the father of twelve
children, three of whom were soldiers in the war of 1812: John,
Richard, and Joseph. John and Richard, being the eldest, were
the first to enlist, and Joseph, in making a trip to Norfolk, Vir-
ginia, with a drove of enttle, there met his two brothers, who per-
suaded him to enlist (although not of age, his father had given him
permission to enlist if he wished to do so). He enlisted in the
cavalry arm of the service, and furnished his own horse, saddle,
bridle and blanket. The government furnished him the other im-
plements of warfare. Captain Sanford was the commander of the
company of which young Oliver was a member. He remained in
the service until peace was declared, and soon after started on a
pilgrimage for the then western wilds. Arriving at Kaskaskia, he
began the life of a peddler, and with a horse and wagon traveled
over much of southern Illinois. He purchased his goods at Kas-
kaskia, and would make frequent trips to the surrounding country,
and generally with considerable profit to himself. He continued
in this business until the summer after the capital was changed to
Vandalia. He then settled in Fayette county, and was elected the
first Sheriff of that county, an office he held until the county of
Shelby was organized. He then resigned his position in Fayette
county to accept the clerkship of Shelby county. It was in the
spring of 1827 that he came to this county, and he was soon after
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES. ILLINOIS. 43
qualified to fill the offices of county and circuit clerk, recorder
and judge of probate. Mr. Oliver bought a “ squatter’s”” improve-
ment of Josiah Daniel, near the Shelbyville spring, which consisted
of a small cabin and a few acres of cleared land. He built an
addition of one room, and here opened up county business. The
offices were kept here until the county erected their first court-
house, a log structure. His office fees at that time were not suffi-
cient to support himself and family. He therefore opened a sub-
scription school, which he taught, using the court-house for a school-
room, and at the same time attending to his duties as a county
official. Mr. Oliver was also the first postmaster in Shelby county.
The post-office was also kept in the court-house; but as the mail
was limited to letters only, he often carried the letters in his hat,
and would hand them to whom addressed on meeting them in the
little village. By the present generation that would be regarded
as rather a primitive style of distributing the mails. Mr. Oliver
also was the first merchant in the county in the early days, deriving
his principal trade from the Indians, of whom he would buy skins,
bees-wax, etc., and give them powder, lead, tobacco, groceries,
goods, and other things, in exchange. In his domestic relations
Mr. Oliver was happily situated While a young man, he was
united in marriage to Miss Eliza Barthrick, a Virginian by birth,
and daughter of Daniel Barthrick, an early settler in Fayette
county, Ill. Mr.and Mrs. Oliver had three children born to them:
Benjamin, Mary Jane and Eliza. Mary Jane Oliver was the first
white child born in the present limits of Shelbyville. Her birth
occurred Feb. 3d, 1828. Mrs. Oliver died April 13th, 1834, and
on the 81st of December, 1835, Mr. Oliver married Miss Sally
Fearman, a native of Kentucky. They had three children, Wil-
liam, Margery A., and Joseph. Mrs. Oliver, at this writing, has
been dead about six years. Uncle Joseph Oliver is still a resident
of Shelbyville, and at the advanced age of eighty-six years is
quite feeble in health, but still able to walk out. Wonderful
indeed have been the changes which he has witnessed in the last
half century, having been a resident of Shelby county for fifty-four
years. Her growth and development he has watched with the
greatest interest. But a few years of earth is left for this venerable
gray-haired veteran, before he shall be numbered among those of
the past. It is pleasing and gratifying to his friends to know that
he has lived a most honorable and upright life—a life which has
shed honors upon himself and the generation in which he lived.
And now in his green old age he is loved and respected by all for
his integrity and purity of life.
One of the oldest pioneers of Shelby county, as well as of the
State of Illinois, is Uncle Johnny Rose. He was born in Livings-
ton county, Kentucky, in the year 1806. His father, with his
family, moved to Pope county, Illinois, the September following his
birth. Here he grew to manhood, and in the year 1827 he
came north and located on Sand Creek, Windsor township, Shelby
county. His brother William came with him, and together they
located a farm and built a small log cabin upon it. Through his
indomitable industry he has amassed a competency in his old age.
In 1867 he moved to Sullivan, where he now resides. He was
married to Miss Matilda McDaniel, October 21,1829. By this
union there were five sons and four daughters. In 1862 Mrs. Rose
died, and was buried in the Grider cemetery, Shelby county. His
second wife was Mrs. Mary Jane Lilly, who is still living. No
children have been born from this union. Uncle Johnny is not
only one of the oldest, but one of the best citizens. He has raised
an excellent family, all of whom stand high in the estimation of
their fellow-men.
Prominent among the pioneers to this county from North Caro-
lina was Benjamin Walden. He was a native of the above State,
and soon after his marriage emigrated to the State of Tenne-see,
where he continued to live until part of his family were grown.
He then sold out his possessions, and gathered together his worldly
wealth, and with his wife and children came to Illinois, and settled
in the southern part of the State, where he lived several years,
and in 1827 he came to Shelby county, soon after its organization,
and located on a tract of land now comprised within Richland
township. His eldest son, Hugh Walden, was a man of family at
that time, and came and settled near his father the same year.
Benjamin Walden raised a family of ten children who grew to
manhood and womanhvod. Only three are now living. Their
names are as follows:—Benjamin, John, and Mrs. W. F. Hilsa-
beck.
Benjamin Moberly, another well-known “ old settler,” was born
in Madison county, Kentucky, in the year 1799. His father, Isaac
Moberly, moved to the southern part of Illinois in 1812, where they
lived a number of years in a Fort in what is now Franklin county.
He was quite a noted Indian hunter, and was also an adept in pro-
curing all kinds of game. It is said that with his rifle he could
strike the eye uf a deer at the distance of a hundred and fifty
yards. He was one of the best rifle shots in all that section of
country, and was a man noted for his bravery and agility. In the
early part of the year 1827 Benjamin Moberly moved north and
made a settlement on Sand Creek, in Shelby county, where he
afterwards improved a large farm. He now lives in Windsor, and
is a hale and hearty old gentleman, and delights to talk about the
early times.
Jacob Cutler and son, John C., came to Shelbyville in the fall of
1827. They opened a small store, and brought the second stock of
goods to the county. Jacob Cutler sold goods here until 1833,
when he moved to Fort Madison, Iowa, and was one of the first
merchants in that place. He resided there until his death. John
Cutler is still a resident of Shelbyville.
John Frazer, who was for many years a prominent man in the
eastern part of the county, settled in what is now Ash Grove town-
ship in 1828. He was a native of North Carolina, but moved to
Kentucky with his parents when a youth, and came here from the
latter State at the time indicated above. Mr. Frazer and wife
raised a family of eight children, and he continued to reside in
this township until his death, which took place in the spring. of
1855.
CAMP MEETINGS IN EARLY TIMES.
The first camp meeting held in Shelby county was near the cabin
of Thomas Robinson, on Robinson’s Creek, in 1828 or ’29. This
meeting was held by the Methodist denomination during the month
of August, and the weather was very warm and sultry. Jonathan
Howard's wife was at the altar (which was a round pole laid on two
logs). Howard thought the place too warm for her, and he made
an attempt to take her out and away from the altar, so she could
“cool off,’ as he expressed it, when the preachers (four in num-
ber) objected, saying they would attend to her bodily welfare as
well as her spiritual. This Howard could not stand, and he be-
came boisterous, divested himself of part of his clothing, walked
into the surging and sweating crowd, took his wife by the hand
and “led her out.” Coats flew off in an instant; loud talking and
angry imprecations were indulged in, and for a few minutes it
looked as though a fight was imminent. Robinson took Howard’s
part. Men seized hold of clubs, and the preachers of that early
day could handle a club with a great deal of grace, and they were
not easily seared. The meeting soon became one of confusion, and
very near a riot, in consequence of which the meeting was broken
44 HISTORY OF SHELLY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
up, as the preachers had their friends, as well as Howard aud his
crowd, and both seemed willing to show the power of muscle. We
simply mention the above circumstance of the pioneer era in order
to exhibit the customs and peculiarities of that period. The above
incident was narrated to the writer by a participant of that to him
pleasing occasion.
One of the early settlers of Shelby county was John Tackett, a
native of Virginia. He emigrated to Kentucky, where he lived
several years. In the fall of 1829 he moved with his family, which
consisted of a wife and two children to Shelby county, Llinois.
Here one child was born to them. Mrs. Tackett died soon after-
ward. Some time after a second marriage was consumated, and
from this union two children were born. Soon after the arrival of
Mr. Tackett in Shelbyville, he bought the hotel built by Thomas
Lee. He continued in the hotel business for seven or eight years,
when he embarked in the mercantile business with Dr. Headen,
which occupation he followed for several years. Becoming tired of
this pursuit, he again fell back to his old business, that of a land-
lord. He died in Shelbyville in 185). Three of the family are
still living in the above city, namely, William J., John A., and
Mrs. Edward Hopkins.
Bushrod Washington Henry was born in Culpepper county, Vir-
ginia, February 4,1805. In the fall of 1830 he came to Shelby
from Rutherford county, Tennessee, where he had lived about three
years. He was one of the pioneer preachers of the county, and
from the consistency of his daily walk as compared with his creed
and faith, he became one of the most popular advoca es of Chris-
tianity in this region of country. He was an untiring worker, and
in 1832 had succeeded in establishing a church with a large mem-
bership in Shelbyville. It was denominated the First Baptist
Church of Christ of Shelbyville. He was three times married, and
at his death his descendants numbered fifty persons—children,
grand-children, and great-grand-children. He died the 20th day
of August, 1879, and will ever be remembered by the people of
Shelby county as one whose virtues and walk in life would benefit
the world were they imitated.
The snbject of this sketch, Gen. William F. Thornton, was not
only one of the prominent men of Shelby county, but of the State
of Illinois. Although not one of the pioneers of the State, he be-
came an early settler, and figures largely in the rise and progress
of the State. He was for years a member of the Legislature, and
was also a man of education and broad culture. As an advocate
and public speaker he ranked among the first in the State. His
patrivtism is beyond question, as the records at Washington will
show that he commanded a company of soldiers in the war of 1812.
His broad mind and excellent business capacity brought him in
contact with the first talent of the State. He was one of the three
cominissioners appointed by Goy. Duncan, in 1836, for the purpose
of constructing the Illinois and Michigan canal. Subsequently he
proved an important auxiliary in the negotiating of bonds in the
European market for the above object. In 1840 he was deputed to
go to London with the bonds, where he effected the sale of $1,000,-
000 at 85 cents on the dollar, which was ten per cent. better than
his instructions. Later in life he became a prominent banker in
Shelbyville, and was one of the moneyed kings of central Illinois,
He died a few years since with a name placed alongside of the
prominent and active men of the West.
THE FIRST GERMAN FAMILY IN SHELBY COUNTY.
John P. Freyburger was a native of Bavaria, Germany. He
emigrated to America with his family in 1831. On his way from
New York to Ohio he was taken with the cholera, and on his arri-
val at Actna, Ohio, he died. The family lived in the State until 1835,
when they moved to Shelby county, Hlinois. With a family of four
children in a new country, and among strangers, it took all a
mother’s tact to bring up her little family and make them useful
members of society. ‘They settled in Okaw township, where her
son, Michael Freyburger, now lives. The mother died in 1870, at
the age of 78. Three of her children yet reside in Shelby county,
and one in the State of Arkansas. It was the mother’s intention,
when she moved to Illinois; to settle at Peoria, but when near
Shelbyville one of their horses gave out, and hence they were de-
tained a few days in this vicinity. In the meantime they found
warm friends among the settlers, and were persuaded to remain in
their midst, where they yet reside honored and respected citizens.*
“THE DEEP SNOW.”
One of the important epochs in the early history of this part of
Tllinois was what is familiarly known as the “deep snow,” which
occurred in the winter of 1830-31. Indeed, it prevailed throughout
the western states and territories On account of the meager pre-
paration for so severe a visitation, the early settlers suffered many
hardships. It is difficult for those of to-day to comprehend the
sufferings of cold and hunger that those sturdy pioneers underwent.
The snow commenced falling as early as the first of December, and
continued almost without abatement throughout the winter. The
measurement in the timber was from four to five feet deep.
The stumps standing, where trees had been cut for fire-wood, after
the snow had passed away, had the appearance of having been
felled by giants, as some of them measured from six to seven feet
in height. The roads were completely blockaded, the fences were
wholly under the snow. so that the people passed with their teams
over them from one settlement to another. For weeks the settlers
were virtually buried in their cabins, and only went forth, as food
and fuel demanded, from dire necessity. A large portion of the
stock perished from cold and starvation. The wild game, such as
deer, prairie chickens, quail, etc., was found in immense numbers,
frozen in their tracks.
THE “SUDDEN FREEZE.”
This occurred in January, 1836. It was one of those sudden
changes, a regular ‘‘ Manitoba Wave,” that only occurs once in
several decades. Up to noon, of the day of this phenomenon, it
was rather warm than otherwise; in fact, it had been raining some.
Soon after mid-day the storm broke forth, when every puff of wind
seemed to be borne from the point of an icicle.
into the air came to the ground a sheet of ice. Ponds and streams
were almost immediately locked in ice. Some old settlers say that
the frogs had not time to pull their heads below. One tells us, that
in passing over a pond, a day or so afterwards, he kicked off, by ac-
tual measurement, the heads ofa bushel and a half of frogs. This,
however, we cannot vouch for ; it seems a little overdrawn,
‘hus we close the history of the long-to-be-remembered, sturdy
pioneers of Shelby county, and turn to open the pages of her pros-
perous offspring of Moultrie.
Boiling water cast
MOULTRIE COUNTY.
The county of Moultrie, as stated elsewhere, is an offspring of
Macon and Shelby counties.
It was not until eight years had elapsed from the time when II-
linois was admitted into the Union as a state, that the first white
* There are many other old settlers who are spoken of in the histo-
ries of the respective townships, where they located, and hence are not men-
tioned in this chapter.
AISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 45
man erected his cabin of rough, unhewn logs within the present
boundaries of Moultrie county. Owing to this fact, there is but
little genuine pioneer history. Llowever, we seek to place upon the
historic page the names of the first settlers, and what they did to
make their county the just pride of the grcat Prairie State of the
American Union. ‘Those early settlers were of one origin, language,
religion, with political and patriotic sentiments identical with a
common history and the same traditions. They were of the intel-
ligent working class, having community of purpose, which they
pursued by the same methods and in the same field, with results
not widely dissimilar. The journey, arrival, fortune, and career of
almost any one of these resolute, vigorous, thrifty families was the
counterpart of the history of all the others. Hence to avoid repe-
tition in this chapter, we will simply follow up the arrivals as
nearly as possible, of the early families who settled here, knowing
that the privations and hardships, incidents and anecdotes related
in the foregoing, are about the same as experienced by the first
settlers in this county.
SETTLEMENTS,
The honor of first settling in the territory comprising Moultrie
county, belongs to John Whitley. He with his wife and sons
John, Sharp, Mills, Randall, William, Josiah, his son-in-law Samuel
Linley, and two or three daughters, settled in Section 12, T. 12,
R. 6, at the point of timber which has ever since been known as
Whitley’s Point, in the fall of 1826. ‘This farm is now owned by
J.M. Edmonds. Here he erected the first cabin and broke the
first prairie in what is now Mouitrie county. All his sons but
Josiah were married, and some had children, when they came and
settled in the same vicinity, as did also the son-in-law, Samuel
Linley. William Price, a single man, came a short time after
their arrival and married one of Whitley’s daughters, and located
near the old gentleman. The senior Whitley was a native of
Maryland, and it is thought came from Kentucky here. He and
all his sons were very fond of sport, great horsemen, and always
kept a number of fine thoroughbred Kentucky race horses. They
would frequently ride some distance to settlements and race for
money ; in fact, gambling in general seemed to be their chief occu-
pation. The sons were all large, athletic men, and inclined to fight
at the slightest provocation. It is said that they and some of the
Waggoner’s had an interesting combat at one time. Mills and
Sharp Whitley and Samuel Linley emigrated to Texas about 1836
or ’37, and John, Randall, and William died several years ago in
Missouri, whence they had moved. Josiah, the last known of, was
living in Bond county, this state. The elder Whitley moved up
the Okaw river, in Coles county, about 1838, where he died a few
years later, and his wife soon followed him in death. Although
none of their descendants live in the county, the name of Whitley,
united as it isto township and stream, resists decay. Hal Mc-
Daniel, a native of Tennessee, who either came with the Whitley’s
or about the same time, squatted a mile west of them on Whitley
creek. He had a wife and four or five children, but remained
here only a short time.
The next settlement was made on the place now owned by Caleb
Evans, in Section 1, T.12. R. 5, in the extreme southern part of the
county, by two brothers, Samuel and Jonathan Anderson. They
left here about 1834. The next arrival was of a different class.
They were permanent settlers, and to-day their descendants are as
numerous in this locality as any family that eversettled here. We
will mention the Waggoners’. They settled in the Whitley settle-
ment late in the month of March, 1828. Grandfather Isaac Wag-
goner was a native of South Carolina, where he grew to manhood,
and where he enlisted in the Revolutionary war, and after serv-
ing three years returned to his native state,and married Emsey
Holeyfield, by whom he had a family of thirteen children, all born
and reared in the Carolinas. Mr. Waggoner moved into North
Carolina a few years after his marriage, where he lived until he
emigrated to Illinois. There came with him his wife, four sons—
George, Amos, Elisha, Gilbert and Emsey, the youngest daughter,
Mary and her husband, Noah Webb, and one child. George also
brought with him his wife and four children, viz. : Alvin, Robert,
Celia, and Sally. Amos, Elisha, and Gilbert each brought wives
but had no children when they came. They left Rutherford
county, North Carolina, their home, in the latter part of Novem-
ber, 1827, in two covered wagons ; one drawn with four horses and
the other with a two-horse team, and came as far as Tennessee,
where they stopped a few weeks for rest, and then continued their
journey through Kentucky, and up into Illinois, reaching Section 7,
of what is now Whitley township, in the latter part of March,
1828, where they immediately constructed cabins of the usual
pioneer description, and made preparations for a crop of corn the
coming season. The prairie was broken for them with ox teams
by Samuel Linley. This was on the place now occupied by
T, Leggett, near the Whitefield Church. In the fall of the same
year (1828), John, his oldest son, Isaac, Jr., the next oldest, and
Harmon Smith came with their families John had a wife and
nine children, and settled on Section 12, on the place where David
Pierce now resides. Of his children only two are now living:
Sally, the widow of David Harrison, and Nancy, the wife of A: H.
Edwards. John Waggoner died about 1844, and his widow sur-
vived until 1849. His sons who have left descendants here are
William and Edward. William married Nancy Walker, and
several of their children are living here. Elder John G. Wag-
goner, a Christian minister residing at Shelbyville, is a son of Ed-
ward and grandson of Isaac Waggoner. Isaac Waggoner, Jr.,
had a large family, some of whom have died, others moved away,
and at present none are living in this state. He died in the fall of
1853, and was buried in the Linn creek grave-yard.
George, the third son of Grandfather Isaac Waggoner, married
in North Carolina, Bethany Haney, and raised a family of twelve
children, all living, and all but one—Isaiah—are residing in this
county. The others are: Alvin, the oldest son, married Mary Ar-
mantrout, and is residing on Section 11 in Whitley township. He
has a family of six children, all married, and have families. Alvin
served several terms in the county court. Robert, William, Isaac,
Hezekiah, and Ira also have families, and live in the same neigh-
borhood. Five daughters, Elizabeth, the wife of John Dougherty,
and Hannah, the wife of Thomas Dougherty, residing in the north-
ern part of the county, and Sally, Celia, and Narcissa, maiden
ladies, are living on the old homestead in Section 11.
Amos, the tifth son, married Narcissa Jay, in North Carolina,
by whom he had a large family, five of whom are living, viz.:
the widow Scott, residing in Sullivan; Dr. E. E., at Shelbyville;
Joseph H., ex-Circuit Clerk of Moultrie county (served sixteen
consecutive years); Mary Ann, the wife of Charles Carter, resid-
ing in Decatur, and Francis M., a farmer in Sullivan township.
Amos died about 1854 or ’55, and his widow still survives (Dec.
10, 1880), at the age of seventy-six years.
Elisha Waggoner died about 1858, and his widow and family
moved to Missouri. Gilbert is the only survivor of the old stock.
He and his wife Patsey Bailey are both living on their farm in
Whitley, he at the age of seventy-three and she in her seventieth
year. Their children living are Emsey, Elizabeth, John, Andrew J.,
Martin V., and George, all having families.
46 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
There were large quantities of game here, for a number of years
after the first settlements were made. Uncle Gilbert Waggoner, in
his younger days was quite a noted hunter, and very fond of the
chase. It was not uncommon to see herds of deer, numbering
from thirty to fifty, and so tame that they could trequently be shot
from the cabin door. Harmon Smith. a native of North Carolina,
settled on the Whitley Creek in 1828. He had a large family,
and some are still living here.
In November of the same year, ‘1828, Andrew Bone and Elias
Kennedy made the first settlements in the eastern part of the
county. They and their families came from Tennessee together.
Andrew Bone was a native of North Carolina He settled on the
farm now owned by W. F. Vaughan, where he built the first cabin
and made the first improvements in this part of the county. He
had a family of seven children, only three of whom are now liy-
ing, viz.: Joseph M.,a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, now
residing in Kansas; Narcissa J., the widow of J. S. Freeland, liv-
ing in Bethany; Mary, the wife of James A. Vaughan, in Sec-
tion 11 of Marrowbone township. Those dead are Thomas, whose
wife still survives, John C., James M., and Leander. All the mem-
bers of the family were married and had families, many of whose
descendants are living in this county. Andrew Bone, died a few
years after settling here. Elias Kennedy was a Tennesseean, born
in the year 1800. He married Isabelle Dobbins, by whom he had
eleven children, four of whom are. now living—Alexander, James
C., David F., Finis E.; the latter living in Kansas. He settled
and built his first cabin in the edge of timber on Section 35 of that
township. Kennedy made several moves, however not out of the
county, until 1865, when he went to Kansas, where he died in
1871.
Jacob McCune, was a native of New York, born in 1794. He
was one of the patriots in the war of 1812, and in an engagement
in Canada between the British and Gen. Harrison’s army, he re-
ceived a severe wound in the thigh ; he was also at the siege of Fort
Meigs. He lived in Ohio for several years where he married his
first wife, Miss Smith, and from this union seven children were born.
He afterwards moved with his family to Indiana, and thence to
Illinois in 1827. He first settled at Jimtown, now Riverton, a few
miles east of Springfield. In the fall of 1828, he, in company with
his two oldest sons, Samuel and Abraham, and their families moved
to this county. Their first halting-place was at what is known as
the Big Elm, on Marrowbone Creek. Here they built a camp-fire
in a fallen tree-top, turned their team out to graze,and Mr Mc-
Cune started south in search of a settlement. He had only crossed
Wilborn Creek when he discovered signs of domestic swine ; and
on looking a little to his right, he saw at a short distance, on a
slight prominence, a small cabin. Upon approaching it, what was
his surprise to see a large black dog which he recognized as belong-
ing to John Wilborn, having lived near the Wilborns in Indiana.
He was, of course, received very cordially by his old friend, and
after a short consideration he concluded to stop at that point, but he
only remained there for a short time, when he moved into what is
now Sullivan township. Mr. McCune was a man well-known by all
the early settlers, and admired for his humanity to man. He lived
to a good old age, and his remains rest in the Camfield Cemetery.
His last wife survives him, and lives with her son-in-law, Finley
Jeffries.
As early as 1829, alone cabin might have been seen standing in
the edge of the timber of the West Okaw, in Lovington township.
The occupant was John Davidson, one of the first settlers. This
virtually founded the settlement now known as String Town. In
the same year, William Martin and James Cunningham also settled
_ with his sons, James and John G.
in the same neighborhood. Several of their descendants still live
there.
One of the first settlers of Whitley Creek township was Mr.
Wright Little. He located there in 1829, near Isaac Waggoner’s,
and lived there until his death. The only survivors of this pioneer
are William H. Waggoner’s wife, and Robert Little. The latter is
now a resident of Shelby county.
Jerre Provolt, a son-in law of John Wilborn, built the first cabin
and made the first settlement on Jonathan Creek as early as 1829.
John Gordon also settled the same year a little east of Provolt, on
the place now owned by James Bolin. They remained there only
a few months, when Provolt sold bis claim to Benjamin Dabney,
and Gordon sold out to Charles Haffinan, Dabney’s brother-in-law.
Robert Holmes, Evan Waller, Archibald Standerfer, John Drew,
Robert and Hamilton Bonham, William Lilly, John Hendricks,
John and Jacob Seass, Thomas Fulton, the Underwood’s, Frank
Taylor, Andrew Mark and the Fleming’s were also early settlers
on Jonathan Creek.
Early in 1830, Joel and Peter Freeman came with their families.
They were brothers, and located in the eastern part of the county,
on what is now kuown as Coons Creek. They were natives of
North Carolina. Joel Freeman brought with him quite a family.
His son, Calvin, married a daughter of Mr. Selby, an old settler of
Moultrie county, and is now a resident of Lovington township ;
another son, Banjamin, wedded Polly Aun Bonham; the daughter,
Catherine, is the wife of Thomas Dunn. Thomas, William and
Joel, Jr., his sons, are all deceased, but some of their descendants are
yet living in the county. Joel Freeman, Sr., died several years ago.
Peter only remained here about two years and removed to Missouri.
The Purvis family are well-known early settlers of this county.
James and John Purvis, brothers, located in what is now East Nel-
son, April Ist, 1830, and erected a small cabin on Section 7, where
George Purvis still resides They broke the first prairie in that
township. In the month following, their father, John Purvis, his
wife and Malinda, their daughter, came from Sangamon county,
Illinois, and moved into the cabin with his sons, where they all
lived together fur a year; soon after which the elder Purvis moved
to the Mill seat, at the bend of the Okaw river, and made his home
John Purvis the elder, was a
soldier in the war of 1812: he died in this county in 1833. Sarah,
his wife, survived him several years. James Purvis married
Mahala Jones By that union were born two children. James died
about the year 1836. His widow subsequently married and moved to
California, George Purvis married Cassa Waller, by whom he had
four children, three of whom are residents of this county. His
wife died, and he afterwards married Mahala Poor. He has held
several township offices, and is still living on the place where he
settled in 1830. Thomas, a brother of George Purvis, is dead, but
some of his children are yet living in the county. Isaac Purvis
with his family, settled here in 1831; he and his wife are both de-
eensed ; William lives on the same place where he first settled in
1837. He has raised a large family of children, and has held many
offices of trust, and was always an active and enterprising citizen of
the county. John G. moved to Missouri; Elizabeth married John
Bracken, who came here in 1832, and died making an over-land
trip to California. Mahala Purvis married Jeremiah Standerfer,
and is now living in Jonathan Creek township.
Richard Thomason was a native of Virginia, and was born Aug.
17, 1770. When a mere boy, his parents emigrated to North
Carolina, where, in after years, he married his first wife, Ellen Lee.
A large family was the result of this union. He subsequently
moved to Stuart county, Tennessee, where his first wife died. He
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 47
again married a lady by the name of Klizabeth Howell, and in 1814
came to Illinois, settling in Clinton county; but afterwards moved
to Fayette, and subsequently to Shelby county. In March, 1850,
he moved over into what is now Moultrie, settling in the northern
part of Sullivan township. His descendants figure prominently in
the history of this county. Judge Arnold Thomason is still living
on his farm near the village of Lovington. He has represented the
county in the State Legislature, and filled many important county
offices from its infancy to the present time. Uncle Joe Thomason
has also figured largely in the politics of the county, and has
always been one of the most willing and obliging officials. Nota
more hospitable and humane man ever lived than Uncle Joe. He
is now residing in Sullivan. Asa H., William, John C. and George
are now deceased. Milbra, wife of Robert H. Sharp, is still living
a few miles north-west of Sullivan.
One of the prominent settlers of Moultrie county, was John Cook,
Sy. He was a native of Rhode Island, and afterwards emigrated to
Indiana In 1830, he moved to Illinois, and settled on the south-
east corner of Section 8, Marrowbone township. He built a small
water-mill on the West Okaw, where it proved a great convenience
to the early settlers. His widow is still living.
Thomas D. Lansden located on a place west of Bethany, known
as the Evans’ farm. He was a native of North Carolina, and
moved to Tennessee when he was quite a young man, where he
married Peggie McClin. In the year 1830, he moved with his
family to what is now Moultrie county, where he resided until his
death, which occurred in 1838. He was a blacksmith by trade,
and built the first blacksmith shop in that part of the country. He
was one of the patriots of 1812, and was with Jackson behind the
cotton bales at New Orleans.
In October, 1830, John Warren, a native of Tennessee, came to
Moultrie, and settled on what is now the western border of the
county. In his early manhood he married Miss Sarah Jennings.
They had a large family of boys and one daughter, several of whom
are still living. Daniel P. and Jesse A. are still residing near the
old homestead. Samuel and Elisha are living in the State of Kan-
sas, and John in Sangamon county, Illinois.
Jesse A. Walker was a native of North Carolina, and in later
years moved to Kentucky. He came to Illinois in the fall of 1830,
and settled on Brush Creek. He had a family of eight children,
two of whom are still living in the county.
One of the sturdy settlers of 1830 was James Fruit. He was a
native of Kentucky, and settled in Marrowbone township, in the
year above written. A large family grew up around him, several
of whom are yet living. Mr. Fruit was a well read man, and at
one time practiced medicine in his neighborhood. He was twice
married, and died near Bethany in 1845.
William Ward, one of the pioneers, came to this county in 1830,
and settled near Welborn Creek. He raised a large family of
children that are now somewhat scattered. James O., A. L. and
Frank are still living in Moultrie county, well-known and good
citizens. The father died in 1838.
Larkin Beck, a native of Kentucky, settled on Section 28, Mai-
rowbone township. He built a cabin, and began the improvement
of the farm now owned by E. A. Walker.
William Walker, an old-timer, came to Whitley township in
1830. He was a son-in-law of Isaac Waggoner, and settled on what
is now the J. H. McCormic farm. His son, Isaac Walker, had the
honor of being elected the first sheriff of Moultrie county.
Uncle Jimmy Camfield was a native of Kentucky, came to this
county in 1830, and located about three miles south-west of Sullivan.
He raised quite a large family, and proved one of the solid men of
the country. Everybody in the county knows Jimmy Camfield.
He died only a few years since, leaving quite a fortune to his
descendants.
Two brothers, natives of Kentucky, John W. and Gideon Ed-
wards, in company with two other Kentuckians, [sham and Jedu-
thun Hardy, settled in Whitley township in 1830, and, historically,
stand prominent among the early settlers. John W. Edwards,
especially among the above mentioned, raised a large family, several
of whom, and their descendants, are still living in the county.
The Smyser family emigrated to this county in the fall of 1831.
Samuel Smyser was a native of Kentucky, and was one of the first
to aid in developing the county. He had a family of six children,
viz.: Alfred N., William, Martha, Elizabeth, John J. and Hugh F.
He died in 1866, and left a good property to his children, which
had been acquired by his energy and frugality. Several members
of his family have figured so prominently in the history of the
county, that this volume would be incomplete without a brief men-
tion. Alfred N. Smyser, the eldest son of the family, married Miss
Isyphena, daughter of John W. Edwards. From this marriage
there were five children; Henry, (now of the Champuign Times),
Ollie, Samuel E., Katie, now deceased, and Josephine. Capt
Smyser, from early manhood until his death, occupied a very prom-
inent position in the county; he served as county clerk for eight
years, and was a captain in the Union Army, where he served with
distinction. He died in 1879, lamented by many warm friends.
William Smyser resides on the old homestead in Whitley township.
He has a family of five children, viz.: Lucettia, Samuel M., David,
Isyphena and Rebecca.
Martha, the widow of John Brown, resides in Whitley. Eliza-
beth is the wife of D.R. Munson. John J. died while a young
man. Hugh F. lives at Windsor, has a small family, and is a pros-
perous business man.
David Strain was born January 25th, 1788, in North Carolina,
where he married Margaret, the daughter of Johu Mitchell, April
26th, 1810. They had a family of eleven children, only two of
whom are living, John A., in Marrowbone, and Lydia, the wife of
Robert Livesay, residing in Kansas. Mr. Strain came with his
family, and settled in Marrowbone, October 12th, 1831, where he
continued to live until his death, September 9th, 1854, aged 66
years, 7 months, and 15 days. His first wife died August 4th, 1842,
and he was married the second time, in 1813, to Susannah Ball.
Andrew Gammill, a Tennesseean, settled in Whitley in 1831.
8. T.Gammill, a merchant, at Summit, and the wives of S. G. Frost
and Thomas Kinkade are all of his family that are living. Europe,
Wm. and John, brother of Joseph Hendricks, and natives of Ken-
tucky, came together in the same year, 1831, and settled in Whitley.
Europe is the only survivor, and is in his seventy-third year.
His wife died about a year ago, and all but one of his children are
dead—Mary Ann, the wife of D. P. Warren.
The Snyders were among the first settlers of Lovington township.
Henry Snyder was born in Virginia, where he grew to manhood
and married Mary Eddens; and eleven children were born to
them, six of them now living. His first wife died, and he married
a second time—Mrs. Edna Carr, by whom two children were born
to him. Mr. Snyder lived in Kentucky for twenty years prior to
his coming to this State, and emigrated from there, arriving here in
October, 1831. He had made a trip here the year before, and
entered nine hundred and sixty acres around where he settled. In
1836 he moved to Decatur, where, in 1863, he died, at the age of
eighty years. Joseph H., who is the only son living in this county,
was twice married, and has five children living.
Another old veteran of the war of 1812—Nathan Stephens—and
48 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
a Kentuckian by birth, settled in Sec. 3, T. 14, R. 5, in the same
year. He built a distillery here in an early day, and made corn
whiskey for a number of years. He married in Kentucky Rebecca
Netherton, and two sons were the fruits of this union— William
and James H. The latter was sheriff of the county for one term.
In 1844 Mr. Stephens was struck by lightning in the doorway of
Dr. William Kellar’s residence. Daniel Pea also arrived here dur-
ing the same year.
The year 1832 witnesses the arrival of several prominent fami-
lies Abraham and Jeremiah Souther, brothers, and natives of
Virginia, came in early autumn. Abraham was married in Ken-
tucky, to Catharine Hardin, by whom he had eight children. He
died April 27th, 1858. Jeremiah since moved to Shelby county,
where he still lives.
Elder, Joseph, and Solomon Hostetler located in Lovington town-
ship in the spring of 1832. They were natives of Kentucky. Jo-
seph was born Feb. 27th, 1797, and was twice married. Frank L.
and Dr. C. M. L. Hostetler, residing in Lovington, are the only
survivors in this county. Elder Hostetler was a Christian minister
of some notoriety in this vicinity, and also practiced medicine here.
He died Aug. 27th, 1870. Solomon Hostetler has no descendants
living here.
One of the most prominent men among the old settlers was Abra-
ham H. Kellar. He was a native of Virginia, and born in the
year 1788. He was married at the age of twenty-one to Nancy J.
Hitt. There were eight children born to them, to wit, Joel H.,
Wn., Jas. H., Elizabeth H., John H., Paulina, Henry Y.,and Abram
L. In 1832 he moved to this county; although the fall prior to
this date he had come and raised a crop, but afterwards returned
and brought the family. They settled on section 3}, in which is
now Lovington township.
This pioneer was one of the first to aid and counsel in bringing
about the new county, Moultrie. He served in many responsible
and onerous positions in the county until his death, which occurred
July 23d, 1855, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. Several of the
family are still living, prominent among them are H. Y. and A.
L., both excellent and prominent citizens of the county.
George Mitchell, a native of North Carolina, settled in Marrow-
bone December 4th, 1832. He had a large family of children,
seven now living. Mr. Mitchell was one of the first county com-
missioners; was a good and true man, much loved by all who knew
him. He died in 1854, aged seventy-four years, eleven months, and
twenty days. Those of his children living are David, Samuel,
John B., William B., who are all elderly men with families: Mar-
tha Jane, the widow Bone; Rachel A., the widow West; and Susan
E., the wife of David Crowder.
Major James Poor, a patriot of the war of 1812, also settled
near George Purvis, in 1832. During the following year, 1833,
there was a great deal of sickness, and almost every family was
attacked, and many deaths occurred.
In the spring of 1832 Grandfather James Patterson and his
sons—David and Joshua, with their families, and Jonathan, a
single man—settled in Sullivan township. Hugh and Levi, also
sons of James Patterson, came about 1837.
Grandfather Patterson was a native of Scotland, and came to this
country with General La Fayette, in April 1777, and served as a sol-
dier in the revolutionary war, and also in the war of 1812. He
was twice married, the last time without issue. He had nine sons
and two daughters. David and Jonathan were twins. David
Patterson married in Kentucky Polly Barbaugh, ia 1826, and had
a family of eight children, viz., Jonathan, Amanda J., Nancy, Levi,
Absalom, Wm. D., America, and one child that died without a
name. Those living are Jonathan (Dock), Absalom, Amanda J.,
and America, all married, and have families. David held several
county offices, and died October 9th, 1867; and his widow August
11th, 1869. ,
Levi died in this county over thirty years ago. William, Jona-
than (Douty), Polethann, Jane, and Francis M., are all of his
family that came to this county, and are all living but Francis M.
The descendants of David and Levi are all of the Patterson family
living in this county.
Prominent among the arrivals of 1833, was Colonel Allen Clore
and his family He was born in Kentucky in 1810 and settled in
the northern part of the county. James Carter, a Virginian, Sam-
uel Finley, and David Howell came in 1833. Howell was a Ken-
tuckian, and had a large family. Charles, residing in this county,
and Elizabeth, in Champaign county, are the only ones living. The
Wood family, Samsons, John Poor, Tobias Rhodes, Alexander
Porter, William and Henry Bailey, F. W. Maddux, Rolands, New-
lands, Weltons, Knights, Huffmans, Hiram Luster, Joseph Hart-
man, Edward Keedy, the Deeds, Jacob Rea, Selby’s, and Zenith
Prather were early settlers.
James Elder came from Tennessee, and located in the eastern
part of the county in 1834. He had a family of six children,
three of whom are living in Sullivan, viz., William, a prominent
banker, Mary Ann, the wife of W. P. Corbin, and Cordelia, the
wife of Dr. T. Y. Lewis. ‘
Mr. Elder was one of the influential men of the county, and held
several important offices. He died in January 1870, and his
widow still survives.
In the year following there were numerous arrivals, and among
them Reuben B. Ewing figured conspicuously in the county’s his-
tory. Hewas born in Tennesse in 1801. Of his family of ten
children seven are still living. Ewing was an early justice of the
peace, and one of the first county commissioners, and an associate
judge for several years, and represented this district in the State
legislature. Ile moved to Logan county in 1853, and was subse-
quently made judge of that county, which office he filled for four-
teen years. About 1876 he returned to Sullivan, where he died in
1877. Ebenezer Noyes, a native of Massachusetts, who became a
large Jand-owner in this county, settled the same year.
The Freelands came in 1836. James Freeland was of Scotch-
Irish ancestry, and was born in Orange county, North Carolina, in
November, 1794, where he married Jane Strain, daughter of Alex-
ander Strain. On the sixteenth day of February, 1836, he and his
wife and children—Dayid J., Sarah Ann, James S., Miriam C.,
Mary Elizabeth, Joseph C., William T., Nancy E., Salina A., and
Samuel D.—left their native Staie for Tennessee, where, in Maury
county, they stopped for one season, and raised a crop. In the last
of September of the same year they again packed up and came
north, heading for Marrowbone creek, then in Macon county, IIl.,
reaching that point, where they settled in the latter part of Oct.,
1836.
Mr. Freeland lived here until his death, Feb. 19th, 1871. John A.
Freeland, his oldest son, was born in Orange county, North Caro-
lina, February 22d, 1818. At the age of twelve he was attacked
with inflammation of the joints, and was confined to his bed for nine
months, from which he arose a cripple for life. He went with his
parents to Tennessee, and when they left for Illinois, he was so
afflicted with malarial fever that he was unable to accompany them ;
but on the second of June, 1837, he left Columbia by stage for
Nashville, thence to Paducah by steamer, intending to follow the
river to St. Louis, but it was so obstructed with floating ice that the
steamer could proceed no farther, and he hired two men to paddle
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 49
him across the river in a skiff, which was done with considerable
difficulty. Arriving on the Illinois side, he started in the direction
of his journey, traveling through Pope county, Mt. Vernon, Salem,
and Vandalia, where he stopped, as he says, and “took a look at
the last session of the legislature held in that place”; on to Shelby-
ville, thence to Marrowbone, reaching his father’s place on the 23d
day of the same month, having traveled all the distance on
crutches.
Unele Johnny, as he is better known, was an early school teacher,
and was elected the first clerk and recorder of Moultrie county,
which offices he held for fifteen consecutive years. He was one of
the two republican representatives that was ever sent from this
district to the State legislature. His life has been an active one,
notwithstanding his physical disabilities, Even in his declining
years his mind is active, and his wise and conservative counsel is
sought after by all parties and creeds; and when his time shall
come to shuffle off this mortal coil, he will be lamented by all
as one who has done his part in the age in which he lived. Wm.
Martin and Esquire Alexander Edwards settled in Whitley in 1836.
Esquire Elwards has been a justice of the peace for several years,
and he and his family are among the best citizens of the county.
John Lee, a North Carolinian, settled in the western part of the
county in 1837. He only remained here one year, and returned to
Tennessee. His sons—Wm. R. and Captain A. B.—who came with
him, remained here. William R. Lee died in Sullivan in 1859.
Captain A. B served one year in the Mexican war, and four years
in the late rebellion, and received three captain’s commissions ; was
the first coroner in Moultrie county, and has held other offices of
trust. He is now practicing law in Sullivan.
The Crowder family settled in Marrowbone township in 1837, and
are among the best citizens in the county.
Other early settlers, who do not appear in this chapter, will be
mentioned in the township histories.
ae Shee
CHAPTER VIII.
CUSTOMS OF EARLY DAYS.
HABITS AND MODES OF LIVING OF THE PIONEERS AND FIRST
SETTLERS.
T is atrite but true proverb that “ Times change,
and we change with them ;” and it is well il-
lustrated by the changes in dress, condition
and life, that have taken place in this county
in less than half a century, We doubt not
that these changes, as a whole, are for the
better.
To the old man, indeed, whose life-work is
accomplished, and whose thoughts dwell main-
ly on the past, where his treasures are, there
are no days like the old days, and no song awakens so re-
sponsive an echo in his heart as “ Auld Lang Syne.”
The very skies that arch above his gray head seem less blue
to his dimmed eye than they did when, in the adoration of his
young heart, he directed to them his gaze ; the woods appear less
green and inviting than when in the gayety of boyhood hecourt-
ed their col depths; and the songs of their feathered inhabi-
tants fall less melodiously upon his ear. He marks the changes
that are everywhere visible, and feels like crying out in the
language of the poet :
“ Backward, turn backward, oh, Time, in thy flight !”
It is natural for the aged to sigh for a return of the past, nor
would we attempt the hopeless task of convincing them that with
the changes of the years there have come also an increase in
happiness, an improvement in social life,a progress in education,
an advancement in morality, and a tendency upward in all that
relates to the welfare of mankind.
We may learn useful lessons, however, from a study of that
land over which the pardonable and fond imagination of the
old settler has thrown the “ light that never was on sea or land,”
if, withdrawing ourselves from the dizzy activities of the present
days, we let the old settler take us by the hand and lead us back
into the regions of his youth, that we may observe the life of
those who founded a grand empire in a great wilderness. Let
us leave the prow of the rushing ship, from which may be dis-
cerned a mighty future rich in promises and bright with hope,
and take our place upon the stern and gaze backward, into the
beautiful land of the past.
No doubt we shall be led to regret the absence among us of
some of the virtues of dwellers in those early days. Gone is that
free-hearted hospitality which made of every settler’s cabin an
inn where the belated and weary traveler found entertainment
without money and without price. Gone is that community of
sentiment which made neighbors indeed neighbors; that era of
kindly feeling which was marked by the almost entire absence of
litigation.
Gone, too, some say, is that simple, strong, upright, honest
integrity which was so marked a characteristic of the pioneer.
So rapid has been the improvement in machinery, and the
progress’in the arts and their application to the needs of man,
that a study of the manner in which people lived and worked
only fifty years ago seems like the study of a remote age.
It is important to remember that while a majority of settlers
were poor, that poverty carried with it no crushing sense of de-
gradation like that felt by the very poor of our age. They lived
in a cabin, it is true, but it was their own, and had been reared
by their hands. Their house, too, while inconvenient and far
from water-proof, was built in the prevailing style of architec-
ture, and would compare favorably with the homes of their
neighbors.
They were destitute of many of the conveniences of life, and
of some things that are now considered necessaries; but they
patiently endured their lot and hopefully looked forward to
better. They had plenty to wear as protection against the
weather, and an abundance of wholesome food. They sat down
to a rude table to eat from tin or pewter dishes; but the meat
thereon spread—the flesh of the deer or bear; of the wild duck or
turkey; of the quail or squirrel—was superior to that we eat,
and had been won by the skill of the head of the house or of that
of his vigorous sons. The bread they ate was made from corn or
wheat of their own raising. They walked the green carpet of
the grand prairie or forest that surrounded them, not with the
air of a beggar, but with the elastic step of a self-respected free-.
man.*
The settler brought with him the keen axe, which was indis-
pensable, and the equally necessary rifle; the first his weapon
* The whole country, now dotted with smiling farms and happy villages
traversed by railroads and telegraph wires, was a wilderness, consisting
chiefly of prairie, which stretched away in billowy vastness like a congealed
ocean. Along the water-courses was a fringe of timber, and occasionally
was to be seen a grove. The immigrants came; some incarts, the children
packed like sardines in a box; some in wagons, and some on horseback
with pack-horses.
00 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
of offence against the forests that skirted the water-courses, and
‘ near which he made his home; the second that of defence from
the attacks of his foe, the cunning child of the forest and prairie.
His first labor was to fell trees and erect his unpretentious cabin,
which was rudely made of logs, and in the raising of which he
had the cheerful aid of his neighbors. It was usually from four-
teen to sixteen feet square, and never larger than twenty feet, and
was frequently built entirely without glass, nails, hinges or locks.
The manner of building was as follows: First large logs were
laid in position as sills; on these were placed strong sleepers,
and on the sleepers were laid the rough-hewed puncheons, which
were to serve as floors. The logs were then built up till the
proper height for the eaves was reached; then on the ends of
the building were placed poles, longer than the other end-logs,
which projected some eighteen or more inches over the sides,
and were called “ butting pole sleepers ;” on the projecting ends
of these was placed the “ butting-pole.” which served to give the
line to the first row of clap-hoards. These were, as, a matter of
course, split, and as the gables of the cabin were built up, were
so laid on as to lap a third of their length. They were often
kept in place by the weight of a heavy pole, which was laid
across the roof parallel to the ridge-pole. The house was then
chinked, and daubed with a coarse mortar.
A huge fire-place was built in at one end of the house, in
which fire was kindled for cooking purposes, for the settlers
generally were without stoves, and which furnished the needed
warmth in winter. The ceiling above was sometimes covered
with the pelts of the raccoon, opossum, and of the wolf, to add
to the warmth of the dwelling. Sometimes the soft inner bark
of the bass wood was used for the same purpose. ‘The cabin was
lighted by means of greased paper-windows. A log would*be
left out along one side, and sheets of strong paper, well greased
with coon-grease or bear-oil, would be carefully tacked in.
The above description only applies to the very earliest times,
before the rattle of the saw-mill was heard within our borders.
The furniture comported admirably with the house itself, and
hence, if not elegant, was in most perfect taste. The tables had
four legs, and were rudely made from a puncheon. Their seats
were stools having three or four legs. The bedstead was in
keeping with the rest, and was often so contrived as to permit it
to be drawn up and fastened to the wall during the day, thus
affording more room to the family. The entire furniture was
simple, and was framed with no other tools than an axe and
auger. Each was his own carpenter; and some displayed con-
siderable ingenuity in the construction of implements of agricul-
ture, and utensils, and furniture for the kitchen and_ house.
‘Knives and forks they sometimes had, and sometimes had not.
The common table-knife was the pack-knife or butcher-knife.*
Horse-collars were sometimes made of the plaited husk of the
maize sewed together. They were easy on the neck of the horse,
and if tug-traces were used, would Jast a long while. Horses
were not used very much, however, and oxen were almost exclu-
sively used. In some instanccs carts and wagons were construct-
ed or repaired by the self-reliant settler; and the woful creakings
of the untarred axles could be heard at a great distance.
The women corresponded well with the description of the
virtuous woman in the last chapter of Proverbs, for they “ sought
wool and flax, and worked willingly with their hands.” They
* Wooden vessels, either dug out or coppered, and called “ noggens,” were
in common use for bowls, out of which each member of the family ate mush
and milk for supper. A gourd formed the drinking cup.
did not, it is true, make for themselves “ coverings of tapestry,”
nor could it be said of them that their “ clothing was silk and
purple ;” but they “rose while it was yet night, and gave meat
to their household,” and they “girded their loins with strength
and strengthened their arms.’’ They “looked well to the ways
of their household, and ate not the bread of idleness.” They
laid “ their hands to the spindle and to the distaff,” and “strength
and houor were in their clothing.”
In these days of furbelows and flounces, when from twenty to
thirty yards are required by one fair damsel for a dress, it is re-
freshing to know that the ladies of that ancient time considered
eight yards an extravagant amount to put into one dress. The
dress was usually made plain with four widths in the skirt, and
two front ones cut gored. The waist was made very short, and
across the shoulders behind was a draw-string. The sleeves were
enormously large, and tapered from shoulder to wrist, and the
most fashionable—for fashion, like love, rules alike the “court
and grove’’—were padded so as to resemble a bolster at the
upper part, and were known as ‘‘ mutton-legs,” or “ sheep-shank
sleeves.” The sleeve was kept in shape often by a heavily
starched lining. Those who could afford it used feathers, which
gave the sleeve the appearance of an inflated balloon from elbow
up, and were known as “ pillow-sleeves.”
Many bows and ribbons were worn, but scarcely any jewelry.
The tow dress was superseded . by the cotton gown. Around the
neck, instead of a lace collar or elegant ribbon, there was dis-
posed a copperas-colored neckkerchief.
In going to church or other public gathering in summer
weather, they sometiines walked barefooted till near their desti-
nation, when they would put on their shoes or moccasins. They
were contented and even happy without any of the elegant arti-
cles of apparel now used by the ladies and considered necessary
articles of dress. Ruffles, fine laces, silk hats, kid gloves, false
curls, rings, combs and jewels, were nearly unknown, nor did the
lack of them vex their souls. Many of them were grown before
they ever saw the interior of a well-supplied dry-goods store.
They were reared in simplicity, lived in simplicity, and were
happy in simplicity.
It may be interesting to speak more specifically regarding
cookery and diet. Wild meat was plentiful. The settlers gen-
erally brought some food with them to last till a crop could be
raised. Small patches of Indian corn were raised, which, in the
earliest days of the settlements, was beaten in a mortar. The
meal was made into a coarse but wholesome bread, on which the
tecth could not be very tightly shut on account of the grit it
contained. Johnny-cake and pones were served up at dinner,
while mush and milk was the favorite dish for supper. In the
fire-place hung the crane, and the dutch-oven was used in baking.
The streams abounded in fish, which formed a healthful article
of food. Many kinds of greens, such as dock and polk, were
eaten. The “ truck-patch” furnished roasting ears, pumpkins,
beans, squashes and potatoes, and these were used by all. For
reaping-bees, log-rollings, and house-raisings, the standard dish
was pot-pic. Coffee and tea were used sparingly, as they were
very dear, and the hardy pioneer thought them a drink fit only
for women and children. They said it would not “ stick to the
ribs.” Maple-sugar was much used, and honey was only five
cents a pound. Butter was the same price, while eggs were three
cents. The utmost good feeling prevailed. If one killed hogs
all shared. Chickens were to be seen in great numbers around
every doorway ; and the gabble of the turkey and quack of the
duck were heard in the land. Nature contributed of her fruits.
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. | 51
Wild grapes and plums were to be found in their season, along
the streams.
The women manufactured nearly all the clothing worn by the
family. In cool weather gowns made of “ linsey-woolsey ” were
worn by the ladies. The chain was of cotton and the filling of
wool. The fabric was usually plaid or striped, and the
differing colors were blended according to the taste and fancy
of the fair maker. Colors were blue, copperas, turkey-red, light
blue, ete. Every house contained a card-loom and spinning-
wheels, which were considered by the women as necessary for
them as the rifle for the men. Several different kinds of cloth
were made. Cloth was woven from cotton. The rolls were
bought and spun, on little and big wheels, into two kinds of
thread ; one the “chain,” and the other the “ filling.” The more
experienced only spun the chain; the younger the filling. Two
kinds of looms were in use. The most primitive in construction
was called the “side-loom.” The frame of it consisted of two
pieces of scantling running obliquely from the floor to the wall.
Later, the frame-loom, which was a great. improvement over the
other, came into use.
The men and boys wore “jeans” and linsey-woolsey hunting
shirts. The “jeans” were colored either light-blue or butternut.
Many times when the men gathered to a log-rolling or barn-
raising, the women would assemble bringing their spinning-
wheels with them In this way sometimes as many as ten or
twelve would gather in one room, and the pleasant voices of the
fair spinners were mingled with the low hum of the spinning-
wheels. “Oh! golden early days!”
Such articles of apparel as could not be manufactured were
brought to them from the nearest store by the mail-carrier.
These were few, however. The men and boys, in many instances,
wore pantaloons made of the dressed skin. of the deer, which then
swarmed the prairies in large herds. The young man who de-
sired to look captivating to the eye of the maiden whom he loved,
had his “bucks” fringed, which lent them a not unpleasing
effect. Meal-sacks were also made of buckskin. Caps were
made of the skins of the wolf, fox, wild-cat and musk-rat
tanned with the fur on. The tail of the fox or wolf often hung
from the top of the cap, lending the wearer a jaunty air. Both
sexes wore moccasins, which in dry weather were an excellent
substitute for shoes. There were no shoemakers, and each fam-
ily made its own shoes.
The settlers were separated from their neighbors often by miles.
There were no church-houses or regular services of any kind to
call them together; hence, no doubt, the cheerfulness with which
they accepted invitations to a house-raising, or a log-rolling, or a
corn-husking, or a bee of any kind. To attend these gatherings,
they would go ten and sometimes more miles.
Generally with the invitation to the men went one to the
women, to come to a quilting. The good woman of the house
where the festivities were to take place would be busily engaged
for a day or more in preparation for the coming guests. Great
quantities of provisions were to be prepared, for dyspepsia was
unknown to the pioneer, and good appetites were the rule and
not the exception.
“The bread used at these frolics was baked generally on Jonny
or Journey cake-boards, and is the best corn-bread ever made.
A board is made smooth, about two feet long, and eight inches
wide—the ends are generally rounded. The dough is spread out
on this board, and: placed leaning before the fire. One side is
baked, and then the dough is changed on the board, so the other
side is presented, in its turn, to the fire. This is Jonny-cake, and
is good, if the proper materials are put in the dough, and it is
properly baked.”—Reynolds’ History.
At all the log-rollings and house-raisings it was customary to
provide liquor. Excesses were not indulged in, however. The
fiddler was never forgotten After the day’s work had been ac-
complished, out doors and in, by men and women, the floor was
cleared and the merry dance began. ‘The handsome, stalwart
young men, whose fine forms were the result of their manly out-
door life, clad in fringed bickskin breeches and gaudily colored
hunting-shirts, led forth the bright-eyed, buxom damsels, attired
in neatly-fitting linsey-woolsey garments, to the dance, their
cheeks glowing with health and eyes speaking of enjoyment, and
perhaps of a tenderer emotion.
The following description of a “Shucking” of the olden time
is taken from—Reynolds’ Pioneer History of Illinois:
“In pure pioneer times the crops of corn were never husked
on the stalk, as is done at this day ; but were hauled home in the
husk and thrown in a heap, generally by the side of the crib, so
that the ears, when husked, could be thrown direct into the crib.
The whole neighborhood, male and female, were invited to the
shucking, as it was called. The girls, and many of the married
ladies, generally engaged in this amusing work.
“Tn the first place two leading expert huskers were chosen as
captains, and the heap of corn divided as nearly equal as possi-
ble. Rails were laid across the pile so as to designate the divi-
sion; and then each captain chose, alternately, his corps of
huskers, male and female. The whole number of working hands
present were selected, on one side or the other, and then each
party commenced a contest to beat the other, which was in many
cases truly exciting. One other rule was, that whenever a male
husked a red ear of corn, he was entitled to a kiss from the girls.
This frequently excited much fuss and scuffling, which was in-
tended by both parties to end in a kiss. It was a universal
practice that tafia or Monongahela whisky was used at these
husking frolics, which they drank out of a bottle, each one male
and female, taking the bottle and drinking out of it, and then
handing it to his next neighbor, without using any glass or cup
whatever. This custom was common and not considered rude.
Almost always these corn-shucks ended in a dance. To prepare
for this amusement fiddles and fiddlers were in great demand ;
and it often required much fast riding to obtain them. One vio-
lin and a performer were all that was contemplated at these
innocent rural games. :
“Towards dark, and the supper ha/f-over, then it was that a
bustle and confusion commenced. The confusion of the tongues
at Babel would have been ashamed at the corn-shuckings. The
young ones hurrying off the table,and the old ones contend-
ing for time and order. It was the case, in nine times out of ten,
that but one dwelling-house was on the premises, and that used
for eating as well as dancing.
“ But when the fiddler commenced tuning his instrument the
music always gained the victory for the young side. Then the
dishes, victuals, table and all, disappeared in a few minutes, and
the room was cleared, the dogs drove out, and the floor swept off
ready for action. The floors of these houses were sometimes the
natural earth, beat solid, sometimes the earth, with puncheons in
the middle over the potato-hole, and at times the whole floor was
made of puncheons.
“The music at these country dances made the young folks al-
most frantic, and sometimes much excitement was displayed to
get on the floor first. Generally the fiddler on these occasions
assumed an important bearing, and ordered, in true professional
\
52 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
style, so and so to be done; as that was the way in North Caro-
lina, where he was raised. The decision ended the contest for
the floor. In those days they danced jiys and four-handed reels, as
they were called. Sometimes three-handed reels were also danced.
“In these dances there was no standing still; all were moving
at a rapid pace from beginning to end. In the jigs the by-stand-
ers cut one another out, as it was called, so that this dance would
last for hours. Sometimes the parties in a jig tried to tire one
another down in the dance, and then it would also last a long
time before one cr the other gave up.
“ The cotillion or stand-still dances were not then known.
“The bottle went round at these parties as it did at the shuck-
ings, and male and female took a dram out of it as it passed
around. No sitting was indulged in, and the folks either stood
or danced all night, as generally day-light ended the frolic. The
dress of these hardy pioneers was generally plain homespun.
The hunting-shirt was much worn at that time, which is a con-
venient working or dancing dress. Sometimes dressed deer-skin
pantaloons were used on these occasions, and mawkawsins—rarely
shoes—and at times bare feet were indulged in.
“Tn the morning all go home on horse-back or on foot. No
carriages, wagons or other vehicles were used on these occasions,
for the best of reasons—because they had none.”
Dancing was the favorite amusement, and was participated in
by all.
“ Alike all ages; dames of ancient days ;
Have led their children through the mirthful maze,
And the gray grandsire, skilled in gestic lore,
Has frisked beneath the burden of three-score.””
The amusements of that day were more athletic and rude than
those of to-day. Among the settlers in a new country, from the
nature of the case, a higher value is set upon physical than men-
tal endowments. Skill in woodcraft, superiority of muscular
development, accuracy in shooting with the rifle, activity, swift-
ness of foot, were qualifications that brought their possessors fame.
Foot-racing was often practised, and oftén the boys and young
men engaged in friendly contests with the Indians. Every man
had a rifle, and kept always in good order ; his flints, bullet-molds,
screw-driver, awl, butcher-knife and tomahawk were fastened to
the shot-pouch strap or to the belt around the waist. Target-shoot-
ing was wuch practised, and shots were made by the hunters and
settlers, with flint-lock rifles ,that cannot be excelled by their de-
scendants with the improved breech-loaders of the present day.
At all gatherings jumping and wrestling were indulged in, and
those who excelled were thenceforth men of notoriety. Cards,
dice, and other gambling implements were unknown. Dancing
was a favorite amusement. It was participated in by all.
At their shooting-matches, which were usually for the prize of
a turkey, or a gallon of whisky, good feeling generally prevailed.
If disputes arose, they were settled often by a square stand-up
fight, and no one thought of using other weapons than fistg, They
held no grudges after their fights, for this was ke un-
manly. It was the rule that, if the fight occurred betwépn two
persons, the victor should pour water for the defeated *as he
washed away the traces of the fray, after which the latter was to
perform the same service for the former. ,
To illustrate the ready ingenuity of the early settlers, devel-
oped by their poverty, and remoteness from places where neces-
saries could be purchased, we borrow an anecdote, from “ Ford’s
History of Illinois,” related of James Lemon, a well-known
pioneer of Monroe county, and an old-style Baptist preacher.
A farmer by occupation, “ He manufactured harness as they were
required. Being one day employed in plowing a piece of stubble
ground, on turning out for dinner, as was his wont, he left the
harness on the beam of the plow. His son, not differing from
the proverbial minister’s boy, perhaps, who had assisted him by
removing the clogging straw from the plow with a pitch-fork,
remained behind long enough to conceal one of the collars, that
he might have a playing spell while his father was occupied in
making another. But his plot failed ; on returning after dinner
and missing the collar, his father reflecting a few minutes prompt-
ly divested himself of his leather breeches, stuffed the legs with
stubble, straddled them across the neck of the horse for a collar,
and plowed the remainder of the day bare-legged, requiring the
assistance of his truantly inclined boy all the time.” At this
day to provide for such a mishap, half a day would have been
spent in going to town after another collar, and the boy would
probably have gained his point.
Pioneer Mills—Among the first were the “band mills.” A
description of one will not prove uninteresting. The plan was
cheap. The horse power consisted of a large upright shaft, some
ten or twelve feet in height, with some eight or ten long arms let
into the main shaft and extending out from it fifteen feet. Auger
holes were bored into the arms on the upper side at the end, into
which wooden pins were driven. This was called the ‘big
wheel,’’ and was as has been seen, about twenty feet in diameter.
The raw hide belt or tug was made of skins taken off of beef
cattle, which were cut into strips three inches in width; these
were twisted into a round cord or tug, which was long enough to
encircle the circumference of the big wheel. There it was held
in place by the wooden pins, then to cross and pass under a shed
to run around a drum, or what is called a “ trunnel head,” which
was attached to the grinding apparatus. The horses or oxen
were hitched to the arms by means of raw hide tugs. Then
walking in a circle the machinery would be set in motion. To
grind twelve bushels of corn was considered a good day’s work
on a band mill.
The most rude and primitive method of manufacturing meal
was by the use of the Grater. A plate of tin is pierced with many
holes, so that one side is very rough. ‘The tin is made oval, and
then nailed to a board. An ear of corn was rubbed hard on this
grater whereby the meal was forced through the holes, and fell
down into a vessel prepared to receive it. An improvement on
this was the Hand mill. The stones were smaller than those of
the band-mill, and were propelled by man or woman power. A
hole is made in the upper stone, and a staff of wood is put in it,
and the other end of the staff is put through a hole in a plank
above, so that the whole is free to act. One or two persons take
hold of this staff and turn the upper stone as rapidly as possible.
An eye is made in the upper stone, through which thecorn is put
into the mill, with the hand in small quantities to suit the mill,
instead of a hopper A mortar, wherein corn was beaten into
meal, is made out of a large round log three or four feet long.
One end is cut or burnt out so asto hold a peck of corn, more or
less, according to circumstances. This mortar is set one end on the
ground, and the other up, to hold the corn. A sweep is prepared
over the mortar so that the spring of the pole raises the piston,
and the hands at it force it so hard down on the corn that after
much beating, meal is manufactured.
The picture here drawn of the pioneers, their modes of living,
their customs, and amusements, while lacking entire complete-
ness, we feel is not inaccurate and untruthful.
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 53
CHAPTER IX.
CIVIL HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY.
i H HE civil history properly datcs from the 23d of
Cie January, 1827, which was the period when the
act of the legislature creating the county was
approved by the Governor, and went into effect.
Previous to the meeting of the legislature the
people had considered favorably the organiza-
tion of a new county, and appointed a commit-
tee to attend the meeting of the legislature at
Vandalia, the state capital, and procure the
passage of an act creating the new county. The committee, it is
needless to say, succeeded in their mission.
But little more than half a century has elapsed, since Shelby
county had her birth, yet great have been the changes wrought
within the time, and mighty have been the events and revolutions,
the discoveries and inventions that have occurred and been made
on this earth of ours. Perhaps since God “formed the earth and
the world,” and tossed it from the hollow of his hand into space, so
many great things have not been accomplished in any fifty years.
Reflection on these cannot fail to arouse wonder and to awaken
thankfulness that God has appointed us the place we occupy in
the eternal chain of events. Tennyson and Browning, Bryant and
Whittier, Lowell and Longfellow have sung ; the matchless Webster,
the ornate Sumner, the eloquent Clay, the metaphysical Calhoun,
and Seward, have since reached the culmination of their powers,
and sunk into the grave. Macaulay, Thiers, Guizot, and Froude,
have written in noble strains the great history of their native
lands; and Bancroft and Prescott, and Hildreth and Motley have
won high rank among the historians of earth.; Spurgeon, and
Punshon, and Beecher, and Moody, have enforced. with most per-
suasive eloquence the duties of morality and religion. Carlyle
and Emerson, and Stuart Mill and Spencer have given the results
of their speculations in high philosophy to the world. And Abraham
Lincoln, who during his earlier years was an occasional practitioner
at the bar in this county, has been crowned the saviour of his coun-
try and benefactor of mankind; Morse has discovered how to bind
the subtle fluid, electricity, and send it forth to do the bidding of
man. McCormick has given to. the wheat-growing belt the reaper,
and the ocean cable has been laid by Field, along the ‘ slimy bottom
of the deep,” and the Atlantic and Pacific have been united by
iron bands. Mexico has been conquered, and a magnificent terri-
tory added to our western border, and Alaska has been purchased
of Russia; the centre of population has traveled 250 miles along
the 39th parallel, and many states have been added to the glorious
constellation on the blue field of our flag. Great cities have been
created, and populous counties developed. And the stream of emi-
gration is still tending westward. Gold has been discovered in the
far west, which has gathered her busy populations, and the great
war for the Union has been fought and won.
The act creating the county specified that it should be
called Shelby. This name was conferred upon it in honor of
Isaac Shelby, whose fame at the time extended throughout the
nation. He was a native of Maryland, born December 11th,
1750. He served in the Revolution as a soldier, and afterwards
filled many offices in civil life. He died in Lincoln county, Ken-
tucky, July 18th, 1826. In 1771 he removed to the west, and in
1774 served as a lieutenant in an expedition against the Indians.
When the revolution broke out he became a captain of a military
company in Virginia. In 1777 he was placed in charge of the
commissary department, for the frontier militia. In 1779 he was
elected to the house of delegates of: Virginia, and, soon after re-
ceived a Major’s commission, and the next year was promoted to
the rank of Colonel for bravery at the battle of King’s Mountain.
On the 7th of October, 1780, he received a vote of thanks and a
sword from the legislature of North Carolina, of which he was
elected a member in 1781 - 1782. In 1781 he served in Marion’s
campaign, and on the organization of the state of Kentucky, in
1792, he was chosen Governor, and held the office four years, and
again from 1812 to 1816. In 1813 Governor Shelby joined General
Harrison at the head of four thousand Kentuckians, served at the
battle of the Thames, and owing to bravery and gallantry displayed
at that battle, was presented by Congress with a gold medal. Such
in brief is the record of the brave man from whom Shelby county
derived itsname. It was specified in the act creating the county,
that the seat of justice and capital of the county should be called
Shelbyville, thereby adding an additional honor, if possible to the
name of the man they are both intended to perpetuate.
Shelby county has been very fortunate in the selection of public
officers. They have been from tlie first men of integrity and ca-
pacity, and the affairs have therefore been managed with economy
and faithfulness. No base set of men have ever gained control to
plunder her treasury and destroy her credit, while growing rich
upon the spoils of office. The character of her thrifty and moral
people has prevented such a misfortune. The citizens of this county
have reason to be proud of the past. Never since the county had
an existence has the nation called upon the sons of Shelby in vain.
Read the chapter on Patriotism, and you will see how many have
offered their sword when their country was in danger. They
volunteered when Black Hawk made war on defenceless or feeble
settlements. They volunteered to fight for the honor of the flag
in a foreign clime, and the bones of some of Shelby county’s sons
now lie mingling with the soil of Mexico. They came grandly
forward when traitors threatened the nation’s life, and many laid
down their lives that the Union might live; and their bones are
now mouldering beneath the soil of the hills and vales, and upon
the plains of the sunny south.
Shelby county has fostered public schools, and has been rewarded
therefor. Her people are intelligent and educated, industrious
and enterprising. A great future is yet instore. A great material
prosperity, and it is to be hoped a greater ‘intellectual prosperity.
After all the best crop, is a crop of chaste noble women, and brave
noble men. The county has produced great men in the past. The
voice of her sons has been listened to with attention in the higher
councils of the nation, and has too been inspiringly heard upon the
battle-field. Great has been the prosperity and growth of this
county in the fifty-three years of her existence as a political section
of the state. But she has room for thousands more; ten times the
population can find support upon her soil, and at a no distant day
they will be here.
In 1827 the legislature, in session at the capital, Vandalia, passed
an act entitled “An act creating the county of Shelby,” and ap-
pointing commissioners to select a seat of justice, whose names ap-
pear in the report which is appended.
“An Act creating Shelby County :’—
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois repre-
sented in the General Assembly, That all that tract of country
lying within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the
54 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
north-west corner of section nineteen, in township nine north,
range one east, of the third principal meridian, thence north on the
said meridian line, thirty miles to the north-west corner of section
nineteen, in township fourteen north; thence east thirty-six miles
to the north-east corner of section twenty-four, township fourteen
north, range six east; thence south thirty miles to the south-east
corner of section thirteen ; thence west thirty-six miles to the place
of beginning, shall constitute a new county, to be called Shelby.*
Sec. 2. For the purpose of fixing the permanent seat of justice
of said county, the following persons are appointed commissioners,
to wit: John Hopton, Easton Whiton, and William L. D. Ewing,
who, or a majority of them, being first duly sworn before some jus-
tice of the peace of this state, faithfully to take into view the eon-
venience of the people, the situation of the settlement, with an eye
to future population, and the eligibility of the place; shall meet at
the house of Barnet Bone, in said county, on the first Monday of
April next, and proceed to examine and determine on a place for
the permanent seat of justice of said county, and designate the
same: Provided, The proprietor or proprietors of said land shall give
to the county for the purpose of erecting public buildings, a quantity
of land, not less than twenty acres, to be laid out in a square form,
and divided into lots of a convenient size, and sold for the purpose
of erecting public buildings in said county; but should the proprie-
tor or proprietors refuse to make the donation as aforesaid, then, in
that case, it shall be the duty of the said commissioners to fix on
some other place for the seat of justice, as convenient as may be, to
the place first selected: Provided, The proprietor or proprietors of
the land, shall make a donation of twenty acres of land, to be laid
out as above provided for: which place, when so fixed upon, shall
be the county seat of said county.
The said commissioners shall certify their proceeding to the next
county commisioners’ court, to be held in and for said county;
which court shall cause a record thereof to be made in their books.
Sec. 3. Until public buildings shall be erected for the purpose,
the courts shall be held at the house of Barnet Bone, in said
county.
Src. 4. An election shall be held at the house of the said Barnet
Bone, on the second Monday of April next, for one sheriff, one coro-
ner, and three county commissioners for said county, who shall hold
their offices until the next general election, and until their succes-
sors are qualified; which said election shall be conducted in all
respects agreeably to the provisions of the law regulating elections.
Provided, That the qualified voters present, may elect from among
their number present, three qualified voters, to act as judges of said
election, who shall appoint two qualified voters to act as clerks.
Src. 5. It shall be the duty of the clerk of the circuit court of
said county, to give public notice at least ten days previous to the
election, to be held on the second Monday in April next; and in
case there shall be no clerk in said county, it shall be the duty of
the recorder, or any justice of the peace residing within the limits of
said county, and commisioned a justice of the peace fur the county
* A law was passed by the Legislature, and approved by the Governor, Feb.
26th, 1839, taking off from the west side of Shelby county, townships eleven,
twelve, thirteen, and the south half of fourteen north, range one, east of the
third P.M., and the same went to form a part of ‘ Dane,’’ now Christian
county. (The said townships are better known to the reader as Pana, Assump-
tion and Prairieton.) At the session of the Legislature in 1842-8, about five
townships in the north-east part of the county, were taken to form a part. of
Moultrie county. The majority of the citizens of Shelby county willingly as-
sented to the passage of the above Acts. The reader by referring to the outline
map in this work, will be able to see the area of territory given to form part of
Moultrie county.
of Fayette, to give notice of the time and place of holding said
election.
Src. 6. The citizens of the said county of Shelby are hereby enti-
tled in all respects to.the same rights and privileges, as are allowed
in general, to the other counties of this state
Src. 7. The commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice’
of said county of Shelby, shall receive the sum of one dollar
and fifty cents per day, for each day by them necessarily spent in
discharging the duties imposed on them by this act, to be allowed by
the county commissioners’ court, and to be paid out of the treasury
of said county.
Sec. 8. All that tract of country lying north of the aforesaid
county of, and within the present boundaries of the county of Fay-
ette, shall b> attached to the said county of Shelby until otherwise
provided by law; and for members of the general assembly, said
county of Shelby and the attached parts thereof, shall vote with
Fayette, Bond, and Montgomery counties; and the clerks of the
counties of Bond, Fayette, Montgomery, and Shelby, shall mcet at
Vandalia, the county seat of Fayette, to compare the number of.
votes given for senator and representatives to the general assembly,
and sign the necessary certificates of election at Vandalia, and for-
ward the same to the person or persons entitled to such certificate
of election.
Sec. 9. The county seat of Shelby county, when established,
shall be called Shelbyville.
Sec. 10. The north half of township nine north, range one west,
all of townships ten, eleven, and twelve, north, range one west of
the third principal meridian, shall be attached to the county of
Montgomery; and the citizens within the tract of country above
described, shall have the same rights and privileges as the citizens
of the county now, or shall hereafter have.
Sec. 11. The said county of Shelby shall be, and is hereby
attached to the second judicial circuit.
This act to take effect from its passage.
Approved, January 23d, 1827.
Nryian Epwarps, Governor.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
The law establishing the county, it will be observed, provided for
the election of a county commissioners’ court, a sheriff and coroner.
The election to be held at the house of Barnet Bone, on the second
Monday of April, 1827; the vote resulted in the choice of John
Whitley, Levi Casey and William Weger for commissioners; Wil-
liam Williamson was elected sheriff, and Isaac Martin coroner.
The first meeting of the county commissioners’ court was held at
the residence of Barnet Bone, and Joseph Oliver was appointed
county clerk, in addition to which he performed the duties of county
recorder and circuit clerk. William Williamson was appointed
surveyor, and laid out the county seat.
Believing it will be of interest to our readers we append some of
the early court papers and legal documents as appear on record.
RECORD OF THE MEETING OF THE FIRST BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
At a special term of the County Commissioners’ Court, in the
county of Shelby, began and held on Tuesday, the 24th day of
April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
twenty-seven :—
Present, JoHN WHITLEY,
Levi Casey,
i County Commissioners.
WILttAmM WEGER,
“The court having taken their seats without.a clerk, it is ordered
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 55
by the court, that Joseph Oliver be appointed clerk of this court.
And the said Oliver, after his appointment, took the necessary oaths
of office, and gave bond with Thomas Robertson, his security, in the
penal sum of one thousand dollars, conditioned as the law directs,
which is ordered to be filed.”
The location made by the commissioners appointed to fix the
county seat of Shelby county, was received by the court and ordered
to be entered upon record. Which reads as follows :—
State of Illinois, \ We, the undersigned commissioners, appointed
Shelby county. } under the authority of the Act creating Shelby
county, to locate the seat of justice for the same, being sworn as re-
quired by said Act. did meet at Barnet Bone’s at the time specified
in said law, and from thence proceeded to examine the country, with
a view to the selection of a proper and suitable site for said seat of
justice, and having satisfied ourselves upon the subject, do unani-
mously select and agree upon the E. } of 8. E. }, of Section 7, Town
11 North, Range 4 East, as the tract upon which the town of
Shelbyville shall be placed—The public square.—A hickory stake
which the said commissioners drove down on said tract, standing
between three red oaks—one at the distance of five paces in a north-
west direction, one five paces in a north-east direction, and the other
four paces in a south-east direction.
Given under our hands this fifth day of April, 1827.
Easton Wuaiton,
Wa. Lee D. Ewrne, } Commissioners.
Joun Hopton, \
Whiton received six dollars for four days’ services for loca-
ting county seat.
The.above tract of land has been entered in the land office at
Vandalia, by Robt. K. McLaughlin, James M. Duncan and James
T. B. Stapp, who have severally agreed to make collectively the
donation required by law. April §, 1827.
WivturaAM Lee D. Ewrne.
Be it remembered, that on this day personally
came before William Hall, Senr., a Justice of the
Peace, in and for said county, John Hopton, Easton Whiton
and William Lee D. Ewing, commissioners under the law, creating
Shelby county, to locate the seat of justice for the same, and took
the necessary oath required by said law.
Given under my hand this 2d of April, 1827.
WiuiiamM Hatt, Senr., J. P.
State of Illinois,
Shelby county.
BOND FOR LOCATION OF SEAT OF JUSTICE.
The bond of Robt. K. McLaughlin, James M. Duncan and
James T. B. Stapp, for the donation to locate the seat of justice for
Shelby county, in the penal sum of two hundred dollars, was re-
ceived by the court and ordered to be filed.
It is further ordered by the court that the clerk of the court re-
ceive the bond and have the same recorded.
ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY.
Ordered by the court, that a tax of one-half per cent. be levied on
the following property for the county of Shelby, viz.: On slaves in-
dentured and registered negroes, mulatto servants, pleasure carriages,
on distilleries, stock in trade, on all horses, mules, asses and neat
cattle, three years old and upwards, on watches with their appen-
dages, and all other personal property except household furniture,
etc.
_ Ordered, that Asa Ledbetter, Esq., be appointed treasurer in and
for the county of Shelby, and that he be required to give bond to
the people, in the penal sum of two thousand dollars; the bond was
presented to the court with Shelton Allphin and Richard Thomason
his securities, which was received by the court and ordered to be
filed. ;
ROAD DISTRICTS.
Ordered, that Shelby county be laid off in the following road
districts, viz :—
First District commencing on the southern boundary of Shelby
county, and running north to the middle of the prairie north on the
.road from the residence of James Hooper, shall compose the first
road district, and all the Jawful men living in what is called the
Wakefield settlement, including those serving on the west side of the
Kaskaskia River shall work the road in said district,.and that
Thomas Pugh, Esq., be appointed supervisor thereof.
Second District beginning at the middle of the prairie north of
James Hooper’s residence, and running north through the town of
Shelbyville, to Drew’s mill on the Kaskaskia River, shall compose
the second road district, and that Wm. Parker shall be appointed
supervisor, all the hands south of a line running by James Abbot's,
by Drew’s mill, to Samuel Hall's, including the settlement of
Robertson Creek, shall work in thie second road district, and the
said supervisors are empowered to call on all able-bodied men of
lawful age to work.
Wednesday, April 25, 1827.
ment.
Court met pursuant to adjourn-
JoHN WHITLEY, )
Wma. E. WeceEr, + Commissioners.
Levi Casey, 5
“ Ordered by the court that William Williamson be appointed to
survey and lay out the seat of justice for the county of Shelby,
and that the same be laid off according to the plan of the
town of Vandalia, and the stakes shall be three inches square, two
feet and a half long, one-half well drove in the ground; the said
Williamson is required to make a return of the same, at the next
term of this court, with a good plat with the name of the streets,
blocks, number of the lots, etc.
’ W. Williamson was subsequently paid thirty dollars for his ser-
vices for surveying the town of Shelbyville.
William Williamson was also appointed constable and sheriff.
Ordered that John Whitley, Levi Casey and William Weger,
county commissioners, respectfully be allowed the sum of one
dollar and fifty cent; for each day’s service at the present term of
this court.
THIRD MEETING OF COMMISSIONERS’ COURT.
At aterm of the county commissioners’ court of Shelby county,
began and held at the house of Barnet Bone, on Monday, the
fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and twenty-seven.
Present, Joun WHITLEY,
Levi Casey,
Wm. E. WecrEr.
Ordered, that the following persons serve as grand jurors at the
next term of the circuit court of Shelby county, to be held in said
county, on the third Monday in the month of September next, viz. :
Commissioners.
THE FIRST VENIRE OF GRAND JURORS.
James Renshaw, Jacob Elliott, Isaac Banghoe, Joseph Robertson,
Thomas Lamb, John Richardson, Mills Whitley, Thomas Pugh,
David Beck, Chas. Wakefield, Jonathan Howard, Thomas Rabert.
son, John Lee, Senr., David Hinton, William Hall, Senr., William
Miller, Shelton Allphin, Robert Kerlyle, Lewis Ledbetter, John
Weger, Francis Jordin, Jamas Jordan, Levi Jordan.
56 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
THE FIRST PETIT JURORS.
Jonathan C. Cawley, William Scribner, Rollo Calvert, L. 8.
Mosley, John Harris, Reuben Milton, Daniel Hoffman, Abraham
Tetricks, Rufus Immond, Richard Thomason, William Thomason,
Robert David, Barnet Bone, Samuel Little, William Little, Senr.,
Sharp Whitley, William Bone, Charles Miller, Senr., John Walker,
Lloyd Lee, Henry Smith, Nathaniel Hambleton, Daniel Price,
Robert Duncan.
ELECTION DISTRICTS.
At a special term of the county commissioners’ court of Shelby
county, began and held at the house of Barnet Bone, on Saturday,
the sixteenth day of June, 1827.
Present, the Hon. Levi Casey, )} ss
and Wm. Wrenn, j County Commissioners.
Ordered, that Shelby county. be laid off in two election districts,
to wit, first election district to commence on the southern boundary
of said county, running north as far as Township thirteen north,
shall compose the first election district, to be called Shelbyville
district, and that William Hall, Senr., Levi Fleming and Thomas
Pugh, be appointed judges of the election, and that the elections be
held at the house of Barnet Bone.
2d election district beginning on the northern boundary of Town-
ship number thirteen north, and running north as far as the county
of Shelby extends, and that Philip D. Williams, James Ward and
Elisha Freeman be appvinted judges of the election therein, and
that the election be held at the house of Leonard Stephens, in said
district.
ESTRAY PEN.
In 1827, by order of the commissioners’ court, an estray pen was
constructed on the west half of lot number eight, in block number
two; it was eighty feet long by seventy-six feet wide, made of mul-
berry posts and oak rails. John Abbott received nineteen dollars
for making the same. It was removed the following year to lot five
on block number three, and reduced to half its size, the unused por-
tion of posts and rails being given to Thos. Lee, as compensation
for the trouble of removal.
Dec. 3, 1827. FIRST LICENSE GRANTED TO KEEP A GROCERY.
On application of Elias Miller of Shelby county, to keep a grocery,
commonly called a tippling shop, in said county, near Shelbyville,
at the dwelling-house of said Miller, it is granted him, on the said
Elias Miller entering into bond in the penal sum of two hundred
dollars with John Thomason his security, and the said Miller pay-
ing into the county treasury the sum of five dollars. Therefore
ordered, that the following tavern rates be established in the county
of Shelby, viz. :
‘For keeping horse twenty-four hours. . . 374 cents.
“e 7 onenight...... 25“
Fordinnerr ... 2... 0.0.04. 25. «
‘« breakfast or supper... . . ~4 25
“ lodging one night. . 2. « . » « x 6;
“half-pint of brandy... . . . oa 2
“~ half-pint of rum, gin and cordial . . 25“
“ half-pint of whisky... 2... 12} «
P MOTSG FOG i ey eH te Se GG 123“
FIRST FERRY-BOAT
Across the Kaskaskia River in Shelby county, was established by
the commissioners’ court, Dec., 1827.
On motion of Elias Miller to keep a ferry on the Kaskaskia
River east of Shelbyville, it is granted him, on the said Elias Miller
entering into bond in the-penal sum of two hundred dollars, with
Shelton Allphin his security, and that the said Elias Miller paying
in the county treasury the sum of two dollars for the first year’s
tax, and the following rates to be established, viz. :
For wagon and four horses... ... . 50 cents.
“ two horse wagon... .. 2. - 874 “
“ cartandoxen.......- . d7t “
“ manandhorse.... . oe ae we 12
© POOtNAD. 6 ae x 4 8 eb we Bee 6; *
“ wagon or cart and one horse. . . . 25 “
“single horse... 1... ees . 6
“ hogs and cattle, per head. . io
ROADS.
The value of good roads to a nation and country can hardly be
overestimated. They are evidences of a high civilization.
Savages make no roads, and build no bridges, and it is only at the
bidding of civilized man that the beautiful arch springs across the
stream. A great people are road builders; and Rome retained sway
over her conquered and remote provinces by means of the magnifi-
cent highways that radiated from her gates.
When the first settlers came, it is unnecessary to say that no
roads existed. The wily Indian pursued his journey along the
trail that had first been marked over the waste by the’ footsteps of
the buffalo. Since that distant day mych has been done to provide
roads along which products travel to the place of shipment; but
the condition of our roads even now is far from being satisfactory.
Business languishes a portion of the year, owing to the execrable
stat2 of the roads. Lat the roads be improved, and our farm
interests—the really important ones of a nation or a community—
will grow apace. Our soil is so deep, and the surface so generally
level, and the consequent difficulty of making good roads so great,
that the people seem to think they are not possible unless macadam-
ized But this is not true. What is wanted is an improved system
of road supervision and drainage.
The following extract from the records shows that the import-
ance of good roads was appreciated by the early settlers. At a
special meeting of the commissioners’ court, held at the house of
Barnet Bone, sundry voters petitioned that a road should be laid out
from Shelbyville to Springfield ; also, from Shelbyville to Terre
Haute. It was, therefore,
Ordered, “On the petition of Wm. Hall and others, to view a
road leading from Shelbyville to Springfield, as far as the county
line extends that way ; also, from Shelbyville to Terre Haute, on
the Big Wabash, they having deposite 1 money in the clerk's hands
to defray the expenses of the reviewing.
It is ordered by the court that the same be granted them, and
that Shelton Allphin, Robert Daniel and Jacob Elliott, be
appointed reviewers, and that they make return of their doings to
the next court.”
THE EARLIEST DATED DEED,
After the county was organized, is probably one executed by Va-
lentine Brazell, and Nancy, his wife. We subjoin a copy of the
deed :—
“To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting: Know
ye. That I, Valentine Brazell and Nancy Brazell, his wife, of the
County of Shelby and State of Illinois, for and in consideration of
the sum of three hundred dollars to me, in hand paid by Jesse B.
Combs, of the County and State aforesaid, the receipt whereof we
do hereby acknowledge, and ourselves hereof fully satisfied and con-
<:
OuR
COURT HOUSE.
PuBLiC BUILDINGS, SHELBY COUNTY, ILL.
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 57
tente1 and thereof and of every part and parcel thereof, do exone-
rate, acquit, and discharge him, the said Jesse B. Combs, his heirs,
executors, and administrators and assigns forever, by these presents
having given, granted, bargained, sold, aliened, conveyed and con-
firmed, and by these presents do freely, fully and absolutely give,
grant, bargain, and sell, alien, convey, and confirm unto the said
Jesse B. Combs, his heirs and assigns forever, the east halt’ of the
south-west one-fourth section number twenty-five, township number
eleven, north of range number three east, containing eighty acres
of the lands in the Vandalia District, State of Illinois. To have
and to hold the said granted and bargained premises with all the
appurtenances, privileges, and commodities, to the same belonging,
or in any wise appertaining to him, the said Jesse B. Combs, his
heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns, forever, to his own
proper use, benefit, and behoof forever, and I, the said Valentine
Brazell, and Nancy, his wife, for ourselves, our heirs, executors and
administrators or assigns, do covenant, promise and grant, to and
with the said Jesse B. Combs, his heirs and assigns, that before the
ensealing hereof, I am the true, sole, and lawful owner of the above-
bargained premises, and we are lawfully seized and possessed of the
same in my own proper name and right asa good, perfect and abso-
lute estate of inheritance in fee simple, and have in myself good right,
full power, and lawful authority to grant, bargain, sell, convey, and
confirm the said bargained premises in manner and form as aforesaid,
and that the said Jesse B. Combs, his heirs and assigns, shall and
may from time to time, and at all times forever hereafter, by force
and virtue of these presents, lawfully, peaceably, and quietly have,
hold and occupy, possess and enjoy, the said demised and bargained
premises, with the appurtenances free and clear, and freely and
clearly acquitted, exonerated, and discharged of from all and all
for near or other gifts, grants, bargains, sales, leases, mortgages,
wills, entails, jointures, dowries, judgments, executions, or incum-
brances, of what name or nature soever, that might in any measure
or degree abstract or make void this present deed.
“ Furthermore, I the said Valentine, and Nancy his wife, for our-
selves, our heirs, executors and administrators, do covenant and
engage the above-demised premises, to him, the said Jesse B. Combs,
his heirs and assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands
of any person or persons whatsoever, forever hereafter, to warrant,
secure, and defend by these presents.
‘Witness whereof we set our hands and seals this eleventh day
of February, A. D., 1828. Signed. sealed, and delivered
“In the presence of his
P “ VALENTINE X BRAZELL.
mark.
“ JOSEPH OLIVER. | hee
“Nancy X BRAZELL.”
mark.
The above is certified as being correct by Joseph Oliver, Clerk.
FIRST WILL UPON RECORD (1831).
At the court of probate, held in the town of Shelbyville, Feb.
22d, 1832, the last will and testament of Keneth McIver, deceased,
late of the county of Shelby and State of Illinois, was presented for
probate. It reads as follows :—
“In the name of God, Amen. I, Keneth Mclver, of Shelby
county and State of Illinois, being weak of body but of sound mind
and memory, do make, ordain, and establish this to be my last will
and testament, hereby revoking all others, and do hereby appoint
Aleander McIver, my beloved wife, to be my executrix of this my
last will and testament.
8
It is my will that all my just debts be paid. Ist. After my just
debts are all paid, and funeral expenses, I do hereby devise and
bequeath unto my beloved wife, Aleander, two portions during her
widowhood, and after her marriage one-half of said portion to be
equally divided among the remaining legatees, to wit.:
“2]. To my beloved daughter Margaret two shares.
“3d. To my beloved daughter Sally Ward one share.
“And to my beloved daughter Polly one share.
“Tn testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand and affix my seal,
the 22d day of December, 1831.
“KENETH McIVER.
“Signed and acknowledged before us: FX
“B. W. GORIN, \
“J, W. VAUGHAN.”
COUNTY BUILDINGS.
FIRST COURT-HOUSE.
On the third day of September, 1827, the county commissioners,
holding their court at the residence of Barnet Bone, came to the
conclusion that it was necessary, for the proper transaction of busi-
ness, to have a suitable building erected for the purpose. Their
requirements were moderate, and aspirations not of a lofty nature,
even for that early period; and after some discussion it was finally
decided that a log building, of the following dimensions, would be
of an immense advantage to the county officials, and probably an
ornament to the small but promising town of Shelbyville.
The building was constructed upon the east half of lot number
five, in block number one, near where the present court-house now
stands, and a few yards south-east of where the new and elegant
stone and brick building is now being erected. Its dimensions
were twenty feet wide by twenty-four feet long. First story nine feet
in the clear; second story five feet to the top of wall-plate, or about
fourteen feet from the groand to the eaves of the building ; with a
shingled roof. The main body of the structure was built of hewn
logs, having two doors below, also two fifteen-light windows, with
shutters, and two windows of the same dimensions in the upper
story. the upper part of the building being reached by a pair of
steps placed upon the outside. The floors of the two rooms were
planked, and the whole construction finished off in a “ workmanlike
manner.”
The contract was to be given to the lowest bidder, who was to
undertake to have the court-house completed on or befvre the first
Morday in April, 1828. Wm. Hall, senior, undertook the con-
tract, and received upon the completion of the work $110 in full for
the same.
In the early part of 1829, considerable improvements were added
to the court-house,—the building itself was weatherboarded, and
the interior arrangements were improved for the benefit of the
judge, lawyers, jurymen, ete These alterations were made by J.
W. Johnston, and cost the county $39.25.
COURT-HOUSE No. 2.
The old brick court-house, now standing in the centre of the
public square at Shelbyville was erected in the year 1832. Itis a
two-story building, forty feet square, surmounted with a cupola.
The first story between the floors is fourteen feet in height, and the
upper story nine feet. The court-room occupies the entire lower
portion of the building, the offices above being reached by a double
stairway on the south side. The original cost of the building was
$10v4.
58 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS,
In 1837 a cupola was added. This building has for many years
been considered inadequate to the growing wants of the county, and
the proper authorities began the erection of the third court-house.
THE THIRD OR NEW COURT-HOUSE.
For fifteen years efforts had been made to get an appropriation
for a new court-house, but all movements in that direction proved
abortive till July, 1879, when the board of supervisors of the
county made the necessary appropriation, as will be seen from the
tollowing record of their official action,
On the third day of July, 1879, Supervisor W. O. Robertson
offered the following resolution :—
Resolved, That it is hereby deemed expedient, because of the
dilapidated and unsafe condition of the present county buildings
to build a new court-house in and for Shelby county, not to exceed
in cost the sum of seventy thousand dollars ($70,000), and
Resolved, That a committee of members of this board be and the
same are constituted a building committee, whose duty it
shall be to fix upon and procure a site for such court-house ; to
adopt plans and specifications for the same, not to exceed said cost,
and to report their proceedings herein to this board, subject to
its approval at their meeting in September next, and Hesolved,
That Wm. M. Wright, Harmon Kelley, Skelton Birkett, Nelson
Neil, W. A. Carlisle be and are hereby appointed said building
“ committee.”
The resolution was adopted by a vote of twelve (12) for, to seven
(7) against.
At the meeting of the board in September, Supervisor Hilliard
offered the following resolution :—
“ Resolved, That the sum of seventy thousand dollars ($70,000) be
and the same is hereby appropriated for the purpose of erecting a
court-house in the city of Shelbyville, in Shelby county, Ill., and
Resolved, That the sum of twenty-five cents upon each one hundred
dollars worth of real estate and personal property in said Shelby
county as assessed for the year 1879, and equalized by the State
board of equalization for said year, be and the same is hereby
levied for the purpose of raising a fund to carry out the objects of
the said appropriation ; and that the clerk of the county court be
and he is hereby ordered to compute and extend upon the tax col-
lector’s books of said county for the year 1879, the levy of twenty-
five cents aforesaid against all the real estate and personal property
of said county, and that the said levy of 25 cents on the $100 be
exceuded under the heading of ‘‘ Court House Tax,” and that the
same, when collected, shall by the county treasurer be kept as a
separate fund for the purposes for which the same is levied. On
motion of Mr. Robertson the resolution was adopted by a vote of
eleven (11) for the resolution, to eight (8) against. The amount of
money raised under this resolution for 1879, was $19,900.06.”
REPORT OF BUILDING COMMITTEE.
The building committee, through their chairman, Hon. Wm. M.
Wright, made the following report to the board, which was adopted,
and, in accordance with the plans, specifications, etc., therein con-
tained, the erection of a magnificent court building is now in pro-
gress :—
“Wuereas, the honorable board of supervisors of Shelby
county, State of Illinois, resolved to build a court-house for said
county, proceeded to appoint the following gentlemen, a committee
to procure and locate a site and adopt a plan for said court-house,
viz. Wm. M. Wright, Harmon Kelley, Skelton Birkett, Nelson
Neil, and W. A. Carlisle.
“The committee, after mature consideration, located the site for
said new court-house on the original court-house square, to be built
on a line of Main street, north of the present old court-house.
“Said new court-house to be constructed on the following general
plans and specifications, viz.: The size of said building to be seventy-
six (76) by one hundred and ten (110) feet, fronting to the south,
with basement and two floors above—basement with twelve-foot hall
through full length of building, from front entrance to rear
entrance, on the first floor; said first floor to be so constructed as
to accommodate the circuit clerk, county clerk, probate court,
sheriff, county treasurer, school commissioner, and county court; the.
second floor to be so constructed as to accommodate the circuit
court supervisors, grand jury, petit jury, witness-room, judge’s pri-
vate room, lawyers’ consultation room, and such other rooms as
space may permit.
“The floors are to be reached by front stairways; the circuit
court room, petit jury room, and other private rooms on the second
floor, to be reached by private stairways in the rear of the building.
The water-closets to be located in the basement. The gas pipes,
steam pipes, and water pipes to be placed in the construction of the
building ; fire-places to be in all the rooms; to be heated by steam ;
boilers to be erected outside of main building ; proper and suffi-
cient sewerage to be constructed.
“The whole building to be fire-proof; to be built of stone, brick
(pressed brick exposure), and iron; all the floors to be of tile or
marble; a burglar-proof vault to be constructed in the office of the
treasurer. The whole not to exceed seventy thousand dollars in
cost. The stone to be used in said building to be procured in Illi-
nois, Missouri, or Indiana, or from either or all of the said States,
as may be most practical.
‘* Resolved, That the above plan and general specifications be sub-
mitted to five competent architects, to be selected by the committee;
that a premium of three hundred dollars ($300) be offered to the
aforesaid competing architects for the best set of drawings for the
proposed new court-house, which shall b2in accordance with the
above-named plan. Such drawings shall include a correct view, in
perspective, of such new building from a point south-west of said
building.
“Said drawings, shall include full, complete, and accurate plans
of such new building, in all parts showing all the necessary details
of the work, together with working plans suitable for the use of
mechanics or other builders, during the construction thereof, so
drawn and represented as to be easily understood; and also aecu-
rate bills showing the exact amount of all the different kinds of
material to be used in the erection thereof, to accompany said plans;
and also full and complete specifications of the work to be done,
showing the manner and style in which the same will be required
to be done, and giving such directions for the same as will enable
any competent builder to carry them out, and afford to bidders all
needful information to enable them to understand what will he re-
quired in the construction of said building, and make a full, accu-
rate, and complete estimate of each item of expense, and the entire
aggregate cost of said court-house when completed.
Provided, however, that the working plans above referred to and
the bill showing the exact amount of the material to be used, and
also the full and complete specifications of the work to be done,
showing the manner and style of the same, and giving such direc-
tions as will enable any builder to carry them out, and afford bid-
ders all information above referred to, shall not be required to be
made out and furnished until after the award of the aforesaid pre-
mium shall be decided by the board of supervisors, and that after
such decision, the successful competitor shall immediately proceed
to. complete the same in accordance with the terms of this resolu-
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 59
tion, and the said premium of three hundred dollars ($300) shall
be advanced to such successful competitor, and shall be deducted
from a compensation to be allowed him of five per centum upon the
aggregate cost of said building; upon the execution by and between
him and the board of supervisors of a contract prescribing his
duties, obligations, and compensation as supervising architect of
said building and the execution of a proper bond, with acceptable
security, to the board of supervisors ia such amount as may be by
them prescribed, not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10.900) for
the faithful performance of his duties, as such supervising architect
in the erection of said building in accordance with the plans and
specifications thereof adopted.
“ Resolved, That the drawings as submitted must be furnished by
the tenth day of September, 1879, and must be accompanied by es-
timates of all the work and material necessary in the construction
of the proposed building, made sufficiently in detail to enable the
board of supervisors to verify them, and approximate closely to the
probable cost, and accuracy in detail in this respect will be re-
garded as important in determining the award of the premiums.
“ Resolved, That a premium of one hundred and fifty dollars
($150) shall be awarded and paid to the drawings and elevations
second in merit, the board of supervisors reserving the right to use
any part of said plans and specifications of second in merit for and
in consideration of said award of one hunared and fifty dollars
($150).
“ Shelbyville, Ill., Aug. 8, 1879.
( “Ww. M. Wricurt,
| “Harmon KELveEy,
(Signed) 4 “SKELTON Birkett, Sr.
| “ NELSON NEIL,
Lew A. CARLISLE.
A view of the elegant structure, which is purely classic, may be
seen on another page of this work ; and believing a brief descrip-
tion would not be'out of place, we append the following :—
The new court-house will be a model and beautiful structure. It
is built of brick, magnesian limestone, and iron of choice and ele-
gant design. It is thoroughly fire-proof throughout.
For the purpose of giving the reader a better and more correct
idea of the structure, we give a succinct statement of its dimen-
sions and a description of the material that entered into its con-
struction.
The building is rectangle, 110 feet in length by 76 feet in
breadth. The height from the cornice to the ground line is 58 feet.
From the apex of the dome to the foundation it is 124 feet. Each
story of the building is anchored not only to its own walls but to
the walls of the other stories. There are four handsome pavilions,
16 feet square and 16 feet high, above the eave. These are situated
on each corner of the building, with bulls eye windows on each
side. The pavilions and dome are constructed of brick and iron,
and roofed with slate, and surmounted by iron crestings of beauti-
ful and artistic design. The general outside finish of the building
is St. Louis pressed brick, with Joliet and Bedford stone trimmings.
The cornices are of galvanized iron. The basement is all stone
and the floors are constructed of marble tiling, laid on masonry
and iron girders. There are two main entrances to the building,
one on the north and one on the south side.
The south side is the principal entrance, and is reached by broad,
handsome stone steps. The dome begins at the base line and runs
up through the centre of the building.
* W. A. Carlisle died, and T. J. Graybill was appointed to fill his place.
The pediments rest on four columns of stone, of handsome and
elegant pattern. The bases and capitols are of Bedford stone, and
the shafts of Joliet limestone; the height of each column, base and
capitol is twenty-three feet. The front pediment has a greater pro-
jection than those on the side, and there are eight columns upon
which it rests ‘The front columns start at the basement story
above and in front of the main entrance. On the second story are
two niches, in which are placed statues of the Goddess of Liberty
and of Justice.
Mr. O. H. Placey, of Chicago, is the architect, and Thomas and
Hugh Caldwell, of Ottawa, Ill., are the contractors.
The citizens of Shelby county may well feel proud of this ele-
gant and valuable structure. Alike is it creditable to the foresight
and energy of the men who inaugurated its construction ; and it
will remain as a monument to their enterprise years after they have
passed away.
Probably more credit is due to Hon. Wm. M. Wright than to
any other one citizen of the county. As chairman of the commit-
tee on construction he has given much of his time and attention to
the forwarding of the work, and has guarded jealously the interests
of his constituents, though proper credit is also extended to other
members of the committee.
The contract calls for the completion of the building December
1st, 1881, and when finished it will be one among the handsomest
and most substantial in the State.
FIRST JAIL.
At the beginning of the year 1829 the county authorities felt the
necessity of having a suitable building erected wherein Jawless
characters could be securely confined. The commissioners there-
fore ordered a jail to be built on lot eight, block number one, in
the town of Shelbyville. The following is a description of it :—
It was built of well hewed timber, eight inches thick, with the
edges squared so as to fit closely together. The building was
square, measuring thirteen feet six inches in width, and the same in
depth. The height from the foundation, or lower floor (which was
let some ten inches into the ground) up to the eaves of the roof was
about sixteen feet, there being two stories each of about eight feet.
The gables were weather boarded, and the roof shingled. ‘The
lower part of the building was comprised of a double wall, with a
space of ten inches between, which was filled with upright poles
shaved smooth and put closely together. The third floor, or, more
properly speaking, the roof of the second floor, consisted of
squared timbers, six inches thick, laid closely together. There
were two windows in the lower story, 43 feet from the ground, one
on the north side of the building, the other on the south. The
same in the upper story, each window 12 by 6 inches, made secure
by grates, and iron bars one inch in thickness and three inches
apart. In the upper story was a door two feet wide and four feet
high, and another door in the middle of the 2d floor two by three
feet. James W. Johnston secured the contract for building the
above, which was completed early in the year 1430.
JAIL No. 2.
At the September Term of Court in 1839 a contract was made
with Johu Stone and Samuel Wilson to erect a new jail upon the site
of the old one, which had done service for nine years, but had be-
come too insecure and small for the requirements of the county.
Joseph Oliver purchased the old structure for $50.06.
The new building, which was also built of hewn logs, was 22 feet
long by 14 feet wide. Composed of double walls, built one foot
apart and filled with upright timbers one foot square. A partition
60 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
was run through the centre of the building, making two rooms each,
nine feet in height and paved with rock. There was a window in
each room, through which the outer world could be viewed by its
inmates, if they chose to peep through the grates and iron bars
which firmly secured them. A trap door in the centre of the upper
floor, said door measuring 2 feet by 23 feet, strongly bound with
iron ; one door with double shutters in the other room; in the side,
3 feet from the partition, shutters opening inwards on the inside,
outwards on the outside. Said door was secured with iron bolts,
jail lock, and spiked with iron spikes two inches apart.
Beside this building a frame one was erected 22 feet long by 20
feet wide, the same height and under ‘same shingle roof. It was
weather boarded, and had one door in the south side, with windows
on each side of the door, and two windows in the west side. There
were twelve light windows with 8 by 10 glass. There was also
a plank partition across the frame building, with a door in the par-
tition, and the floors laid down with plank. This was the jailor’s
residence. Stair steps to commence at the partition of the log
building between the log wall and said partition running north up
to the upper floor of the log building, the steps to reach from the
wall to the partition. A brick chimney stood on the north side,
with one fire-place below. The whole was to be built of durable
timber, and finished in a workmanlike manner. The building being
completed in 1840, the contractors received $745, costs of the
same,
THIRD OR PRESENT JAIL.
The present jail building was erected in 1857, at a cost of nearly
five thousand dollars ($5,000). William Hidden received the con-
tract for erecting the same the preceding year, and completed it at
the time above specified. It’ is a two story brick building, 28 f€et
wide by 38 feet lung, and consists of jailor’s residence, with four
rooms, a debtor’s cell, four single wooden cells, with iron doors, and
four double iron cells. The cells are in the upper floor of the
building, with a hallway or corridor of about four feet in width on
both the north and south sides, with a narrow passage connecting
the two corridors on the west side of the building. There are six
windows on the north side, five on the west, and five on the south, with
one door to the west, another to the cast, and one on the south. In
1864 the county of Shelby made a contract with Samuel Proctor to
encase four of the cells (which were originally wooden ones) with
boiler iron. These cells are seven feet square by 64 feet high.
The alteration thus made cost the county $3,000 in addition to the
original cost—$4,989.46—for erecting the jail. A view of this
edifice is given in this work, from which a good idea of the plan
may be gained.
POOR FARM.
Thirteen years ago, in 1867, the Board of Supervisors appointed
three commissioners, viz., Edward Ressler, W. J. F. Howe and
Michael Freyburger, to purchase a farm as a suitable home for the
indigent poor of Shelby county. The commissioners, in June of
that year, tendered their report to the Board, which report was
read upon motion, received, and adupted. In effect it was as fol-
lows:—We have finally selected the farm of James A. Livers, situ-
ated 44 miles north-west of Shelbyville. Said farm consists of 240
acres, 130 acres being under cultivation, the balance in timber ; the
price given nine thousand and sixty dollars ($9,060). After pur-
chasing the farm the committee advertised for bids, for some one to
lease the farm and take charge of the poor. On the 12th August,
1867, David Price was appointed Superintendent or Lessee, and.
entered into an article of agreement with the Board of Supervisors
for a term of two years. It necessarily took some time to get the
place in readiness for its unfortunate occupants. More house room
had to be supplied, together with beds, bedding, and other house-
hold furniture. So that it was not until the 6th of May that the
Superintendent was able to receive the paupers, who were eleven in
‘number. The terms of agreement by which D. Price took charge
of the farm and its occupants were these: He was to receive six
hundred dollars ($690) per year in addition to what he could make
upon the farm, provided the inmates numbered not more than ten.
If exceeding that number, $200 per year additional for each added
inmate, if not capable of performing manual labor, or $100 per
year for any who could work, the county physician deciding as to
the impotency of said paupers And in the event of a failure in
crops, or the destruction of crops by storm, Price was to receive
reasonable compensation for keeping the poor, ete. Price was to
provide for the poor unfortunates good and wholesome food and
keep the residences in a clean and wholesome condition. Early in
1868 fifty-six of the citizens of Shelby county signed a petition and
laid it before the Board of Supervisors, requesting their immediate
attention to the mismanagement of the Poor Farm, and the suffer-
ing condition of the poor, An investigation was immediately made
by the Board, in person, and upon evidence furnished them, they
unanimously decided to remove David Price from further control
of the establishment, which, however, could only be effected satis-
factorily by paying him $150, and allowing him to keep two-thirds
of the wheat crop. In March, 1868, the Poor Farm was let to
Francis Winson for one year. And in 1869 J. J. Cline rented it
for one year for $384, the county paying $2 45-100 per week for
the support of each pauper. It was subsequently found better to
employ a Superintendent, at a salary of $500 a year, to manage the
farm and look after the inmates, than rent a $9,000 farm for $384
per year. The Board of Supervisors therefore appointed such
Superintendent upon salary.
The Overseers and Superintendents have held office as follows :—
David Price. ... ... . 1867 | John E. Lane . 1871 ,1872, 1873
Francis Winson....... 1868 1874, 1875, 1876
J.J. Cline . . . . 1869,1870 ' Theodore Allen . . 1877, 1878
John E.Lane . . . 1879, 1880
The latter gentleman being the present incumbent. Commodious
brick buildings have been erected upon the farm, and the inmates
now have all the care and attention that can be given them.
THE COURTS
which have held jurisdiction over the people of Shelby county
since its organization as a separate municipality, have been those
of the county commissioners’ court, county judges, probate judges,
magistrates of the township, the circuit courts, and the United
States district and supreme courts.
FIRST CIRCUIT COURT.
We make a few excerpts from the records of the first and
subsequent terms of this court, which we think will not fail to
interest the reader of this volume.
‘“‘At a circuit court of Shelby County, State of Illinois, began
and held in the town of Shelbyville, at the court-house, on Monday,
the fifteenth day of September, one thousand, eight hundred and
twenty-eight. Present,
Tue Hon. Turoruuius W. Smits,
Judge.”
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 61
GRAND JURY.
The following persons were sworn and charged of the grand jury
to inquire, within and for the body of the county of Shelby, viz.—
Jacob Cutler (foreman), William Reynolds, James Wallice, Ben-
jamin Wornock, Joseph Baker, Joel Allen, John Wood, Elisha
Freeman, Hubbel Sprigue, Barnet Bone, Jacob Brewer, Samuel
Reece, Charles Huffman, John Hall, Elias Kerr, Wm. Bone, Shelton
Allphin, John Smith, Samuel Anderson, Benjamin Walden, Wm.
Rose, and William Whitfield.
CAUSES CELEBRES.
There have been several trials of persons indicted for murder,
and other heinous crimes in this county. We append a few of the
court documents, bearing on some of the earlier cases of this
character.
CIRCUIT COUIT, SEPTEMBER TERM, 1828.
A Case of Flogging.
vs. Indictment for Larceny.
John Spalding.
The said people by the attorney appeared in court; and the
defendant. in his proper person, and for plea says he is not guilty
in manner and form as is alleged in said indictment—to which
plea the people joined issue—Whereupon came a jury, to wit, Wil-
liam E. Wegar, Andrew Miller, William Martin, Benjamin Dubney,
Benjamin Mobley, Jonathan Hill, John Tipsoaid, John Whitley, Sr.,
Allen Reed, Joseph Reed, John Abbet, Jr., and Daniel Siscoe ;—
who being elected, tried and sworn well and truly to try the issue
joined on their oaths, do say; “ We, the jury find the defendant
guilty in manner and form as in said indictment mentioned to be of
the value therein stated,’ and the said jurors were thereupon dis-
charged until to-morrow morning at nine o’clock, to which time the
court adjourned.
People
Tuesday morning, Sep. 16th, 1828.
Court met pursuant to adjournment. Present,
: Hon. T. W. Suitu, Judge.
The People
vs Indictment for Larceny.
John Spalding
This day the prisoner was led to the bar by the Sheriff, and
having nothing to say why judgment should not be pronounced
against him, it is ordered and adjudged by the court now here,
that the defendant, John Spalding, receive for the offense aforesaid
thirty-nine lashes on his bare hack, and the Sheriff of Shelby
county between the hours of twelve and two o'clock on this day
execute this judgment. And it is further ordered, adjudged, and
directed that the defendant make his fine to the people of this
state in the sum of two dollars and seventy-one cents, being one-
half the value of the articles stolen, and that he be imprisoned for
the term of three days, and that he stand committed until the fine
and costs are paid.
The sentence of the court was carried out, and the prisoner was
publicly whipped in accordance with the terms of the verdict.
Murder.
Tuesday morning, 13th April, 1830.
Court met pursuant to adjournment.
The People
v8
Benj. Warnock.
On this day came the defendant, Benjamin Warnock, in open
Indictment for Murder.
Implicated with Robert Carlyle.
court and enters his appearance in this case, and for plea says he
is not guilty in manner and form as are alleged in the indictment
and to which plea the State’s Attorney joins issue. The petit jury
summoned to attend this court being discharged, a states jury was
ordered to be summoned, to wit ;—Isaac Martin, James A. Baker,
David Hinton, James Ledbetter, Barnet Bone, William Bone, John
Hill, John Richardson, Isaac Renfro, and Bennet Robinson. Who
being elected, tried and sworn to try the issue joined upon the oaths,
do say, that we, the jury, find the defendant not guilty. Therefore
it is considered by the court now here, that the defendant be dis-
charged, and go hence without delay.
In the May term of court in 1842, an important criminal case
came up for trial. It was the case of the People vs. Robert Sellers.
Sellers was indicted for the killing of James Rodman; he was
tried and found guilty of murder in the first degree, and sentenced
to be hanged. The following is his sentence as copied from the
record. “That the defendant, Robert Sellers, be again remanded to
jail, there to remain until Tuesday, the 21st day of June next,
when he shall be taken to the place of execution, and there between
the hours of ten o’clock in the foreaoon and two o’clock of the
afternoon of that day he be hanged by the neck until he is dead.”
By the manipulations of his attorneys he succeeded in getting a new
trial, and on this trial plead guilty of manslaughter. He was
sentenced for eight years to hard labor in the penitentiary, where
he served his time. On release, he returned to Shelby, but was
soon afterwards thrown from a horse and killed.
The First Naturalization.
At the May term of the Circuit Court, A. D. 1847, Solomon
Stilgebauer, made his written application to be naturalized, filed
his declaration, and took the oath prescribed by law, in open court,
which was ordered to be filed. We append a copy of the original
paper.
State of Ilinois, Shelby County.
Solomon Stilgebauer being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that
it is his intention, bona fide, to become a citizen of the United
States of America, and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelily
to any foreign prince, potentate, or sovereignty whatever, and
particularly to the sovereignty or kingdom of Bavaria in Germany,
of which he was formerly a subject. | SoLtomon STILGEBAUER.
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this 27th day of May, 1847.
Wo. L. Prenvice, Clerk.
Application for Citizenship by
Solomon Stilgebauer, an alien
On this day came the said Solomon Stilgebauer, by his attorney,
and it appearing to the court, by the record, exhibited in proof,
that at the May term of the Shelby county circuit court, in
the State of Illinois, for the year 1847, the said applicant had ,
declared on oath his intention to become a citizen of the United
States of America, in pursuance of law, and the court being satis-
fied from the evidence of Anthony Thornton and William Royse,
that the said applicant had resided within the United States more
than five years, and in the county of Shelby in the State of Illinois
more than one year before the present term of this court, and that
during the said five years he has behaved as a man of good moral
character, attached to the principles of the constitution of the
United States, and that he has been well disposed to the good order
and happiness of the same. And the said applicant having declared
on oath in open court, that he would support the constitution of the
62
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
United States, and he willingly, absolutely and entirely renounced
and abjured all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince,
potentate, state, and sovereignty, whatever, and particularly to the
King of Bavaria, in Germany.
It is therefore ordered by the court that these proceedings be
entered of records, and that the said Solomon Stilgebauer is entitled
to and is hereby admitted to all the rights, priveleges and immuni-
nities of a citizen of the United States of America.
It is further ordered that said applicant pay the costs hereof, etc.
First Divorce.
Bennet Robinson
U8.
Elizabeth Robinson.
It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that the parties were
lawfully married as is set forth in said libel; and that the said
Elizabeth did voluntarily and wilfully absent herself from the
libellant for two years in continuance ; and proof of the pendency
of this libel having been made according to law. It is ordered,
adjudged and decreed, that the banns of matrimony heretofure
subsisting between the said parties, be, and they are hereby dissolved
—and the prayer of the said bill be granted; and that the said
libellant pay the costs attending the prosecution of his said libel.
Libel for Divorce.
STATISTICS.
The growth of the county in wealth can in no way be so clearly
exhibited as by giving the assessment rolls at different periods.
We select three which are here appended, viz , those of 1859, 1879,
and 1880.
ASSESSMENT OF SHELBY COUNTY IN 1859.
SHOWING TOTALS.
NUMBER. VALUE.
HOT SOS sic veigancucovenedacand ceabaiverepersecosawsseowenesedumeneess) —WOp400 $287,278
Cattle. .......0006 we 13,907 142,012
Mules and A888, .......scssscoscesesscsceessscoes seauipavusseswee 802 12,441
SMCEP tien reve assecdeoncnicascaeds nd gies sembanoaesncceuicas eaieeuiacas) . 16,962 16,962
HOGS: ‘sivuncasiamedcadacbanis sve dustenisecdvacssuecesbaacorteteeesmenns. LOSIeN 82,719
Gross value of Domestic Animals 430,055
Net value of Domestic Animals,..........ccssecserscececeeees 423,557
Carriages and Wagons ........::ccccccesseee eceretseeeceeeeeeeee 1,768 62,340
Clocks and Watches,.........cccssccececsessceceesscscecens sesceee 1,395 9,910
Pian OSinescracrassnceaceicrs ey 12 1,390
Goods and Merchandise................ sbeebs Side oaiideweSasaes 78,088
Manufactured Articles..........c.cccceececsresececceces Acdece 1,250
273,600
123,337
Total subject to taxation..........ccccesssecsceeecsseecenes Tenens veceeee $1,141,649
ASSESSMENT OF REAL ESTATE, PERSONAL PROPERTY, PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF SHELBY COUNTY, ILLINOIS,
FOR THE YEAR 1880.
| TOTAL LANDS TOTAL LOTS. |
I
| IMPROVED |UNIMPROVED) As Equalized | IMPROVED UNIMP. As Equalized HORSES. |NEAT CATTLE; MULES AND EEP,
| LANDs. LANDS. and Corrected LOTS. LOTS. and Currected : / ASSES. ce a
TOWNS. | by Town Board. “\by Town Board.! i :
‘ t
‘ i t
_ Acres. | Value. | Acres, | Value. | Acres. | Value. |} Lots. | Value. | Lots.| Value.| Lots. | Value. ' | Value. | No. Nalve. No. : Value. ' No. | Value
| f }
Qconee... 1 25547 | $203863 6927 25714 | $32474 | $229577 139 | 318207 232 3923 371 21730 1698 2 ; !
| 22951 233036 8257 43120 31208 276156 24 413 : 24 $ 413 1529 me : a vss ee ns
18358 235335 3641 26138 21999 261473 135 31020 271 6810 406 37830 941 12946 5 73 2389 405 622
20971 222498 1228 8838 22199 231336 é 124: 7
| : 9 17835 62 1895 306 468
| 17767 238260 2408 21925 20175 260185 735 20039 1191 18487 | gt 2850 482 TLS
| 10407 145193 10407 145193, 368 42790 118 1208 486 43998 361 9899 835 12977 i 41 1165 376 661
21516| 260733) 10946 51197 2.2462 311930 196 24981 237 1847 433 26828 955 26247 1400 17983: 115 3750 869 1781
0 ! 17019 198140 5326 29785 22345 227925 65 7505 67 1030 132 8335 678 16445 1063 14202 53 1520 191 286
ge. 31520 298953 3788 11971 35309 310924 d T4b 17148 15k 17925 33 804 581 608
Pickaway. 18494 | 232185 312 3115 | 18806 | 235300, : 715 | 12747 1333 | 14336 6L 1168 | 1568 | 2064
Penn... | 14874 206130, 14874 206130) | 481 10610 , 705 i Siiz: 54 1380 254 382
Holland. 29364 | 244548) 12320 | 89117 | 34684 | 333665 724! 2o4ss lesa 14220 110 | 2862 | 621] 939
Shelbyville .. 1 17916 229.324 2003 | 16150 19918 215474 942 | 339865 126 5097 1068 | 344962 TST 16495 1409 18152 90 2805 1572 1932
kaw..... | 15758 165800 7035 22567 22793 188367 | 558 TBs 11338 18854 58 1529 | 1224 1834
Todd’s Point 8853 101918 1027 4513 9880 106431 12 2320 12 2320 | 433 11264 733) 1541 10 288 | 1683 | ~2520
Prairie... 31355 320230 2660 18488 34015 338718 153 26676 144 | 3886 | 297 , 30562 705, 23847 1 160 13943 145 4755 | 1138 1234
Richland . | 21408 276977 1102 8648 22510 284625 8 690 : 8° 690 655) 1695L 1652 | 18266 a7. 167 1376 2040
Windsor... 16975 202320) 1814 10814 18789 213134 738 86797 171 2415 . 909 | 89212, T85 19610 287 14273 27: 546 794 1085,
Big Spring .. | 18827 193679) 13516 60232 32343 253871 70 16486 97 1636 | 167 [siz : 598 18374 161 9595 92 2717 770 1094
Ash Grove «| 27536 279184 27636 279184 | é | 1006 21692 1320 16686 56 1305 | 1224 1388
| 400415 |#4487266| 84310 | $452332 | 384725 panes 2850 | $597750 | 1463 7402 4313 jizb20 2 ' 14057 |$358747 24103 |$309305 | 1420 | $40795 |1so7e \s23806
; i
' INVEsT-| ALL
| \Proren- i | ;
i a.” Huse Ment 8
Sream En- | Fing anp| Bur Sewin@ ann yg th OF OED a4 He Pann: ae Vn 8
Hoss. GINFS, INCLU-| Buranar | Lianp &| Carrtaars | Warcies Ann Knitting | Prano Savoons oTHER | Est. & | ty Nor lor Sarr] PERSON- 2
ne ae po oe Sina Anp Wacons, Chocks, Macuinxs, | Fortes, nny Furni-|Improve| orier- | or Nat.|auPro-| ¢
5 RB. AFES. ‘ABLES. ‘ Fouses, TURE, | MESTS| wise | Banxs.| P | 6
| zt Rte ) Houses | | nterzon LISTED. ee
| | jo eo ait, =
No. | Value as Value. | No, Value) No, Val. No. | Value.| No. |Value| No. | Value. Nos, Value, _ Value. Valve. A Value. | Value. | Value. | Value.
|
Oconee....sssee 2562 | $4672 | 1/ $200 | 1/ $ 60 316 | S1a28 270 | $672 | 148 | $1450 | 6 250: " g5025 | : "36
Cold Spring. 3230 | 4967 | 4] 1500 282 | 4772 210 | 720 | 115 | 1263 | | ! at eh ee eee ms
Tower Hil 2265 | 4377 1! 50 279 | 5443 244} 686} 123) 1498 | 6 280 | 5278 3531 90788 | 238
Rural ...... 2940 £983, 1 400 185 3058 137 | 216 72 045 | | | 3744 | 7620 78265 | 185
Flat Branch 3095 7642 1 500 228 4436 17 445 &2 1143 1 75 | ; 43l0 | 5282 80211 | 230
Moawequa. 267 2931 2 700 3 300 1 | 20 152 3140 183 406 104 868 ' 10! 650 5735 | 7936 104057 | 118
Dry Point. g526 | 5701 | 3| 850) 1] 2 ai 7358 337 | 930] 157) 1263 | 4: 158 5 | 6835 | TST6 115935 | 395
Ose «.. : 98 9 213) 377] 117| 9968 + 1' 50 436: 0 7 524 | 25
Ridge 3509 6318 272 2016 90 367 105 493 | | 4278 a 3520 es 139
Pickaway. 3599 | 7765 207 | 2380 141 | 205 3| 476 | 2 70 | 8065 10185 71791 | 161
Penn .. 1748 3657 183 2669 114 189 63 512 1 40 | V3 7085 44769 | 124
Hollan 2565 8730 2 600 261 4216 174 437 92 9643 2 35 | - 6484 664 81203 | 265
Shelby 1643 2456 i 651 9 | 1100 2 | 30 417 9130 200 | 3222 187 1464 58 4549 | 600 | 26625 200 2610 $37500 | 854805 | 224
Okaw........ 2301 | 3502 190 | 2799 116} 233) 61) 438 | 2433 | 3485 61344 | 203
Todd's Point. 1395 | 3041 1| 25 135 | 2308 82} 240] 45 | 435 \ 1620 | 4711 58001 | 102
Pr ALI? 0. 2134 5538 2 1000 3 65 65 321 6733 350 462 135 1399 | 35 6348 7318 99624 | 405
Richland .. 2962 5482 3 450 242 3832 210 345 89 697 3 170 | 120 4279 | 6082 T1190 | 211
Windsor . as 2176 3803 , 1 45 282 | 3754° 337 | 848 173 | 1483 20 | 160 | 10915 8770 94795 | 2U3
Big Spring 2374 | 5443} 3} 1066 | 2| Go! 3/60] 3n2]| 5119 237 | 440 | 124} 1239 | 4 85 30 | 6058 | 179 | 5309 83151 | 279
Avh Grove... 3189 6642 | 1 500 1 306 | 4158 230 | 257 | 117 Tuo 1 50 | 6257 | 4327 77839 | 317
49579 | $97614 | 30 | $8417 | 22 22 $1720 6 i175 5251 | $86715 | 4052 ‘$11887, 2166 | $19730 jH9 | $su62 | $709 (Sti7si9 | $32 208 $108876 | 837500 (Slos7an2 4576
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 63
ASSESSMENT AND GRAND TOTAIS. 1880. Credits of other than Bank, Banker, Broker or Stock Jobber...... seeee 248,211
PERSONAL PROPERTY. Bonds and Stocks...........0.008 setichetonieenietnd 7,221
Property of Companies and Corporations other than hereinbefore
ITEMS. NUMBER. AV. VAL. ASSES. VAL. caramel : 8
H f all roe See 4, Bed Ss seeeneeneancnncenenecnne srs aeedeensseenerncessessensenaneenecnets :
oe oe a = POR IAT Property of Saloons and Eating Houses.......... Scho obs epiadnnnesuaererinresixs 790
Cattle of all ages........ccsseecessseenereeeenes sevesees 24,108 12 88 309,305 : ”
2 Household or Office Furniture and Property...........cccseceeeeeeeee eee eee 117,849
Mules and Asses of all ages........c.cssseereceeee 1,420 28 73 407,95 : 26
= Investments in Real Estate and Improvements thereon (See Sec. 10)., 3,208
Sheep of all ages............. re .. 16,976 1 40 23,896 ; 5 5 Be
All other Personal Property required to be listed...............0006 seseeee 108,876
Hogs of all ages........ssssscecesseeseceeeesssnneneees . 49,579 1 96 97,514 Stone a? Bonk of Hate ae Naiondl Banks 37.500
Steam Engines, including Boilers......c....00... 30 280 56 8,417 Beer eee ee es
Fire or Burglar-Proof Safes...........ccssesseseesees 22 78 18 1,720 $964,125
Billiard, Pigeon Hole, Bagatelle, or other si- : Total value of Personal Property......ccecscsssceeceteeseeessneeaeeenes $1,937,352
Mila Tables. s:sesseysine seeasesvsssnsusernesneseens 6 29 00 . 175
Carriages and Wagons of whatsoever kind........ 5,257 16 50 86,715 .
Watches and Clocks....cccccecescoceceeeee 4,052 2 86 11,587 ITEMS. NO. ACRES. AV. VAL. PER ACRE.
Sewing or Knitting Machines ... 2,156 9 15 19,730 Improved Lands..........s.ccssceeeeee seveee 400,415 $11 20 $4,487,266
Piano Mortessencdeevsenaemenrintinecnnes 119 67 75 8,062 Unimproved Lands............ceccceeeeeeee 84 310 5 36 452,332
Melodeons and Organs........ aeieeies i eveberse 239 27 21 6,504
Patent Rights 0.0.0.0... :cccssceesssccsesesee serene cath gudtneestmnbeacdeseraecdonse 60 TOR nlite OF Lanse cscs DPE ae et ib ear cranes’: POLIS
$973,227
Merchandise on hand..............ceeseeeeees insareremvasviersescsiavsaeeess 162,075 TOWN AND CITY, LOTS: NO. OF LOTS: AVERAGE VAUDE:
Material and Manufactured Articles on hand ..........cssseesscceesseees wee 5,788 Improvel Town and City Lots............ 2,850 $209 73 $597,750
Manufacturers’ Tools, Implements and Machinery (other than Engines Unimproved Town and City Lots.......... 1,463 18 76 274 52
and Boilers, which are to be listed as such)...........c:eeseseeee seis 2,937 y meee
Apciculbarel Veols,Trplements and Mawel nese uecsseccste.soo-ernessoare _ 79,079 Total. Value of Town and City Lots ... ..cecccsesccesescereceeeseereees §625,202
Gold and Silver Plate and Plated Ware. ...... 1638
Diamonds and Jewelry ..........cecceccecenecueeees sid baaisyonuaies Seeaavrenvenaes 25
Moneys of Bank, Banker, Broker or Stock Jobber............s00c000+ aaa 82,102 FROPEREL BEDONGING: TQ -BATLRQADEs
Credits of Bank, Banker, Broker, or Stock Jobber,.............+8 seeeerssee 8,599 Personal Property other than ‘Rolling Stock’? .........ccccscesceeeeceeee $1200
Moneys of other than Bank, Banker, Broker or Stock Jobber........... 164,699 Total Value of all Property as Assessed.......
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS OF SHELBY COUNTY FOR
THE YEAR 1879.
| :
;. | Spring 7 7 Trish \Sweet| Apple Broom| Timothy |Clov
Corn. Winter Wheat Wheat. Oats Rye. Barley. ;Buckwheat| Beans. Potatoes.| Pota ore ae Tobac earn Mead ae Ma.
TOWNSHIPS. 2 = 3 z é . ss = ; - ~ le = = sos = a
a la be fa ; + ia a a Ayr. | we é os 6 I -
2 /e) 3/218] € | #) 512 ele 8) s le)e)s| Sle Se] 2 gla |s| 2) 2] 2 ls (8
od oO A
a <| a |4| a < a ~_/al2ja\/4\al/2/8le| ale ala] a js/*i24)e}/o)e jae
Oconee 207103 2305 | 34151 1 20 | 1214 28828 570 | 7467 3 | 60 | 28 261) 3 | 36 | 4/1748 |}4| 50, 538] 18279 2703) 1486 19'10
Cold Spring.... 4936 188905 3252 | 42748 1170 25164 33 368 ~5 1794 311] 15385 1845| 956] 40'—
Tower Hill 6064 | 190679 | 2650 | 54105 1356 | 29916 WL | 132 2 30 2| 105 142) 10883 1339) 655
Rural ..... 6226 209705 2274 | 65961 1594 44284 12 229 6 74 6 1378 1702} 1023} 4| 2
Flat Branch 5842 | 198010 | 1976 | 46416 | 8] 65] 900 | 27883 47 | 489 5 | 1] 14 | 1/1254 10) 195) 3772) | 240 150| 1082) 569
Moawequa 3221 110000 | 1082 | 29635 | 21 368 739 25655 3 120 80 1195 r 161] 3255 518} 411
Dry Point 6361 214950 4434 | 49327 1064 45414 76 358 2 39 45 13452 201} $307) 1] 600 10 5735} 1643) 794
Rose 5120 152935 2919 | 43598 515 12230 4 25 1 10 29 1555 173) 6295 1433) 1116] 30:—
Ridge. 3412 122460 1501 | 36453 627 21085 14 |1290 119] 6680 951) 715) 7,10
Pickaway. 6958 | 262385 | 1217 | 28539 922} 1159 | 35351 92 | 1568 3 55 41 '3079 | 6} 6] 266] ‘7U76 10 1682! 1267] 7/10
CON wee 5517 181240 | 1168 | 26545 | 74 | 1030) 1012 34155 9 130 41 482 | 3 | 35 | 8 | 430 166} 3890 1101} 882} 20:20
Holland. 4003 124067 3236 | 27756 1124 23724 52 394 11 152 | 1 | 23 | 6 \3079 82) 182) 8522 1516 30 10275 1666) 851} 7) 2
Shelbyville.. 3010 90810 155 | 27331 285 7670 50 115] 3590 | 1210; 1745 1218
OK aW.. eee 4077 143810 915 | 14574 | 19 2 619 16145 28 300 5 37 17 |1440 50] 117] 5290 100° 1112} 930) 7/8
Todds Point 2988 111070 380 7655 5 15 509 17043 84 | 1526 2 70 20 1128 50] 2057 145: 975) 827 16:18
Prairie... 6262 | 202317 | 5838 | 61432 2do7 | 58954 | 14 | 550 10 | 19! 2) 38 | 9.4711 excl 3844 | 1556! 9is| 10) 8
Richland.. -| 4672 191708 1909 | 33750 | 30 690 734 14303 1L lug 12 110 57/3691 63] 169 5233 390 50 24190; 1443] 1099
Windsor... 1652 64440 683 | 10883 312 6725 16 533 956] 656
Bi 2427 68785 2424 | 33610 620 16291 21 244 14 | 303 | 85 | 417 | 74 2020 25) 13) 3886 159; 844) 5ud “l 2
As :
Totals.....sccceeeee guidatseaiiat 88505 | 3031379 | 41968] 664269 | 242] 3162 | 17850 | 480820 { a1ug | 138659 | 3 | GO | 137] 1827 | 45 | 563 1018, 33399 286 3404 116807 3001 90 40500 17403 25761 Lob gS
Leis, ss -
Ss = ey Bes 3 Sheep. Dairy o Hogs Miscellaneous Crops.
7 =5 R .
Turnips| Other eS its .j/§ 8] 338 ens
sig. | HE ee & other | Fruits. BS SSS 88%! FS IE S Sl 2 jes : :
Prairie |p; 4 S | Other | 28 |S.3 8182.) pale lie @ + (3 | & |SBElB vel 3
Meador | piteate, | OTN [UNION oot | Berries) Crops. | § = /ERA/E=S) SY ig SE |S. ee] £3 Ey] Fy SSS SylEy/SS ey] B
TOWNSHIPS. Crops: | etc. BEES BEES E&se | 23 185! 22 lst] 38 325128 83/82 xe] =
as} 8 | 8% 3 | &° & [& Bes& [PORE =
a «| Rig | Si ewe) Sipe epei pps | s)s a n a n =a fee + : :
gl eg S ae & ae 2 | 2 2|8 ele x z g & |No.| Pds.| No. |No.| Pds. /No.|,No. | No. a 2 3 % 3
ale laie) 4)/24|4{ < alalmaia| &
Oconee..... 10 3 | 28 | 58 | 36 | 2639 2 \— : 3799 | 2161 | 932 | 21245) 51! 3334) 325! 4¢4| 10677! 346| 1167 483 86
Cold Spring. 3gu4 | 2137 | 557 | 17422| 62] 3u14! 360! 465) 12666) 154) 1216) 334) 49] 2 2000
Tower Hill 2]. 1544 | 151 | 737 | 14304) 12) 1581 4 82) 1337 93
Raral........ 7 487 1 | 100 3312 | 1280 | 1626 | 18713 8} 1129 387| 320 201} 2184 242 360} 9920
Fiat Branch 27 |— 7542 | 2462 | 1012 | 16320) 17| 1677 99; 291) 9543] 356] 1987 697) 31 932} 4138
Moawequa 15 | 27 | 5 | 250 1870 | 317 | 566 | 8579 286¥| 184) 137; 3640) 267) Tzst} 611) 15 150
Dry Point.. 59 | 6018 36 | 130 1694 | 4768 142 | 20585) 76) 1502 58) 458) 7926] 145 989 179) 36
7 390 1] 40 1828 | 3031 | 2766 | 17890 1 896 25) 25 345) 1280] 455
2072 8820 1037 68) 210) 9020; 171} 1700) .419
55 | 18} IL | 1023 4 | 15 2 | 112) 31 | 223) 4719 917 | 1515 | 18786 2) 7596 386) 282) 3597) 511) 2390 465) 10) 46 3075
53 | 39 | 19 | 24 2561 | 101 | 1433 | 14447 1245 24 193] 6515) 122/ 1617) 100} 132] 40) 89
3 2 4 iT 6 | 2974 243) 2678 | 5371 716 | 19098} 17) 1543 313; 5696 7 997 49| 76 98
15 | 40 1853 | 3317 321 | 11741 3} 2600 40) 193) 5515) 2901 237
28 | 2240 10 4393 1671 | 1291u) 14) 4791 133; 290! 5872) 356] 1263 537| 24! 18
Todd’s Point.. a 7 6/18 419 4517 242 529 | 10342 8290 192! 156) 2964) 157 999 379) 79 385
Prairie ...... 112] 8 53 | B415 2315 | 746 | 151 | 19289) 14) 28u8 35) 585; 1750! 70) 2443 79) 59 8
Richland.. 39 | 78 | 7 | 1280 3374 | 2353 | 1278 | 1u140) 13; 1455) 116) 238) 6733) 498) 1416! 104) 50) 6 26u 2800
Windsor 26 | 84 556 7 | 18789 945 2u0} 102 510) 37 681 208
Big nna 17 | 1632 | 18 \5065) 2/132] 3 | 96 |~ 766 785 | 1792 9y81| 122 737 20) 221) 1557] 128 688 185
ASI GOVE srsseceeserrsesee see
Totals....... sac vessesee! 106} 62 | 211! 604] 266 22917] 21 j5105| 43 | 383) 6 { 218! 3t | 466! sul97! 30148! 17751 295445! 412' 49u51| 2256/5048! 94091, 4254! 25866! 5669! 561) 112 632 14421 22318
64 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
A list of the members of the General Assembly from Shelby
county since its organization, or the district in which the same is
situated.*
SENATORS.
William Williamson, . 1832-85) H. M. Vandeveer,. . . 1868-65
Peter Warren,. . . . 1836-49] John M. Woodson, . . 1867-69
Hiram Rountree,. . . 1849-51)Solomon Lewis,. . . . 1871
Gabriel R. Jernigan, . 1853-55/|Charles Voris, . . . . 1871-78
Joel S. Post,. . . .. 1857-59 | Thomas Brewer, . . 1875-77
Richard J. Oglesby,. . 1861] Erastus N. Rinehart, . 1879-
REPRESENTATIVES.
George H. Beeler, . 1832-33 | John Casey,
. 1871
Thomas B. Trower, . . 1834-35 | Edward Ressler,
John &. Turley, . 1836-37 | William H. McDonald,
William F. Thornton, . 1838-39) William H. Blakeley, ¢ . 1873
j Benson Wood,
Owen Prentice,. . . . 1840-41 ; ;
, | William Gillmore,
Jonathan B. Howard, . 1842-43 William Middlesworth, } . 1875
John 8. Turley, . . 1844-45 } William Chew,
Edward Evey,... . 1849 | Gershom Monahan,
Anthony Thornton, . . 1851 | Nathaniel P. Robinson, ¢ . 1877
S. W. Moulton,. . . . 1853-57 oo gre
_.» 485 illiam M. Abraham,
Ss aia ' a James L. Ryan, I . 1879
Cece Baitly Scarlett,
Reuben Roessler, be 1863 Alfred C. Campbell,
William Middlesworth, 1865 George D. Chafee,
Charles Voris, . . . . 1867-69| F. M. Richardson,
I . 1880
FIRST AND SUBSEQUENT BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
County Commissioners.—John Whitley, Jr., Levi Casey, Wm.
Wegar, 1827; Levi Casey, Jesse Rhodes, James Jordan, 1828; Levi
Casey, Jesse Rhodes, Edward Reed, 1829 ; Levi Casey, Ed. Reed,
Benj. Walden, 1830; Bushrod W. Henry, George Park, John
Brally, August, 1832; B. W. Henry, George Park, James Goodwin,
December, 1832; Aaron McKenzie, Lemuel Dazey, Barnett Bone,
1824; John Storm, James Freeman, Daniel Price, 1836; John
Storm, Daniel Price, T. J. Kellam, 1837; John Storm, Daniel
Dawdy, John Douthit, 1838; John Douthit, D. Dawdy, T. W.
Short, 1840; John Douthit, T. W. Short, Gideon Edward, 1841;
T. W. Short, G. Edward, Rolls Calvert, 1842; R. Calvert, G. Parks,
E. Hooper, 1843; George Parks, John Houchins, B. W. Henry,
1844; George Parks, B. W. Henry, T. W. Short, 1845; T. W.
Short, G. Parks, D. Dawdy, 1846; T. W. Short, James Brownlee,
John Morrison, 1847; John Morrison, James Brownlee, Peter
Parker, 1848.
In 1849, and after the adoption of the constitution, the county
judges performed the duties heretofore performed by the county
commissioners.
Probate Justices of the Peace.—Joseph Oliver, 1829 to 1837,
William Nicholls, September 2, 1837, to 1839; Edward Lvey, 1839
to 1849.
County Judges——Wm. Williamson; Russell Fletcher, D. M.
Robinson, associates, 1849; Wm. Williamson, Russell Fletcher,
John Casey, associates, 1853; Wm. Williamson, John Casey, Joseph
Leathers, associates, 1854; Peter Fleming, John Casey, John R.
Warren, associates, 1857 ; Peter Fleming, 1857 to 1873; J. Rose,
1873 to 1876; W. W. Hess, 1876, the present incumbent.
MASTERS IN CHANCERY.
Joseph Oliver received the first appointment and the office until
* For this roster of Senators and Representatives we are indebted to Col.
George H. Harlow, Secretary of State.
1847, when W. S. Prentice was appointed. Wm. Royse appointed
in 1849; Burrel Roberts, in 1851; again, in 1853. I. V. Lee,
appointed in 1855, filling the office until 1865. W. R. Read, ap-
pointed in 1865, and held the office until his death in 1874. W.
W. Hess, appointed in 1874. W. A. Cochran, the present master
in chancery, was appointed in 1878.
CLERKS OF THE COUNTY COURT.
The first county clerk was Joseph Oliver, appointed in 1827,
who held the office until 1843. Surrel Roberts elected in 1843.
Wm. Lloyds elected in 1868; and the present incumbent, James
E. Frazer, was elected in 1877.
CLERKS OF CIRCUIT COURT.
Joseph Oliver was appointed in 1828; served until 1846. Wm.
S. Prentice elected in 1846. William Royse elected in 1848, but
retired from office, and I. V. Lee was appointed to fill unexpired
term in 1849. Burrel Roberts, elected in 1851. I. V. Lee, elected
in 1853; re-elected in 1855; again in 1857, 1859, 1861 and 1863.
Wm. A. Cochran elected in 1864, and has served with ability.
Thomas J. Graybill was elected in 1880, and is the present incum-
bent.
SHERIFFS OF THE COUNTY.
William Williamson was appointed sheriff April 25th, 1827, and
was succeeded in 1833, by Jacob L. Fleming. Peter Fleming,
elected in 1836, and held the office until 1850. B. F. brazer,
elected in 1850. A E. Douthit, elected in 1853. B. F. Frazer,
elected in 1854; Jacob Cutler, December, 1855. Samuel Herod,
elected in 1856. Jacob Cutler, again in 1858. J.J. Shaw, elected
in 1860; resigned in 1861. Wm. A. Trower, elected in 1861.
Marcus Richardson, elected in 1862. F. B. Thompson, in 1864.
J. C. Huffer, elected in 1866. J. R. Moore, elected in 1868. Mar-
shall Howard, elected in 1870, holding the office until 1876, when
J. H. Silver was elected. In 1880 Lafayette Higginbotham was
elected, and is the present sheriff.
CORONERS.
Isaac Martin was elected in April, 1827, and was succeeded in
1837 by James Davis, who served until James Hamilton was elected
in 1843. He was succeeded by David Harris, January, 1846.
Albert Doyle served part of 1846, 1847, 1848 and 1849. J.C.
Corley, 1850 and 1851. W. A. Clements, elected in November,
1852; resigned in 1853, and was succeeded by W. A. Trower, who
also resigned in 1855. B. Durkee was elected in 1855, and served
until B. T. Kenningham was elected, 1866. J. A Hubbard was
elected in 1868. Wm. Sampson, elected in 1870; again in 1872,
1874, 1876, 1878 and 1880.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
Shelton Allphin was appointed treasurer in 1827. P. Rhodes,
elected in 1829. John Hambleton, elected in 1832. Wm. Haden,
elected in 1834; John J. Page, 1837; Thos. Headen, 1838; John
J. Page, 1838; Burrel Roberts, 1839, 1840 and 1841. James Cut-
ler, elected in 1843, and served until 1871. Geo. W. Keeler,
elected in 1871. Wm. C. Miller, 1875. Archibald Shelton, elected
in 1877, the present treasurer.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
William Williamson was appointed surveyor in 1827, and held
the office for twenty years, until E. G. Shellenberger was appointed
in 1847, who served until 1853. J. Brownlee was then made sur-
veyor in 1853, and was succeeded by Elias Smith in 1857; Reess-
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 65
ler, in 1867; Elias Smith, again in 1871; S. Conover, in 1875;
John P. Brisben, in 1878, who is the present incumbent.
8TATE AND COUNTY ATTORNEYS.
Wm. H. Brown, pro tem., 1830; Josiah Fisk, 1837; F. Forman,
pro tem., 1840; Wm. H. Russell, 1845; Harry Lee, 1846; David
B. Campbell, 1851 and 1852; E. Rusk, 1853; —— Moore, 1856;
John R. Eden, 1858, 1859, 1860; J. P. Boyd, 1861; William G.
Patterson, pro tem., 1862; J. R. Cunningham, 1863; D. L Bunn,
1865, 1866, 1867 and 1868; M. B. Thompson, 1869, 1870, 1871
and 1872; L. B. Stephenson, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878,
1879 and 1880. William C. Kelley was elected in 1880, and is
the present county attorney.
CIRCUIT JUDGES.
Theophilus Smith, 1828; Thos. Ford, 1835. presiding by agree-
ment with Sidney Breese; Sidney Breese, 1836 to 1840; Samuel
H. Treat, 1841 to 1844; Gustavus Kerner, 1845; Samuel H.
Treat, 1847, 1848; David Davis, 1849; Charles Emerson, 1853 to
1862; Charles H. Constable, 1862, May term, 1863; Charles Emer-
son, 1864 to 1867; A. J. Gallagher, 1867 to 1873; H. M. Vande-
veer, 1873 (October term), to 1876; W.R. Welch, Charles 8. Zane,
H. M. Vandeveer, 1877 (new law) and 1878; W. R. Welch, H.
M. Vandeveer and J. J. Phillips, 1879 and 1880.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
After the adoption of the constitution in 1848, the legislature of
1849 passed an act to provide for township organization. Pre-
viously to the passage of this act, township organization in this
state was unknown. A new law relating to this subject was enacted
in 1851, and the law of 1849 was repealed. In 185¥ the people of
Shelby county, by a decided majority, adopted this form of govern-
ment, which has since been adhered to. At the December ierm,
1859, the county court appointed James Cutler, E. G. Shallenberger,
and Benjamin F. Frazer, commissioners to divide the county of
Shelby into towns agreeably to the statute to provide for township
organization. The supervisors are chosen annually on the first
Tuesday in April. The system seems well adapted to the wants of
the people. It certainly has one merit of more equally representing
the different interests of the county. It is in the nature of a small
legislative body, deriving its powers directly from the governed.
The first election occurred in April, 1860; and the names of the
members who have represented their respective townships may be
seen in the township history. We quote the following from the
records :
“ Shelby County Court, December Term, 1859.
“ Ordered by the Court that James Cutler, E. G. Shallenberger
and Benjamin F. Frazer be and are hereby appointed commissioners
to divide the county of Shelby, Illinois, into towns or townships,
and that they make written reports of their proceedings, giving the
name and boundary of each town as the law directs, in such case
made and provided, and present such report to the clerk of the
county court on or before the first day of March next.
“Shelby County Court, March Term, 1860.
“ This day the clerk pr>sented to the court the report of the
commissioners, that were appointed at the last December term of
this court, 1859, to divide the county into towns or townships, under
the act authorizing township organization, examined by the court,
and ordered to be spread upon record as the law directs.
9
“To the Honorable County Court of Shelby County, Illinois.
“ The undersigned commissioners appointed by the above-named
court at the December term, 1859, to divide the county in towns or
townships, under the act authorizing township organization, after
being duly sworn, proceeded to lay off the above-named county into
towns or townships.” *
MOULTRIE COUNTY.
Prior to 1843 that portion of Illinois now known as Moultrie
county, was a part of Macon and Shelby counties; the larger portion
of territory belonging to Shelby county. As its formation and
vicissitudes will always prove interesting to the people of the county,
we will here give a brief history of the trials it underwent.
In 1841 the people of the northern part of Shelby county, and the
south-eastern portion of Macon county, presented a petition to the
legislature to take a portion off each county and form a new
one, to be called Okaw county. A. H. Kellar, who lived in the
Macon county territory, and John Cook, from Shelby county, suc-
ceeded in log-rolling the petition through both houses; but with the
incubus attached ‘that it was to be submitted to a vote of Shelby
county for ratification at the next regular election. The vote was
against ratification, and thus Okaw county became a dead letter.
Again, in the fall of 1842, another petition was circulated and
presented to the legislature as soon as it convened. This petition
embraced the present territory of Moultrie county, including one
whole tier of townships off the west side of Coles county, also
to have the south-western boundary of the county an unbroken line
instead of the notches, as is now the shape.
There were two factions within the boundaries of the district of the
proposed new county. One of these factions was led by John Fleming;
the other by John Cook. The bone of contention was the location of
the county-seat. There were the two towns, Julian and East Nelson,
both desiring it, on the one hand, and the problematic town, some-
where on the West Okaw—Cook’s choice—on the other. A. H.
Kellar and John Cook were chosen to present the petition to the
legislature. It met with considerable oppusition from the Shelby
county people, but a certain compromise was effected, which accounts
for the very irregular shape of the south-western border of the county.
‘Messrs. Kellar and Cook returned home, thinking all things were
arranged for a speedy passage of the act creating the proposed new
county ; but only a few days had elapsed when Mr. Kellar received
information from 8. G. Nesbit, representative from Macon county,
that a remonstrance, with four hundred names attached, from the
citizens of Coles county were opposed to any part of that county
being cut off from their territory. Mr. Nesbit further stated thatif
that objectionable feature of the petition could be stricken from it,
they would be able to get the bill through. The Coles county
townships were accordingly lopped off, and the new county was
formed.
It should be mentioned here, that the above petition provided
that the new county should be named Fleming; but through a par-
tisan feeling on the part of the representative from Shelby county,
he declared he would have nothing to do with establishing a county
to be called Fleming. The result was that there was a second com-
promise, and Mr. Williamson, the Shelby county representative,
had the honor of naming the new county. He named it in honor of
Col. William Moultrie, of early military fame.
In accordance with the above petition, the following act was
passed and signed by the Governor, February 16th, 1843:
* For list of names of townships, see chapter on Geography.
66 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
An Act for the formation of the county of Moultrie.
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois, represent-
ed in the General Assembly, That all that tract of country, lying
within the following boundaries, to-wit: Beginning at the north-east
corner of township fifteen north, range six east of the third principal
meridian, thence west to the north west corner of section three,
township fifteen north, range four east, thence south three miles,
west three miles, south eleven miles, east five miles, south four milis,
east four miles, south one mile, east one mile, south one mile, east
one mile, south one mile, east one mile, south two miles, east six
miles to the range line between ranges six and seven; thence north
to the place of beginning, shall be constituted a new county, to be
called Moultrie.
Src. 2. The legal voters residing within the aforesaid boundaries,
shall meet at the usual places of holding elections, on the first Mon-
day in April next, and proceed to elect one sheriff, one coroner,
one recorder, one county surveyor, one probate justice, one clerk of
the county commissioners’ court, one treasurer, one school commis-
sioner, and three county commissioners; the person receiving the
highest number of votes for county commissioner shall remain in
office for two years from the first Monday in August next; the
person receiving the next highest vote for county commissioner shall
remain in office for one year from the first Monday in August next ;
and the person receiving the lowest vote for county commissioner
shall remain in office until the firss Monday in August next; the
other county officers shall hold their offices until the next succeeding
general election, and until their successors are elected and quali-
fied.
Sec. 3. The seat of justice of said county of Moultrie shall be at
the residence of James Camfield, of said county, until otherwise
ordered by the county commissioners’ court of said county, but the
seat of justice of said county shall not be permanently located by
said commissioners’ court until further. legislation in relation
thereto. :
Sec. 4, The present judges of election residing within the boun-
daries of the county of Moultrie shall conduct the elections provided
by this act in all respects agreeable to the Jaws regulating elections,
and shall make returns of the poll books of their respective precincts
within five days after the election. Abraham H. Kellar, William
Thomason and James Elder, acting justices of the peace; and the
said justices, or a majority of them, shall meet at the house of James
Camfield within ten days after the said election, and it shall be the
duty of the said justices of the peace to open and compare the poll
books, to make out and deliver certificates to the persons elected,
and to return an abstract to the Secretary of State in the same
rmoanner as is now required of the clerks of county commissioners’
courts in like cases.
Sec. 5. The county commissioners shall meet as a court within
twenty days after their election, and shall proceed to lay off their
county into justices’ districts, and transact such other county busi-
ness as may be deemed necessary.
Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of the justices of the peace named in
this act, to give at least twenty days’ public notice of the time and
places of holding the elections provided for in this act, by posting
up notices in at least six public places in said county.
Src. 7. The school funds belonging to the several townships in
said county, together with all the interest arising from said moneys,
and now in the hands of the school commissioners of Macon and
Shelby counties, and all notes and mortgages appertaining to the
same, shall be paid and delivered over to the school commissioners
of the county of Moultrie, as soon as the county shall be organized,
and a school commissioner elected and qualified according to law.
Sec. 8. It shall be the duty of the clerk of the county commis-
sioners’ court, as soon as may be after the election of county officers,
to inform the judge of the eighth judicial circuit that the county is
organized, and the said judge shall thereupon appoint a clerk, and
fix the time for holding the circuit court, and said county shall form
a part of the eighth judicial circuit.
Sec. 9. That elections for senators and representatives to the
General Assembly shall continue to: be conducted as though no
division had been effected, and the clerks of the county commis-
sioners’ courts shall return abstracts of said elections to the clerks
of the county commissioners’ courts of the counties of Macon and
Shelby, until otherwise provided by law.
Src. 10. The county commissioners’ court of the county of Moul-
trie shall, at their first term, appoint one or more suitable persons
to meet with the county commissioners of Macon county at their
June term, one thousand eight hundred and forty-three, and ascer-
tain the proportion of the court-house debt of Macon county, which
the inhabitants taken from Macon and forming a part of Moultrie
county, have agreed by their petition to pay, and in the apportion-
ment and payment of the said money the commissioners of Macon
and Moultrie counties shall be governed in all respects according to
the provisions of the eleventh section of the act entitled “an act for
the formation of Piatt county.” Provided, that said apportionment
be based upon the assessment lists of one thousand eight hundred
and forty-two.
Src. 11. The money to be paid by the county of Moultrie to the
county of Macon shall be raised by additional assessment on the
inhabitants residing within the boundaries taken from the county ot
Macon, and nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to
make liable the inhabitants residing within the territory taken from
the county of Shelby for any portion of the money made payable to
the county of Macon under the provisions of this act.
Approved February 16th, 1843.
Tuomas Forp, Governor.
This part of Moultrie county’s history would be incomplete if a
certain part of it were not presented here. As will be seen, the
Organic Act required that those citizens residing in that part of
Moultrie county that was taken from Macon should pay their pro-
portional part of Macon county’s court-house debt then existing.
As no assessment was ever made for that purpose, it may be inter-
esting for the old settlers of Moultrie county to know why it was
never required. There was a certain “slip” in the petitions circu-
lated in Macon county for the establishing of the new county, and
the citizens of Moultrie took advantage of it. They were governed
by the old-time principle, * Interest is the governing principle of
nations as well as individuals,” and governed themselves accord-
ingly. Great efforts were made on the part of Macon to compel
those on this side of the line to live up, as they claimed, to the peti-
tions creating the act for the new county ; but all efforts signally
failed. George W. Powers, then representing the people of Macon
county, believed that to force this indebtedness upon the people of
Moultrie county would be an act of injustice, covertly opposed all
measures offered to that end; and the result is, as all know, no
revenue was ever paid out of the treasury for that purpose. We
quote from the language of one of our oldest and most esteemed
citizens. He says: “ He (Powers) was not paid by Moultrie for
this act ; his pay was in a consciousness of having done his duty.
Not only did Macon not know who Moultrie’s friend was; but
Moultrie, until now, never knew.”
LOCATING THE COUNTY SEAT.
It will be observed from the above act, the county seat could not be
located until further legislation; and hercby hangs a tale. It must
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 67
be borne in mind that Mr. Thos. Fleming was the acknowledged
leader of the eastern faction for the new county, that the location
of the county seat was the bone of contention, and that the proposed
slice cut off from Coles county must necessarily cut a prominent
figure in the same. When it became known that the tier of town-
ships from Coles county must be lopped off in order to get the act
through the legislature, Mr. A. H. Kellar proposed to Mr. Fleming
that they had better drop the question of the county seat rather
than to have any dissension in the ranks that would tend to defeat
the measure proposed. The question of the county seat was accord-
ingly dropped; which explains why the county seat was not located
or mentioned in the act creating Moultrie county.
The first court was held at the private residence of James Cam-
field, about three miles southwest of Sullivan, in the spring of 1843,
the action of which court will be found recorded in this chapter.
The next year, 1844, the place of holding court was removed by
a vote of the people to East Nelson. In the fall of 1844 the ques-
tion of permanently locating the county seat was subinitted to the
people. Three places were proposed, to wit: East Nelson; Patter-
son’s Point, near “Uncle” Davy Patterson’s; Asa’s Point, now
Sullivan. The proposition was, that the seat of justice should be
located at the place receiving a majority of all the votes cast. As
no one of the places designated received a majority of all the votes,
another election was called, when the two places, East Nelson and
Asa’s Point, were voted upon. The majority were in favor of the
latter, and the county seat was finally established. Mr. Philo
Hale owned eighty acres of land where the town of Sullivan now
stands. He proposed for a nominal sum to let the town have one
of the forty acres of the eighty for a town site, as they might choose.
In the winter following the county commissioners met at the house
of Dr. William Kellar to locate the exact point of the county seat.
The vote was a tie, which left the casting vote to the chairman, R.
B. Ewing. Parnell Hamilton was present—he afterwards surveyed
the town—and he proposed to Mr. Ewing to do as one Trader
said, “ Put up a stake and be governed by its fall.” Just then the
pen Mr. Ewing was writing with fell to the north, and thus it was
decided that the north forty should be the location. Mr. Hale was
paid $100 for the land; this amount was made up by a subscrip-
tion from the people. The naming of the county seat was left to
the county commissioners, R. B. Ewing, A. H. Kellar, and George
Mitchell. They named it Sullivan, from Sullivan’s Island, the
_ small island off Charleston harbor, upon which Fort Moultrie is
situated—the name being in keeping with the name of the county,
Moultrie.
THE FIRST ELECTION FOR COUNTY OFFICERS
Was held on the first Monday in April, 1843. There were but
four voting precincts—Lovington, Thomason, East Nelson, and
Julian, with territory in each, as follows: the Lovington precinct
embraced all of that part of Moultrie county which had previously
belonged to Macon, except that portion on Marrowbone creek ; the
Thomason precinct embraced all of that part of Moultrie county
south of the Lovington precinct, including the West Okaw timber
to the forks of the river, and so much of Welborn’s creek as was in
the new county, also Marrowbone timber; East Nelson embraced
all of the southern part of the county from the forks of the river,
including Whitley creek and up the East Okaw to the mouth of
Jonathan creek ; Julian embraced the rest of the territory north of
East Nelson. The judges of election for Lovington were Allen
Clore, E. D. Cleveland, and George Best ; the election was held in
the old log school-house, on what is now Col. Allen Clore’s farm.
Of the Thomason precinct, the judges were Joseph Roney, David
Strain, and David Mitchell; the election was held at the private
residence of William Thomason. In East Nelson precinct, the
judges were William Hendricks, Andrew Scott, and James Poor.
The judges in the Julian precinct were William Purvis, Levi
Fleming, and Thomas Fulton. ‘‘ Uncle” Johnoy Ginn, now de-
ceased, was allowed forty-two cents for returning poll-books to the
clerk of the commissioners’ court. The whole number of votes cast
was three hundred and thirteen. The population of the county was
less than two thousand.
THE FIRS OFFICERS ELECTED
Were John A. Freeland, clerk of the county commissioners’ court ;
Isaac Walker, sheriff; A. B. Lee, coroner; Jno. A. Freeland,
recorder; Hugh Allison, surveyor; David Patterson, probate
justice ; John Perryman, treasurer and school commissioner.
R. B. Ewine. +
A. H. Kexrar.
GerorGE MITcHELL.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ COURT.
The county court appointed William Thomason, assessor, and
Andrew Love, collector; but afterward found that- according to
law the sheriff was ex-officio collector, hence that portion of their
action was expunged from the record.
The first justices in the Lovington district were A. H. Kellar
and William R. Lee; the first constables, Robert Sharp and Hen-
derson Matheny. In the Thomason district were William Thom-
ason, David Strain, justices ; and John Hill and Géorge Thomason,
constables. The justices in East Nelsun district were James Elder
and Joshua Patterson; constables, Samuel Dukes and William
Hamilton. In the Julian district, William Purvis and Thomas
Fulton, justices ; the constables we are unable to furnish.
No change was made in the voting precincts until the June term
of the court of county commissioners, 1845, when two new districts
were created by order of the court, as follows: ‘“ Ordered, that the
Sullivan election precinct be bounded as follows: beginning where
the range line between ranges 5 and 6 crosses the south line of the
county, thence north on that line one mile into township 13, thence
east to the county line, thence north to the north-east corner of the
county, thence west and south down the middle of the prairie to the
school-house near William Mullholland’s, thence south to include
Burg’s mill to the river, thence down the river to the county line,
thence east to the place of beginning ; and that the place of hold-
ing the election be at the town of Sullivan.”
“ Ordered, that the Whitley creek election precinct be bounded,
as follows: beginning at the county line where the range line be-
tween ranges 5 and 6 crosses the county line, thence north one mile
into township 13, thence east to the county line, thence south to the
south-east corner of the county, thence west to the place of begin-
ning; and that the place of holding the election be at the house of
John Hendricks.
The first meeting of the board of county commissioners was held
at the private residence of James Camfield on the 10th day of April,
A.D. 1843. Present the Hon. Reuben B. Ewing, Abraham H.
Kellar and George Mitchell.
The first business of the court was the accepting of the oath of
office of John A. Freeland, the county clerk elect of Moultrie
county. We give it verbatim as it may prove of interest to the
people of Moultrie county at this late date:
CLERK’S OATH.
“ State of Illinois,
Moultrie county. \
“TJ, John A. Freeland, clerk of the county commissioners’ court
68 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
of Moultrie county, do solemnly swear that I will support the Con-
stitution of the United States, and of this state; that I will faith-
fully and impartially discharge the duties required by law of me
as clerk of the county commissioners’ court, to the best of my un-
derstanding and abilities; so help me, God.
“Joon A. FREELAND.”’
“Sworn and subscribed before me this 10th day of April, A.D.
1843. , Wituiam Tuomason, J. P.”
Their next action was the subdivision of the county into thirteen
road districts, from which we append the following:
1. Commencing at the mouth of the branch between John Rhodes’
and Daniel Pea’s, on the West Okaw;.thence up said river centre
of the channel to the middle fork; thence north up said fork to the
Piatt line; thence west to the Macon line; thence south opposite
to the head of said Pea’s branch; thence to the place of beginning.
Supervisor, George Best. s
2. Commencing at the south-east corner of section 24, township
14 north, range, five east; thence west seven miles; thence north
to district No. 1; thence east seven miles; thence south to the place
of beginning. Wesley W. Smith is to be included in said district.
Supervisor, John Rhodes.
3. Embraces all that section of country west of West Okaw, and
south of district No. 2, and to the county line on the south. Super-
visor, Jesse D. Walker.
4. Embraces all that parcel of country in sections 24, 25 and 36
in township 13 north, range, 4 east. Supervisor, Michael Skidmore.
5. Embraces the portion of country within the following bounds:
beginning at the mouth of the West Okaw; thence up East Okaw
to the east line of section 29, township 13 north, range 5 east;
thence north to the south-east corner of section 20, township 14,
north, range 5 east; thence west to the West Okaw; thence down
the middle of said river to the place of beginning. Supervisor,
Jones Hampton. -
6. Embraces all that country lying within the following bounds:
commencing at the point where section 29, township No. 18, north
range 5, crosses the river; thence up said river to the mouth of
Asa’s creek ; thence up the middle of said creek to the head, or
one mile into township 14 north; thence west to the south-east cor-
ner of section 29, township 14 north, range 5 east; thence south to
the place of beginning. Supervisor, Frederick. Hoke.
7. Commencing at the mouth of Asa’s creek; thence up the mid-
dle of the river to the county line on the east; thence north to the
line between townships 13 and 14 north; thence west to Asa’s
creek ; thence down the middle of said creek to the place of begin-
ning. Supervisor, Clisby Ellis.
8. Commencing at the mouth of Whitley’s creek; thence up the
middle of said creek to the mouth of Crab-apple creek; thence up
said creek to the county line; thence north to the middle of the ©
Okaw; thence down the middle of said river to the place of begin-
ning. Supervisor, Linville P. Lilley.
9. Commencing at Crab-apple creek on the Coles county line;
thence south to the corner of Moultrie county; thence west three
miles; thence north to the middle of Whitley’s creek ; thence up
Whitley and Crab-Apple creeks to the place of beginning. Super-
visor, George Waggoner.
10. Commencing at the south-east corner of section 28, township
12 north, range 6 east; thence west two miles and twenty rods;
thence north to the middle of Whitley’s creek; thence up said
creek to the section line, dividing three and four; thence south to
the place of beginning. Supervisor, Gideon Edwards.
11. Commencing at Whitley’s creek twenty rods west of the sec-
tion line, dividing sections 5 and 6, township 12 north, range 6 east ;
thence south to the county line; thence west and north with the
county line to the middle of Okaw river; thence up said river to
Whitley’s creek ; thence up the middle of said creek to the place
of beginning. Supervisor, Isaac Shirley.
12. Commencing at the south-east corner of township 14 north,
range 6 east; thence west to Asa’s creek; thence north on the
range line between 5 and 6 three miles; thence east three miles ;
thence north to the county line; thence east three miles; thence
south to the place of beginning. Supervisor, Elijah Fleming.
13. Commencing on the West Okaw near section 8, township 14
north, range 5 east; thence up said Okaw to the middle fork ; thence
up said furk to the Piatt county line; thence east to the middle of
range 6 east; thence south between sections 12 and 13; thence west
to the place of beginning. Supervisor, James Kellar.
The first county order issued was at the first meeting of the board
of county commissioners in April, 1843; it reads as fullows: Or-
dered, that T. W. Short be allowed one dollar for a ledger. The
second order was for one dollar and seventy cents, and was made
to John A. Freeland for that day’s services. From the following
we are led to believe that the commissioners and sheriff charged
nothing for their first day’s services. It reads: ‘‘ Be it known that
the sheriff, Isaac Walker, and the county commissioners, charge
nothing for this day’s services.”
The last order of this term reads as follows: Ordered that the
school commissioner of Moultrie county receive the uncurrent
money that may be due said county, and make any disposition he
can of it, at seventy cents to the dollar, or over. He is hereby fur-
ther authorized to loan the same so as to secure to the county, by
giving six or nine months’ credit, seventy-five cents on the dollar.
In 1848 the new constitution went into effect, which made a
change in this court, organizing it with one judge having probate
jurisdiction, and providing for two associate justices, all to hold
their offices for four years. Under this law were elected, in 1849,
James Elder, judge, E. D. Cleveland and Daniel Ellington, asso-
ciate justices.
FINANCES OF THE COUNTY AT ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT WITH THE
TREASURER.
The first settlement made with the treasurer was in the September
term, 1844. The following is a true copy of that record: “ Upon
a settlement being made with the treasurer of Moultrie county there
was found to be the following amount of funds: jury certificates,
$31.52; county orders, 19.50; gold, 26.62; silver, 164.003; whole
amount, $241.64.”
From the same record we find the whole amount of taxes col-
lected in that year, as reported by the collector, was $158.62, inclu-
ding his commission for collecting. For making the assessment,
William Thomason received $30 for his services, one half of which
was paid by the county, the other half by the state.
COURT INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES.
Probably the first case on which Governor Oglesby tried the point
of his legal spear, was the following. Among the first settlers in
this part of the county were A. H. Kellar and William Cazier, both
emigrants from the same place in Kentucky. It seems that Cazier
became infatuated with the Mormons on their advent here. He
was known as a very honest man until this faith took hold of him
when it.suddenly was revealed to him that a debt due a Gentile
Was not worth regarding. Kellar had stuck to him through thick
and thin prior to his Mormon alliance. The result was that he,
‘HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. 69
Kellar, had become largely involved in the debts of Cazier. The
latter was about to leave, to join the Mormons, when his creditors
levied on the most of his property. When the property was offered
for sale, his son, Ben, bid in the property. Among this property
was a large four-horse wagon, and it appears there was some doubt
of the legality of the sale of said wagon. Cazier accordingly
secreted the property out in the tall prairie-grass, about five miles
from his place. Kellar learning of this, proposed to his neighbor
friends that they take a hunt for wolves—wolves were plenty then,
in the country—-with that object as a cover, but the real purpose
was to find the wagon. After two days wolf-hunting, they came
upon the wagon. It was put together, and brought back to the
neighborhood. A. B. Lee, was then constable, and he was on hand
to levy on it in the interest of Kellar. Ben Cazier set up a claim
for it, as he had bought it at the aforesaid sale. The rights of pro-
perty had to be tried, and Dick Oglesby, just then starting in the
legal profession, was employed as Cazier’s attorney. Kellar plead
his own case, but Dick beat him ; the old farmer not being equal to
the task of bucking against the young attorney.
Some years after the occurrence of the above, about the year
1850, and when the now Hon. Richard Oglesby, had won an en-
viable reputation at the bar, he was engaged in prosecuting, and
Usher Linder defending, in the case of the People, versus one Wil-
liam Shaw. This case was brought by change of venue, from
Crawford county. A great deal of excitement, was created in the
trial of this case, as it was one among the first murder trials held in
the county.
Shaw was indicted for maliciously and feloniously killing his
step-father, whose name was Buchanan.
It must be remembered that Oglesby and Linder both were rather
obese in their physical structure. Mr. Oglesby had made one of
the best efforts of his life in summing up the case, and it became
necessary for Mr. Linder to make an extra effort in behalf of his
client. Attorney Linder had carefully sifted all the evidence—had
so graphically pictured to the jury his client’s virtues, and the rend-
ing of a poor mother’s heart, in case they should see fit to be brutes,
and not do their duty as honest men and humane citizens. He
then turned his attention to the prosecutor of so base a conspiracy.
He drew himself up to his full height, took one withering look at
Mr. Oglesby, and belched forth—pointing to his opponent—* Did
you ever see such a huge pile of beef and onions?” At this out-
burst, Oglesby jumped to his feet, sprang to the side of Linder, and
gave him such a push or stroke as felled Linder to the floor. Mr.
Linder regained his feet, and called upon the court to protect him.
The judge—Judge Emerson was then on the bench—said it was so
quickly done that he had no power to prevent it. In this case
Dick was defeated, as the prisoner was cleared, and Mr. Linder
walked off with the laurels. |
In the year following, 1851, Judge David Davis, now United
States Senator, occupied the bench in this judicial district; but
through sickness or otherwise, Judge Harlan, father of Capt. Ed.
Harlan of Marshall, was called to fillthe vacancy. In order that
the present generation may understand the full pith of this anec-
dote, it will be necessary for them to know that the jail-room in the
old court-house, on account of its filthiness, and poor accommoda-
tions, was familiarly known as “the stable.” Now Judge Harland
was a fair type of the Eastern Yankee. In order to do his duty
properly it became necessary that he should be whittling at some-
thing. To whittle out wooden chains from an unbroken stick was
one of his favorite amusements. While thus engaged upon the
bench one day, a traveling troupe of Indians passed through the
town past the court-house. All hands in the court-room would
jump up to look out of the window, when the court would order
the sheriff to keep order. Jake Mullholland was bound to see the
sights, and every time they passed around the square, “Uncle
Jake” would run to the window. The judge finally got out of
patience, and ordered the sheriff to take the offender into custody.
Uncle Jake rose to his feet, cracked his fists togetner, and declared
that he was a “hoss!” The court quietly remarked that the sheriff
would take that “hoss’’ to the stable.
Perhaps one of the best and most pointed anecdotes occurred at
an earlier date, when Abraham Lincoln honored the bar of Moul-
trie county with his fun-loving stories and forensic eloquence. It
occurred in the fall term of the court in the year 1846. In those
days wrestling-matches were very popular, and many are the stories
told of the wondrous feats performed by the athletes of those early
times. David Campbell was then prosecuting attorney, and he
considered himself one of the best men, physically, of the day. In
a bout with one of the bullies of the county, the seat of Campbell’s
pants was entirely torn away. He being a genial fellow, and some-
what prodigal in his habits, was hardly able to buy another pair,
in order to appear decently in court. His brother attorneys felt
that they ought to subscribe something to that end. The subscrip-
tion was circulated around among the members of the bar, the most
of them contributing to the list. It was finally handed to Mr. Lin-
coln for his donation. He scanned the whole paper carefully, and
then wrote beneath all the other names that he “could not consci-
entiously contribute anything to the end in view.”
Volumes almost could be filled with the pleasing anecdotes that
the old attorneys of Moultrie can relate, and enjoy themselves
heartily in so doing, but this space is too limited to give them all
a place.
FIRST DEED PLACED ON RECORD AFTER THE COUNTY WAS OR-
GANIZED.
The following is the first deed put on record in Moultrie county ;
it was made by David Mitchell and wife to Calvin Freeman. The
land is situated in what was formerly Macon county; it contained
forty acres, the consideration being one hundred and sixty dollars :—
This Indenture, made and entered into this second day of Febru-
ary, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-
two, between James Mitchell and Onah Mitchell, of the county of
Macon and state of Illinois, of the first part, and Calvin Freeman,
of the county of Macon and state of Illinois, of the second part,
Witnesseth : That the said party of the first part, for and in consid-
eration of the sum of one hundred and sixty dollars in hand, paid
by the-said party of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby
acknowledged, has granted, bargained and sold, and by these pre-
sents do grant, bargain and sell unto the party of the second part,
his heirs and assigns, a certain tract of land, situated, lying and
being in the county of Macon and state of Illinois, known and
described as follows, to wit: the north-east half of the north-east
half-quarter of section number nine, township number fourteen
north, range five east of the third principal meridian in the district
of lands subject to sale at Vandalia, containing forty acres. To
have and to hold the aforesaid tract or parcel of land, together
with all and singular the privileges and appurtenances to the only
proper use and benefit of him, the said party of the second part,
his heirs and assigns forever. And the said parties of the
first part for themselves, their heirs, executors and administrators
do covenant to and with the said party of the second part, that
they lawfully seized, have full right to convey, and will forever
warrant and defend the said tract of land from the claims of them
70 HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
the said parties of the first part, their heirs and assigns, and against .
the claim or claims of any other persons whomsoever.
In testimony whereof the said parties of the first part have here-
unto set their hand and seal the day and year aforesaid.
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
Apr. H. Kear.
[seal.]
[seal.]
JAMES MITCHELL.
her
Ony x MrtTcHeE Lt.
mark
STaTu OF on,
Macon County.
Before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace for the county
aforesaid, personally came James Mitchell and his wife, Onah
Mitchell, who are known to me to be the real persons by whom
and in whose names the above conveyance was executed, and by
whom and in whose names said conveyance is proposed to be ac-
knowledged, and acknowledged that of their own free will, that
they executed said deed for the purposes therein expressed. And
the said Onah Mitchell, wife of the said James Mitchell, being by
me first examined separate and apart from her said husband, and
the contents of said conveyance being first made known to her, ac-
knowledged that free and voluntary, and without any compulsion
or coercion from her said husband, she executes the same, and for-
ever relinquishes all her right and claim of dower in the lands and
tenements in said conveyance described.
Given under my hand and seal this eighth day of June, in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
Asr. H. Kewuar, J. P. GS
The above deed went on the records in Moultrie county some
time in June, 1843. The record was destroyed when the court-
house was burned, in 1864. It was afterwards re-recorded in the
new records of the county, January 18th, 1865. This deed has
passed through rather an eventful career. It was first recorded in
Macon county. As soon as this county was organized, it was the
first to appear upon the record. “Uncle” Johnny Freeland in-
forms us that at that time the county was not supplied with any
book. for recording deeds; he accordingly transcribed it upon an
ordinary sheet of fools-cap paper. As soon as the officers of the
county had supplied themselves with books to do the business of
the county properly, he then placed it upon the first page of the
recorder’s book ; it thus stands as a memento of the days of “Auld
Lang Syne.”
THE FIRST MARRIAGE LICENSE
was issued by John A. Freeland the 11th day of April, 1843.
The contracting parties were David Strain and Mrs. Susanna Ball.
She lived in Shelby county, but the groom lived in Moultrie.
They were married by, and at the house of Squire Amos Waggoner,
the father of J. H. Waggoner.
Apropos of the foregoing, Mr. Freeland issued another license
only two or three years afterward, the obtaining of which was so
unique in its character that this subject would be incomplete if omit-
ted. The parties to be married were William C. Ward and Miss
Askins. Now, William was in somewhat straitened circumstances,
so much so, at least, that he was not able to go to Shelbyville to
procure the license (the bride lived in Shelby county). Mr. Ward
was well acquainted with “Uncle” Johnny Freeland, the county
clerk, so he approached Mr. Freeland, and frankly told him he
wanted to get married, but was not able to pay for the license ;
that if he would issue him the license he would pay him in a short
time with shingles. The license was issued, and William went
away happy. The shingles were furnished as per agreement, and
the first house built in town by Mr. Freeland was covered with
those shingles. It is only a year or two since the carpenter tore
away the old relic.
FIRST GROCERY LICENSE.
The first house built upon the court-house square was first used
for a saloon. It was built upon the ground now occupied by the
City Book Store. The license was taken out by the firm of Snyder
& Cox. According to the order passed by the Board, they had to
pay $25 for the same. This was in the summer of 1846, but we
find from the record that from some cause it was rescinded in
March following, 1847. This was not the first saloon kept in Sulli-
van, but it was the first that was licensed. In 1845 Joe Earp kept
a saloon in the same building, no license then being required.
FIRST CIRCUIT COURT.
As there was no court house, and in fact no county seat, at the
organization of the county, the first circuit court was held at the
residence of James Camfield, the second week in May, 1843.
Judge Samuel H. Treat, now Judge of the United States District
Court at Springfield, was then upon the bench. The all-absorbing
- case then on the docket was the case of The People vs. John Garner.
Alexander Dunbar and J. Wilson Ross were attorneys for the de-
fendant, and James McDougal, afterwards United States Senator
from California, was State’s attorney. It seems from the indictment
that said Garner was charged for an assault to kill with an ax one
Greenbury Cunningham ; but through the good engineering of the
defendant’s counsel, or tough swearing on the part of his witnesses,
Garner was acquitted on the plea of self defense.
There is one other case that occurred only two years afterward
that cut such a figure in Moultrie county’s first history that we
cannot refrain from introducing it under this head. We have care-
fully traced page after page of the county commissioners’ record
in order to give in full the cost to the county of this case; and we
will say here that the case referred to cost the county more than
one-half of its entire revenue of that year. It occurred in 1845.
We have reference to the case of The People vs. Robert A. Barry
(Berry). We simply give the items of expenditure as gleaned from
the record of the county commissioners, of allowances made to
different parties who were entitled to certain expenses, etc.:
Arthur Mitchell, jailor, Coles county. . 2... . -$ 1 87
Jailor of Macon county, for boarding prisoner. . . 28 12
Berry and Snyder, for apprehending . . 40 00
“cc “ cc
» Diawding: 2 vcs oes