BLOODY VEND i',irnriiri;)ii ! ! i l lll'l?!ll,!)ilj^tf! ; u^',,-;^i. : EMBRACING THE EARLY HISI'ORY WILLIAMSON COUNTY ILLINOIS f ^ StvnpM W L I E) R.A FlY OF THL U N I VLR5ITY Of ILLINOIS A Bequest from Marion D. Pratt 9773993 Er9h ilUKDlS ivsm iiHivERSHv Of lumoii HISTORY OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY ILLINOIS From the Earliest Times, Down to the Present, 1876 With An Accurate Account of the Secession Movement, Ordinances, Raids, Etc., Also, a Complete History of Its "Bloody Vendetta," Including All Its Re- condite Causes, Results, Etc., Etc., -BY— M IL O E R WI N Attorney at Law Mine be the friend, less frequent in his prayers, ■Who makes no bustle with his soul's affairs, Whose wit can brighten up a wintry day, And chase the splenetic dull hours away." MARION, ILLINOIS 1876 39665 Copyrighted 1914 by THE HERRIN NEWS HERRIN, ILL. \(^\^ XU^Y^o.^ \A4sWm "iu-xv/tv^ BY WAY OF EXPLANATION. "Not to know what happened before we were born is to remain always a child; for what were the life of man did we not combine present events with the recollec- tions of past ages?" This, said Cicero many ages ago. No community is without a his- tory, and, few, it will be agreed by those of you fortunate enough to peruse the fol- lowing pages, have to offer such an interest- ing history as this one written now nearly! forty years ago of Williamson county. Its author, Milo Erwin, was, in his time, one of the county's most eminent lawyers. Many stories are told about the excitement the, publication of this book caused. It is now. republished for the first time, and with no other intention whatsoever than to enlighten the present generation of the turbulent - period through which this community has ._ passed. In behalf of the well known fami- -- lies connected with the terrible vendetta Lk^ which is here related it should be said that they are now among the best families in the community and some of the persons ^^ named are counted at present, good citizens ^■' who have lived down all odium that once at- tached to their names. The fact that the^e >jlJtias in recent years been a great demand for copies of this rare work of which now probably less than half a dozen copies arei' i:i existence has led us to republish it. With- out claiming any credit whatever except that of preserving in a new edition this val- uable portion of our county's interesting his- tory, we have here reproduced the book practically word for work just as its autlior wrote it, even following as far as practical, the general make up and style of typo- graphy. It is a piece of writing well done and as Charles Dickens would say, "our unhallowed hands shall not disturb it," Hal W. Trovillion, Editor of The News, December 1st, 1914. Herrin, Illinois. TO ^VILLIAM WALLACE CLEMENS MY FRIEND, BECAUSE THE FRIEND OF MY COUNTRY THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED, AS A SLIGHT MEMENTO OF THE EVER-INCREASING REGARD I HAVE FOR HIS PUBLIC SPIRIT, PRIVATE VIRTUES, AND SOLID LEGAL ATTAINMENTS THE AUTHOR. Prefatory Address to the Young Men of Williamson County. Gentlemen : I have now written you a history of your own county, to show you the advantages of civilization, and to give you contentment. It is a "home-spun" book written by a "home- spun" author. The state of society which I have depict- ed is fast fading from the memory of men, and will soon live only in history. You come upon the scenes of life at an eventful and glorious age of the world, when the oppor- tunities for individual progress are so hope- ful. We are the citizens of a common country, and share an undivided interest in her weal or woe; and it may be well for us to look Ijack to the past, on the bright side of mis- fortune; but we must trust to the future, "Though gloomy and cheerless. Prowls the dark past like a ghost at our back." We have lived in the shadow of the gray hairs of our fathers. They have battled long and well to give us a country to live in, and we are the rich inheritors of all the glorious results of their self-denial and pa- triotic devotion. Let us prove ourselves wor- thy of the high destiny for which they offer- ed themselves a sacrifice to common dangers XII PREFATORY ADDRESS. and privations, by living lionorable lives, and showing to the world that with affec- tion we cherish their acts and hallow their memories. They have lived to see the forest con- verted into farms, and have nobly done their part, settling the country and serving it in military and civil capacities. They have left us a great country, and now the duty of de- fense and preservation rests on us. As a slight repayment for the liberty we enjoy, let us ever stand ready to bear arms in de- fense of this grand country, in which v,'e have the hapiness to live, against external and internal foes. The hope of the country is in its young men ; and the hope of the young men is in the strength of their integrity. Live temper- ately, deal justily, and respond in every act to the demands of conscience, and you will have an even chance in the human race for worldly prosperity and recognition. You owe the duty of education and moral culture to yourselves; to your neighbors fair dealing and generosity. Our best friends are at home, those who would do most for us. They dwell by our sides, and if they are our best friends we should be theirs; and if we are we should show it, for in this lies the power of friendship to bless or curse us. These cords of friendship should be treated delicately, and never be broken by fretful, surly and hateful means. Let it be your constant object to strengthen, build up and inprove home folks, for this is the source of our sweetest pleasures and best life. Into PREFATORY ADDRESS. XIII this fountain let no bitter dregs of poison drop. Keep it clear and pure. The miseries of broken friendships plead with you to preserve a high respect for your neighbors at all price. Be true to them if you are false to all else on earth beside. In this view t):e growth of our country becomes sublime and of surpassing interest. While other countries have their tradi- tions to excite them to patriotism, we have the inspiration coming from the names of illustrious men to summon us to great trials and duties. There is no reason why a community of as intelligent, honest and industrious a peo- ple as ours, should not live in peace and plenty. We must learn to denounce crime and punish criminals, and not stand ready to applaud them. Our criminals must lay down their arms, for there never can be peace as long as thej- sleep on them. The law rn.ist be enforced; williou.t this, life will be unsafe and property invaded. Youiig men, help build up a hea'thy pu})]?c sentiment agf'inst crime. I retain as much affection for my mother c(»untry as a common origin inspires; yet I feel a painful revulsion when making a comparison between this county and some others in this state. And I appeal to you by every bond that will bind a good man to his social duty, by every consideration that will awaken a love of county or stir your pride of race, to live true to the highest, purest and most lasting interest of your county. XIV PREFATORY ADDRESS. In writinj? this book I proposed to my- self, as a maxim, that no man should be able from its pages to tell what political party I belong to ; so impartially have I tried to write it. And I hope I will not assume the impu- tation of vanity when I say I believe I have done so. And if I have written a thought or expression calculated to sting the pride or wound the heart of any honest man, I stand in the way of his indulgence, for I have not intended to. No historical work has ever been written, or ever will be, but that some defects can be found in it, especially dealing with events so recent as our Vendetta must the historian lay himself open to these stric- tures. I have aimed to give as full and fair account of our history, with the more recon- dite causes of Vendetta, as I was able. I was so happy as not to displease my friends v^'ith my first attempts at writing, but I dare net raise my hopes so high now. I know that many irate and insulting critics will bugle about this book, and say that my learn- ing is easily gleaned. I will admit that, and ask them to follow my example. The choice of subjects is not at my discreation, f,o that tlie grace and style of my composition is not such as I could wish. As I have not un- dertaken to invent facts, of course I had to draw from many sources, especially our old men and the members of the Vendetha. And I have tried to eliminate from the mass of facts such as would be most interesting to read and remember. I do not want ro be ac- cused of supposing that all heroism, human- ity, generosity and chivalry is in this county, PREFATORY ADDRESS. XV and that all cruelty, rapacity, cowardice and ferocity is among our neighbors. I believe it to be true, and shall try to show that while our Vendetta has been signalized by ^ome deeds disgraceful to human nature, the vyen- eral behavior of our people has been such as would do honor to mankind, and exalt the prestige of our name. That Liberty, Progress, Knowledge, Vir- tue and Peace may be the lot and destiny of our people, is as much the fervent aspiration as it is the consoling faith of MILO ERWIN. Marion, 111., December 1st, 1876. THE HISTORY —OF— WILLIAMSON COUNTY ILLINOIS. OF THE COUNTRY. In 1512, Juan Ponce de Leon discovered Florida, and the whole of our country was claimed by Spain, by virtue of this discov- ery, under the name Florida. The earliest settlement was made in Illinois in 1680, and two years afterward, the Mississippi having been discovered by DeSoto, the Frencn took formal possession of the valley of the Mi'-;- sissippi, and in honor of Louis, King of France, named in Louisiana. Soon after that event this country began to be called the Illi- nois country, after a powerful tribe of In- dians by that name. In 1763, by a treaty be- tween England and France, this country be- came an English province, and remained as such until it was surrendered to the United States by the John Jay treaty in 1796. -F 2 2 THE HISTORY OP After the formal surrender of the North- west Territory to the United States, it was divided into five counties. The portion of the Territory in which WilHamson county is embraced belonged to St. Clair county, with Kaskaskia as the county seat, in which condition it remained until 1809, when Illi- nois was organized into a Territory proper. Congress appointed a Governor over this Territory who, in order to execute the laws, was authorized to lay out the Territory into counties, which he did ; and this portion of the Territory which had hitherto been part of St. Clair county, now fell into Gallatin county, where it belonged until Illinois was admitted into the Union in 1818, and Franklin county was taken off the west side of Gallatin. In 1839, Franklin county was divided by act of the Legislature, and the southern half called Williamson county. Under the Territorial government the Gov- ernor appointed the magistrates and other officers, and they had to be freeholders; but since the admission of the State they have all been elected, and property qualification abolished. Williamson county is twenty-four miles long from east to west, and eighteen from north to south. It contains 432 square miles, and 276,480 acres of land. At present it is WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 3 divided into twelve townships and fifteen voting precincts. The surface of the county is level, with the exception of some rough land along its south side. It is traversed by a copious supply of large streams and their tributaries. The Saline and Crab Orchard run the whole length through the south side, and Big Muddy River cuts deeply into the northwest corner, while Pond and Lake Creeks wind and twist themselves along the northern portion until they come to what is known as the Scatters of Pond Creek, which is a swamp for two miles in ex- tent, covered with tall grass, where the creek soaks lazily along among the tufts of grass, finally forming a stream again and empty- ing into Big Muddy. There are ten separate and distinct veins of bituminous coal in this county, which spreads out and underlies three-fourths of its surface, and in dozens of places crops out where it can be cheaply and easily min- ed ; and the veins average nine feet in thick- ness. No country on the globe is better sup- plied with coal than this county. When our fathers came here, they found these vast, silent, virgin plains unclaimed, untouched, untilled, hedgeless, free to all. Field-like in wastes, yet fertile, awaiting, full of charms and loveliness, the smiling .face of man. On entering the county jfrom 4 ' ■ THE HISTORY OF the east side an immense floe stretched westward beyond the reach of vision; the burning landscape was gashed with deep ravines, against whos3 rocky throats an old tree formed a pent-house on this silent main for travelers against rain and tempest. No sound broke nature's solemn repose. The summer breeze rocked itself to sleep in the elm boughs, and only the waning moon seem- ed alive, as it climbed up a cloudless sky, passing starry sentinels, whose mighy chal- lenge was lost in the vast vortexes of blue, as they paced the ceaseless rounds in the can- opy of constellations. Many a beautiful lit- tle lake, without a ripple, lay hid in the tall grass, reflecting the birds that passed over them, and from their clear bosom gave back the polished beauty of the heavens above. The northern and southern portions of the county were well timbered; but the cen- tral was a vast barrens, without a shrub, ex- cept on the streams ; but is now heavily tim- bered. There are nine beautiful little prai- ries in the county, averaging about three square miles each, the edges of which were studded with low trees — crab apples, haw- thorns, red buds, etc., which bloomed in the spring, making most romantic scenery. Many of these little groves remain to this day, with Nature's own rich festooning hung, and afford a splendid retreat for pic- WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 5 nics. But there is nothing in a tree alone to please; it is the variety which Nature gives that makes the complex emotions and beau- tiful sensations in men. She has been pro- fuse. She spreads blossoms over the face of the country. Flowers hang like jewels from boughs; but she puts on no unneces- sary paint. More sweetness would cloy the palate, more beauty would pale the sight. There is no room for a man to call up a more delightful theme. The trees had a gorgeous drapery of flowers and coniferous vines, and the horizontal limbs rose by regular stag- ings, one above the other, where the rural deities revealed in their own sylvan soli- tudes, wearing their wreaths twined by the rosy fingers of Romana, and the spicy odors swept up the drowsy upland all day from the forest and prairie meadows, while the air was lifting clustering rings of dark clouds above. This was a lovely home for the Red Man, where the dews of Egypt killed roses and vines for him, and Nature, with her sweet influence, taught him to love and adore the Great Spirit in this fair haven of happiness and repose, too pure and stain- less to be sullied by immorality. But Nature is not lavish; she spreads her white robes in the spring, and reserves her red until autumn. When our fathers came here, they found 6 THE HISTORY OF the grass higher than their heads, and for twenty years it was the best range that man ever saw, until the farmers stopped the hunters from burning the woods. When this was done, the leaves killed the grass, and up came the bushes. Some of this tall grass grows on the scatters of Pond Creek every year. They found a great deal of wet land, or swamps. On account of the vegetation' growing so thick and rank, the water could not run off fast. Our fathers found herbs for medicine and beverage. There was savey and thyme for broth, sage for sausage, pink-root for worms, and worm-wood for bruises, flowers for bouquets, and apples for friends. In these rude solitudes was the bright golden paw-paw apple, six inches long and three in diameter, mellow and sweet, but not very delicious. There were ferns and water-lilies with long deep green, shiny leaves standing near the virgin poplar, with its cluster of leaves waving against the blue sky, which sent out its shady radiance like the borealis waves its ghastly banners over a midnight sky. These prairies ripple and glitter yet ; but wherever civilized man has put his foot, it has left its print, and now wild briars, thorns and thistles have grown up to choke out the sv/eet blossoms which once bloomed over this county. The forests are cut down in many WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 7 places, and rich mansions point their steeples and spires up to heaven. Rich exotic and tropical plants mingle their patrician odors with the tints of our native blue-bells and ladies' slippers. But some of our fathers came here when the glad sound of waters was not heard; when the streams were locked in the icy shackles of winter; when the grass lay bur- ied beneath autumnal snows ; when the winds went wailing over the desolate brightness, and the cypress, with its countless, interlac- ed branches of hoary gray, stood up like a li)]e of giant ghosts, an aspect of desolation and death. When they came here they found no monuments of past greatness; no Coli- seum lay in a pile of ruins; no Obelisk of Sesotris pointed its alabaster finger to the eternal source of light; no Pyramids frown- ed down upon them; no battle-scars were seen. There were no towering evergreens, Oriental bowers, or statuary. It was a vir- gin land, with delightful nooks, shady re- treats, creeping vines, wrestling amid the forest of perpetual green, and barren dis- tricts, with the storm-brand of ages on their breast. It was a new land. Her greatness was all in the future — her history yet to be made and written, except where it had been v/ritten by Nature's legible hand. It was a land of trees; a land of flowers; a land of 8 THE HISTORY OF plains and brooks and vales ; a land in whose dark, deep dells of the garden of Memory lie? embedded ; in whose blessed retreats the aged pioneer can refresh and strengthen himself, and drink in anew the pearly streams of happiness that rippled along its sunlit banks; a land where imagination can wing her proud flight from lofty realms to realms more lofty still; until fancy, with all her images, is fatigued and overwhelmed, and falls in silence and admiration at the feet of the majestic works of God. OF GAME. In an early day these prairies and wood- lands were well filled with wild animals. The buffalo, which once roamed over this county in unbroken herds of countless hundreds, were not seen here as late as 1810; but many of their trails remain to this day. They would feed on Phelps and Poor Prairies, and in the evening go to the Crab Orchard for water; and they wore out deep paths to the creek. One of these trails can be seen from G. L. Owen's, and one from A. B, Scurlock's to the creek. But deer was here in large droves as late as 1848, and even yet are some wandering ones found. In an early day they were seen in great gangs, feeding on the rich and verdant herbage that carpet- ed our emerald meadows. Sometimes thei breathless stillness of the forest would be WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 9 broke by the crack of a rifle, and hundreds of wolves would hold their midnight carni- val over the remains of one of these noble animals. Bears were found in great num- bers in the bottoms. Elk left in a few years after the bison. Wildcats, raccoons, skunks, otters, minks, ground hogs, squirrels, opossum, rabbits, etc., are still found in abundance. Until within a few years the blood-shot eye of the catamount might be seen glaring in the foliage. Serpents were here in great profusion — copperheads, black and blue racers, chicken, garter, green and horn snakes, moccasins, adders, etc. ; and as an adjunct to this horrible scene were hun- dreds of rattle snakes. Their huge scaly bodies could be seen shining, as they lay in folds upon hill-sides, and when approached would throw open their mouths in a daring and reckless manner, giving ample warning of their ability and disposition to defend themselves. But they are gone, and soon memory will lose all its wild deer. Thus will perish forever the game which was to our father objects of mutual pleasure and dangers. OF BIRDS. Our fathers did not find those beautiful singing-birds here when they came that we now have. They are creatures of civilized 10 THE HISTORY OP countries, and follow the tide of emigration. But vultures were here, and would flop their broad wings and soar over head in great cJouds when disturbed. Vast flocks of buz- zards circled round and round far up in the blue ether, and made their home in the winds and clouds. Cranes, brants, wild geese, and eagles were seen, and the blue herron would stretch upward with their long, skinny necks at the sight of man. The golden oriole, blue jay, and the flaming red bird di-rted away among the shadowy boughs, and the lark poured his sad sweet notes on the spicy air; plovers, prairie hens, wrens, robins, ravens, crows, blackbirds, pewits, martins, thrush, quail, snipe, king-fisher, mocking-birds, pigeons, doves, yellow ham- mers, blue-birds are very plentiful. There is a buzzard which sails graceful- ly over Northern Percinct to which tradition ascribes a mysterious history. It was caught in a wolf-trap over forty-five years ago; and one leg still hangs down as it flies. It has been kept sight of ever since. In the same locality lives a gray eagle whose mate was shot by Dr. S. M. Mitchell over twenty- five years ago. OF INDIANS. That portion of the Territory lying be- tv\een the Big Muddy on the west, and the WILUAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 11 Wabash on the east, was for over thirty years inhabited by the Shawnee tribe of In- dians. And that west of Big Muddy, to tlie Mississippi, was occupied by the Kaskaskia Indians. In the year 1802, a battle occurred be- tween the two tribes. These tribes would occassionally trespass upon the hunting grounds of each other, from which quarrels ensued, and finally the battle above men- tioned. It was fought by agreement on the half-way ground, in Town Mount Prairie, in the edge of Franklin county, about three miles south-west of Frankfort. The Kas- kaskians were under the command of their chief John DuQuoin, then quite an old man, and a good friend to the whites. The Shaw- nees were commanded by a chief of a treacherous nature, which was probably the cause of the fight. As to the duration of this battle, we have no means of knowing; but the battle-ground itself, though under a high state of cultivation, can yet be locat- ed by the marks. The farms occupied by L. D. Throop and the Dennings, are at the ex- tremes of the battle-field, the main fight tak- ing place a little south of Mr. Throop's resi- dence. A large number of the Shawnees were slain, and the remainder driven to the Big Muddy River, at a point about a quar- ter of a mile below the bridge, on the Frank- 12 THE HISTORY OF fort and DuQuoin road, where, in attempt- ing to cross they were nearly all butchered, and the tribe annihilated. The Kaskaski- as after that held undisputed sway, until the encroachment of the whites drove them be- yond the Mississippi. Since the year 1802 there were a few straggling bands of hunters and fishermen in this county, but no tribe ever again claim- ed it. In consequence of the hostile dispo- sition of the Indians, no white settlements were made this side of Equality until 1804, when seven brothers by the name of Jordan, John and William Browning, Joseph Estes and a man by the name of Barbrey, a broth- er-in-law to the Jordans, came from Smith county Tennessee, and located in Franklin county, and built a fort and block-house on the ground now occupied by the residence of Alexander McCreery. Until 1815 little or no attempt was made by them to cultivate the soil, but they sub- sisted on the products of the woods. In the year 1812, James Jordan and Barbrey went out to gather wood, and they were fired on by the Indians, Barbrey was killed dead and scalped; Jordan was wounded in the legs, but was able to get to the fort. After obtaining re-inforcements from Frank Jor- dan's fort, they started in pursuit of the In- dians and followed them as far as the Okaw WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 13 River, but did not overtake them. Barbrey was buried at the fort, and his grave can be seen at this day. The murder of Bar- brey v^as but a just and inexphcable epitome of that long catalogue of violent deaths, ushered in by the keen crack of the savage Indians' rifle, and ending with the hollow thud of the murderous shot-gun in this county. A large portion of the Shawnee tribe lived in Indiana, and in 1811 were camped on the Tippecanoe, a tributary of the Wa- bash. The great Tecumseh was chief of the Shawnee Indians, and at that time was pre- paring for war against Governor Harrison; and while our government was fighting England, Tecumseh left his tribe in 1811 and taking twelve of his warriors with him, started south to enlist the Creek Indians to join him. He passed through this county, coming into it from the north-east to Ma- rion, where he struck the Kaskaskia trail. He followed it to the Hill place and then on south. About a mile south of Marion he was met and talked to by John Phelps, who had been in the country but a short time and he was frightened very badly. But Tecumseh was a humane Indian and was never known to ill-treat or murder a pris- oner, and denounced all who did, and em- ployed all his authority and eloquence to 14 THE HISTORY OP protect the helpless. In the fall he return- e