History of Stark County, Illinois, Vol 1, 1916
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http://stores.ebay.com/Ancestry-Found http://stores.ebay.com/Ancestry-Found LIBRARY OF THL U N 1VER5 ITY or ILLl NOIS >.\ KLINOIS HISTOSICAL SUMt http://stores.ebay.com/Ancestry-Found JIJI, STARK COUNTY ILLINOIS AND ITS PEOPLE A RECORD OF SETTLEMENT, ORGANIZATION, PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT J. KNOX HALL SUPERVISING EDITOR ILLUSTRATED VOLUME I Chicago THE PIONEER PUBLISHING COMPANY 1916 — ^ -^..f .^r'^y CONTENTS CHAPTER I <^ PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. LOCATIOX AND BOUNDARIES—SURFACE—RIVERS AND CREEKS—GENERAL CHARACTER NATIVE A'EGETATION ANLMALS AND BIRDS GEOLOGY —THE COAL MEASURES—SECTIONS OF MINING SH^Vl'TS—EXTENT OF THE COAL DEPOSITS—BUILDING STONE—THE GLACIAL EPOCH HOAV STARK COUNTY ^VAS FORMED—CHARACTER OF THE GLACIAL DRIFT THE AVATER SUPPIA' 9 CHAPTER II ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS .MOUND BUILDERS FIRST NOTICE OF MOUNDS IN THE UNITED STATES CHARACTER AND STRUCTURE OF THE MOUNDS—EARLY INVESTIGA- TIONS AND THEORIES WORK OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY—DIS- TRICTS IX THE UNITED STATES—WHO WERE THE MOUND BUILDERS MORE THEORIES—RELICS IX THE COUNTY OF STARK—ADAMS AND shallexberger's work 22 CHAPTER III INDIAN HISTORY DISTRIBUTIOX OF IXDIAX NATIO>JS AT THE CLOSE OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY" — THE ILLINOIS — SUBORDINATE TRIBES — THE SACS AND FOXES THE BLACK HAWK WAR DEATH OF BLACK HAWK THE POTTAWATOMI THEIR VILLAGES IN STARK COUNTY SHAB-BO-NEE —TREATIES WITH THE POTTAWATOMI THEIR CHARACTER THE WINNEBAGO INDIAN NA:MES 31 \ iii \ I I 0948 I — — iv CONTENTS CHAPTER IV THE PERIOD OF PREPARATION EiiRLY EXPLORATIONS IN AMERICA SPANISH, FRENCH AND ENG- LISH CLAIMS TO TERRITORY IN THE NEA\^ WORLD—THE JESUIT MISSIONARIES—DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI :MARQUETTE AND JOLIET LA SALLE's EXPEDITIONS LOUISIANA CROXAT AND LAW THE MISSISSIPPI BUBBLE—CONFLICT OF INTERESTS—FRENCH AND INDIAN AVAR—ILLINOIS A BRITISH POSSESSION THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION CLARK's CONQUEST OF THE NORTHWEST ILLINOIS UNDER VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS ADMITTED AS A STATE EVOLUTION OF STARK COUNTY—RECAPITULATION 45 CHAPTER V SETTLEMENT OF STARK COUNTY AN OLD TRADING POST EVELAND AND ROSS—ISAAC B. ESSEX THE ORIG- INAL PIONEER—FIRST CABIN IN STARK COUNTY—LIST OF SETTLERS EACH YEAR TO 1839—PIONEER LIFE AND CUSTOMS—THE HOUSE RAISING—FURNITURE AND UTENSILS—SWAPPING WORK—AMUSE- MENTS AND PASTIMES—MARKING ANIMALS—THE OLD TRAPPER's SOLILOQUY 58 CHAPTER VI STARK COUNTY ORGANIZED THE MILITARY LAND GRANT—FORGED TITLES—FIRST COUNTIES IN THE ILLINOIS VALLEY—STARK COUNTY—THE ORGANIC ACT—FIRST ELEC- TIONS—THE COUNTY SEAT—CHANGE IN GOA'ERNMENT—THE COURT- HOUSE—THE ANNEX—THE COUNTY JAIL—SHERIFF MURCHISON's REPORT—THE POOR FARM—HOW THE COUNTY WAS NAMED 70 CHAPTER VII TOWNSHIP HISTORY ORIGIN OF THE TOWNSHIP—FIRST TOWNSHIPS IN THE UNITED STATES justices' districts in STxVRK COUNTY—ESTABLISHMENT OF CIVIL — CONTENTS V TOAVNSHIPS IX 1853—ELM IRA—ESSEX—GOSHEN—OSCEOLA—PENN —TOULON—VALLEY—WEST JERSEY—MILITARY LAND ENTRIES IN E^CH—HOW THE TOAVNSHIPS AVERE NAMED—EARLY SETTLERS- PRESENT DAY CONDITIONS—RAILROADS—SCHOOLS—POPULATION AND AVEALTH ^^ CHAPTER VIII CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES SPECULATION IN EARLY DAYS—NUMEROUS TOWNS PROJECTED—LIST OF TOAVNS AND VILLAGES IN STARK COUNTY—CITIES OF TOULON AND WYOMING INCORPORATED VILLAGES OF BRADFORD AND LAFAYETTE MINOR VILLAGES HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACPI PRESENT DAY CONDITIONS POSTOFFICES AND RURAL MAIL ROUTES Ill CHAPTER IX MILITARY HISTORY AVAR OF 1812 BLACK HAAVK AA^VR AVAR AVITH MEXICO AA'AR OF 1861- '65—CONDITIONS LEADING UP TO THE AVAR—THE SLAA'ERY QUESTION C0MPR03IISE LEGISLATION—KANSAS-NEBRASKA BILL—POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1860—SECESSION OF THE SLAA'E STATES—FALL OF FORT SUMTER—CALL FOR A'OLUNTEERS—AVAR MEETING AT TOULON—ILLI- NOIS' RESPONSE—EARLY ENLISTMENTS—BRIEF HISTORIES OF THE REGIMENTS IN AVHICH STARK COUNTY AVAS REPRESENTED—ROSTER OF STARK COUNTY COMPANIES—MISCELLANEOUS INFANTRY ENLIST- MENTS—CAA^ALRY SERVICE—ARTILLERY—SOLDIERs' MONUJIENT^ THE AVORK AT HOME 135 CHAPTER X INTERNAL II^IPROVEMENTS EARLY CONDITIONS IN STARK COUNTY—^DIFFICULTIES OF EARLY TRAVEL —INDIAN TRAILS—PUBLIC HIGHAVAYS—KNOXVILLE & GALENA STATE ROAD FIRST ROAD DISTRICTS AND SUPERVISORS PETITIONS AND VIEAVERS MODERN HIGHAVAYS STATE HIGHAVAY COMMISSION- STATE INTERNAL IMPROAEMENTS—ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL —- vi CONTENTS ACT OF 1836 LxUJGE APPROPRIATIONS FOR RIVER IMPROVEMENTS AND RAILRO^VDS THE RAILROAD ERA WESTERN AIR LINE A3IER- ICAN CENTRAL—CHICAGO, ROCK ISLAND &: PACIFIC—CHICAGO, BUR- LINGTON & QUINCY—CHICAGO & NORTHWESTERN—VALUE OF RAIL- ROAD PROPERTY IN THE COUNTY 162 CHAPTER XI FINANCE AND INDUSTRY PUBLIC REVENUES—PROPERTY VALUES—PRINCIPAL FUNDS RAISED BY TAXATION—BANKING INSTITUTIONS—GENERAL HISTORY—EARLY BANKING IN ILLINOIS STARK COUNTY BANKS AGRICULTUItE^ CROP AND LIVE STOCK STATISTICS STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE farmers' INSTITUTES—COAL MINING—MANUFACTURING TELE- PHONE COMPANIES 177 CHAPTER XII EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER OF THE EARLY SCHOOLS—SCHOOLHOUSE AND FURNITURE TEXT-BOOKS SPELLING SCHOOLS—THE THREE r's—PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM—STARK COUNTY SCHOOLS PIONEER TEACHERS—EDUCA- TION^VL PROGRESS BY TOWNSHIPS THE SEMINARY TOULON PUBLIC SCHOOLS—TOULON ACADEMY WYOMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS—SCHOOL OFFICERS TEACHERS^ INSTITUTE—TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION—THE PRESS—BRIEF HISTORIES OF THE VARIOUS NEWSPAPERS—EXTINCT NEAVSPAPERS PUBLIC LIBRARIES WYOJIING TOULON LAFAY- ETTE BRADFORD ELMIRA IJBRARY ASSOCIATION SCHOOL LIBRARIES. ....... ^ 194 CHAPTER XIII THE BENCH AND BAR PURPOSE OF THE COURTS—THE LAWYER AS A CITIZEN—EARLY COURTS OF STARK COUNTY FIRST JURORS SKETCHES OF EARLY JUDGES- LIST OF CIRCUIT JUDGES SINCE 1839—CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING COURTS PROBATE COURT COUNTY COURT AND JUDGES state's ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES COURTS THE BAR CONDI- TIONS OF EARLY DAYS SKETCHES OF OLD-TIME LAWYERS THE BAR OF 1915^—CRIMINAL CASES A STRAY INCIDENT 219 —— COXTENTS vii CHAPTER XIV THE MEDICAL PKOFESSION MEDICINE AX OLD I'UOl-ESSION HOME-:\rADE liEMEDIES CHARACTKli Ol'' THE PIONEER DOCTOR HIS METHODS OF TREATMENT^ HARDSHIPS OF FRONTIER PRACTICE—STANDING OF THE DOCTOR AS A CITIZEN STARK COUNTY DOCTORS—BRIEF SKETCHES OF OLD-TIME PHYSICIANS —STARK COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY—REGISTERED PHYSICIANS IN 191.3.... 236 CHAPTER XV CHURCH HISTORY DIFFICULTIES IN AVRITING CHURCH HISTORY—JESUIT MISSIONARIES THE METHODISTS—PEORIA MISSION THE BAPTISTS THE PRESBY- TERIANS THE CONGREGATIONALISTS LATTER DAY SAINTS^—CHRIS- TIANS OR DISCIPLES—THE UNIVERSALISTS—UNITED BRETHREN THE CATHOLICS—HISTORIES OF THE VARIOUS CONGREGATIONS MISCELLANEOUS RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 240 CHAPTER XVI SOCIETIES AND FRATERNITIES MUTUAL PROTECTION SOCIETY ITS AUMS AND OBJECTS—AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND FAIR ASSOCIATIONS OLD SETTLERs' ASSOCIATION THE LOG CABIN OLD SETTLERS' MONUMENT LETTERS FROM PIONEERS MASONIC FRATERNITY ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS—DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC—TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES—MISCEL- LANEOUS SOCIETIES '2C}(> CHAPTER XVII MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY PURPOSE OF THIS CHAPTER—FIRST THINGS—PRICES AND AYAGES—LIN- COLN AND DOUGLAS AT TOULON—THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FOUNTAIN AV ATKINS TELLS A STORY-—A RESOLUTION THE FIRST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN INDIAN RETALIATION HUNTING IN EARLY DAYS—THE MORMON PROPHET—A POLITICAL HERO 280 viii CONTENTS CHAPTER XVIII STATISTICAL REVIEW POPULATIOX AT EACH UNITED STATES CENSUS—CONSTITUTIONAL CON- VENTIONS—CONGRESSION.VI. DISTRICTS—GENERAL ASSE5IBLY—HOW STARK HAS BEEN REPRESENTED IN THE LEGISLATURE OEITCIAL ROS- TER—LIST OF PUBLIC OFFICLXXS SINCE 1839—VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AT EACH ELECTION SINCE 1840—SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL E^'ENTS CONNECTED WITH THE COUNTy's HISTORY 305 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS UR6ANA J. KNOX HALL History of Stark County CHAPTER I PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. LOCATIOX AND BOUNDARIES SURFACE RIVERS AND CREEKS GENERAL CHARACTER NATIVE VEGETATION ANIMALS AND BIRDS GEOLOGY —THE COAL MEASURES—SECTIONS OF MINING SHAFTS—EXTENT OF THE COAL DEPOSITS—BUILDING STONE—THE GLACIAL EPOCH—HOW STARK COUNTY AVAS FORJIED CHARACTER OF THE GLACIAL DRIFT THE WATER SUPPLY. Stark County is situated northwest of the center of the state, its western Hue being about fifty miles from tlie INIississippi River at Keithsburg. and its northern bounthiry is eighty-seven miles from the \\'isc()nsin state line. On the north it is bounded by the counties of Rureau and Henry; on the east l)y Rureau and Marshall counties; on the south by Peoria County, and on the west by Knox and Heiu-y cdunties. It embraces Congressional townshi])s 12 and 13 north. 12. Range o east; townships 12. l.'i and U, Range (i; and townships contains thirty-six I."J and 14, Range 7. As each of these townships square miles, the total area of the county is 288 square miles. The general surface of the county is slightly undulating, or roll- ing, except in the vicinity of the Spoon River and at some places along Indian Creek, where it is more or less broken. More than nine-tenths of the 184.320 acres responds easily to cultivation, and the remaining tenth is by no means waste land, though its cultivation is attended by greater effort. Natural drainage is afforded by the Spoon River. Indian and AValnut creeks, Cooper's Defeat, Camping Run, Jack Creek, ]Mud Run, Jug Run and a number of smaller streams. The Spoon River is composed of two branches. The East Fork rises in Rureau County and the West Fork in Henry County, the former flowing in a southwesterly direction and the latter toward the 10 IIISTORV OF STARK COUNTY southeast until they form a junction in the northeastern part of Tou- lon Township, Stark Countj'. From this point the main stream fol- lows a general southerly course through the townships of Toulon and Essex. It finally empties into the Illinois River near the town of Havana, Mason County. The Indian name of this stream was "]Maquon," which in the Pottawatomi language means "Feather," certainly a more euphonious name than the one adopted by the white people. Indian Creek, the second largest stream in the county, has its source not far from the town of Galva, Henry County. It enters Stark County about two miles west of the northeast corner of Goshen Township, and follows a general southeasterly direction until it empties into the Spoon River a short distance above the old settlement known as Slackwater.