,«»— ?^?Ste^ ^SU S' y L I B RAFLY OF THE U N 1 VLR.5 ITY or ILLl NOIS PI4- cop-2. lU. HIST. SURVEY / (o HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY, ILLINOIS WITH LIFE SKETCHES AND PORTRAITS BY O. J. PAGE, Editor " Journal-Republican." Member Forly-Flrsi General Assembly. IN I WO PARTS. PARI ONE— HISTORICAL. ' 97 yp I ( 7 f 4 PirMcattoit* To a drcoted and sacrificing uife, to a host of friends and to the stalwart citizenship of Massac County, we dedicate this work. AUTHOR ^llxnoxB. By thy river gently flowing, Illinois, Illinois, Illinois, O'er the prairie verdant grooving, Illinois, Comes an echo o'er the breeze. Rustling through the leafy trees; Illinois, Illinois, And its mellow tones are these, Illinois, Illinois. And its mellow tones are these, From a wilderness of prairie, Illinois, Illinois, Illinois, Straight thy way and never varies, Illinois, ' Till upon the inland sea Stands thy great commercial tree, Illinois, Turning all the world to thee, Illinois, Illinois. Turning all the world to thee, Illinois, When you heard your country calling, Illinois, Illinois, Illinois, When the shot and shell were falling, Illinois. When the Southern host withdrew, Pitting Gray against the Blue, Illinois, There were none more brave than you, Illinois, Illinois, There were none more brave than you, Illinois, Not without thy wondrous story, Illinois, Illinois, Can be writ the Nation's glory, Illinois, Illinois, On the record of the years Abr'am Lincoln's name appears. Grant and Logan and our tears, Illinois, Illinois, Grant and Logan and our tears, Illinois, Illinois. ERRATA. KEAD— (a) Louis XlVth p. \:\ instead of "LiMiis XlXtli." 4:{. (h) 1827-I8:n I). instcjul of ••1S72-188:}." (c) John H. Mulki'v instead of "John (\ Miilkcv," ]». 71. (d) July, 1841), p. 78, instead of •'1S44 or isir..'" mikI Kim- in stead of "Davison." [o) John II. Noiris instead of "Morris," p. SO. (f) Uncle instead of ''father," p. 91, line 32. (g) Dr. S. J. Rhoads in.stead of "O. J. Page," author, p. 90. (h) Janirs E. (Jowan. M. I)., came to the conntv 1S<;4. grad- uated at tlif Kiisli Mt'dical College, and cntcMcd upon i lon^ an<l succc'^stiil i»ra<rM«'. He diiMl in 1S99. (i) M(*sdani<*s Maiinda Lafont instead of "Fafont,"' j*. S(i. near bottom page, 'j) John L. Turnbo f(U- ".John II. Turnbo," i). 2'M. headinu. (k) Hon. (Jeorj^e W. Pillow instead of "CJeorge II. I'lllow," p. 310, heading. INDEX. PART l"History. 78 < Regulators and Flat Heads Preliminary Events "9 Fort Massac and Concurrent Events., lo Mobs SO Fort Massac ^^ Newspapers Conspiracies about Fort Massac 32 Secret Orders 83 Physical Geography 34 Medicine 90 Peoples 40 Items of Interest 95 Political History 42 Religious History 100 "2 County Organization City 128 Reminiscences 64 Metropolis Massac County Bar "1 Pope County History 138 PART Il.=-3ketches and Reminiscences. METROPOLIS PRECINCT 175 GEORGE'S CREEK 339 GOLCONDA CITIZENS 264 New Columbia 339 BROOKLYN PRECINCT 2S4 Samoth 340 Brooklyn Circuit S28 JOHNSON COUNTY 352 Cumberland Presbyterianism in Massac JACKSON PRECINCT.... 365 County 329 FRAGMENTS 383 Adams, Frank, Mayor 278 Morgan, Ike L 364 Adluns, Dr. A. E 379 Moselev, Thomas J 3<2 Atwell, Samuel, Captain 177 Mozley, Dr. C. A 292 Barham, R. C 247 Muse, Rev. Eben ^''K Bonifield, W. H 323 Norris, Dr. J. H 245 Brinnen. C. W 349 Nutty, A. F -^50 202 Brown, Colonel W. R Orr, Dr. J .A 207 Chapman, Hon. P. T 353 Otey. C. R ??? Choat, Green B 232 Owen, Wesley '^'^ 235 Cook, Elder A. R Paris, D. L 36-5 2-57 Copeland, Major L. W Pell, Mitchell 291 360 Cowan, D. J Peter, Col. R. A 222 S02 Cummins, Lewis Peter, Capt. J. A 223 305 Cummins, Dr. J. T Pillow. Geo. W 310 Deane, Daniel 375 Pollard, Dr. R. H 340 Delavan, Judge B. J 202 Poor, S. D 198 Durfee Charles 277 Frestlv, Prof. William M 193 3C8 Elliott, James 377 Fryor, Elder D. R Evers, John W 183 Ragsdale, Dr. A. C 216 261 Fisher, Dr. H. C 224 Rankin, Col. Benj 1^9 Pry, J. W 301 Revnolds. J. M Rhoads, Dr. Solomon J 251 Gilbert, John ,265 Robv, Tillman 248 Gilliam, W. H 359 _3i3 371 Robarts, Judge J. P Giltner, C. A Rose, Hon. James A 264 Gore, Thonias M 362 Rush, George 300 Gowan, Dr. J. E 197 Green, Hon. W. H 278 Samson, Walter 320 Sawver, Judge George 19" Hankins, M. A 363 Scott, Rev. J. H Ill Ilarker, Judge O. 313 A Scofield, Rev. Edward 109 Helm, Hon. D. W ISl 1^34 211 Sexton, E. O Helm, Dr. J. A Sedberry, H. L 277 Hilliard. Captain E. 220 W Shoemaker, S. S 227 Hodge, Professor J. H 271 376 Skaggs, Hon. C. P. - Jobe, Han. James E 3S1 Spence, Elder W. A 350 Jones, Hon. B. 382 Stone, D. R 296 Kerr, Hon. S. B 242 Swan, Rev. B. C 25( Kerr, Tony R 268 Teitloff, Charles W 324 King, Hon. J. W 274 Thompson. Judge D. G 266 Kraper, W. H 212 Tindall, W. H 324 219 231 Trovillion, Dr. C. E Lafont, Eugene 380 272 Trovillion. Dr. M. H Lav, Joseph 236 Leeper, R. T 330 Turnbo. J. L Leeper, R. Bvrd 333 Vickers. Judge A. K. 355 Lytton, R. B 299 Walker, Wayne A. 267 Martin, William 309 Walbright, Dr. G. W 262 Martin, G. B 280 Webb, Dr. Chenault 373 McBride, Charles D 347 Whitley, Hon. M. S 377 McBride, John 348 Whiteside. Judge W. A 273 McCartney. Hon. R. W 175 Willis. Hon. J. C 239 McCartney. Captain J. F 252 Wolfe. Elder G. Lay 295 McCartnevProlessor M. N 356 Woods, Capt. Elisha Thomas 366 McCartnev, Professor W. P 227 "Wright, William 211 194 McKee, R. G. B ^VymoTe, Dr. J. \\' / 344 Moore, W. H 2C5 Morris, Rev. W. T 280 Young, Hon. G. W. 317 Morris Colfax 186 Young, Hon. J. D.. 287 Morgan, Thomas S 343 Young, Fred R 233 PREFA CE. This book is publislied to pifscrvo interesting and im- portant historical data of onr county; to record events in the li\es of worthy citizens, dead ami liviii};; thun^ii fr:iu}j:iit witli many dis<-oni"i^enients and niicious toil, onr task is (h)ne. Von view the result of our laliois. and |tass judLiUient llieretin. It is not i)erfe< t —snrely not jnst as yon wonid ha\e it. kiml reader— bnt jierfiM-t thinj;s :ire not to be «*xpect»*d of others, than ouiS4'lv»'S. After passing; the < old deductions of your criticisms, may we not ask a fia<;nn*nt of consolation in tin* fact that (»ur intentnnis wvw woithy of commendation, at least, an«l may we ask of yon, dear critic, what yon did to aid the right in the preservation of our country's history '.' We thank our friemls who have contributed in any way to the success (»f the •llislury of Massjic County" and liujte it may receive a ^^eiientus receptiou at the hands of the jiublic. (>. ,1. TAiJE. Metropolis. 111.. Sept. 1. liiilO. Hon. Robert Wilson McCartney. FRONTISPIECE. HISTORY OF Massac County. CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY EVENTS. ( O. J. PAGE.) the bcj^hiiiiiii; God ci'calcd the heavens aiul llie IK earth." "*Aud God said. Let us make man in our own iniajiv; in the image of (lod created lie him; mak- and fennde created He them." "And the Lord God phmted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man and woman lie liad formed." ^ This is the sacred historical record of man's origin and first home in Eden, supposed to have been located in tlie valley of the Euphrates in Western Asia. From this "paradise" he has peopled the earth amid zones of icebergs and snow, as well as meadows of lilies and orange groves. Diffei'ent climatic conditions have changed his skin, and varied environments have multiplied liis languages until today wc have diflferent race:-: and many tongues. From the biith of T'lirist back to "'he Itegiuning" the period of time is uiicerlaiu l»ii( vague speculation. Usher's Hiblical chronology lixes it at 4.004 years. It cei-tainly was longer. Nations aros<* in the vigor of youth, (iourished and decaved. Successive! v over eat li oilici's ruins was erected a 8 History of grander civilization in the evolution of man. China, Egypt, Persia, Judea, Athens and Eome bloomed and withered. In the 15th centurs" civilization and trade hugged the Mediterranean sea, satisfied in the folly that the shores its waves were wont to kiss was all th(^ world. Spain, now a b}'- word, was fast becoming a mighty nation. Franco. England, the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy were also strong and ven- turesome. In intellect men were broadening; commercially and in area their nations keenly felt the restriction imposed upon them. New and shorter routes to Cathay, and new routes to unknown fields must soon be found. Navigators and geographers did not di-eam the earth was round. Sailing was done near the frequented shore in small vessels. Deadly fear of hideous monsters prevented voyagers from attempting to cross the broad Atlantic, which bore upon its restless waves messages unread of the most inviting and fruitful land the hand of God had formed. The hour and man arrived. Christopher Columbus, born in the seafaring town of Genoa, Italy, a studious boy an<l thoughtful man was the ''chosen one" to brave the ignorance of the age and boldly sail where man had never been and open a new route of boundless possibilities.