LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
977.3793
W15h
I.H.S.
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JOHN A. WALL.
WALL'S HISTORY
OF
JEFFERSON COUNTY
ILLINOIS
By JOHN A. WALL
ILLUSTRATED
B. F. BOWEN (& COMPANY, PUBLISHERS INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
1909
VV \ ^ H
PUBLISHERS' PREFACE
All life and achievement is evolution; present wisdom comes from past experience, and present commercial prosperity has come only from past exertion and suffering. The deeds and motives of the men that have gene before have been instrumental in shaping the destinies of later communities and states. The development of a new country was at once a task and a privilege. It required great courage, sacrifice and privation. Compare the present conditions of the residents of Jefferson county, Illinois, with what they were one hundred years ago. From a trackless wilderness and virgin prairie it has come to be a center of prosperity and civilization, with millions of wealth, systems of intersecting railways, grand educa- tional institutions, marvelous industries and immense agricultural productions. Can any thinking person be insensible to the fascina- tion of the study which discloses the incentives, hopes, aspirations and efforts of the early pioneers who so strongly laid the foundation upon which has been reared the magnificent prosperity of later days? To perpetuate the story of these people and to trace and record the social, political and industrial progress of the community from its first inception is the function of the local historian. A sincere pur- pose to preserve facts and personal memoirs that are deserving of preservation, and which unite the present to the past is the motive for the present publication. The work has been in the hands of able writers, who have, after much patient study and research, produced here the most complete biographical memoirs of Jeffer- son county, Illinois, ever offered to the public. A specially valu-
able and interesting department is that one devoted to the sketches of representative citizens of this county whose records deserve per- petuation because of their worth, effort and accomplishment. The publishers desire to extend their thanks to these gentlemen who have so faithfully labored to this end. Thanks are also due to the citizens of Jefferson county for the uniform kindness with v/hich they have regarded this undertaking, and for their many services rendered in the gaining of necessary information.
In placing "Wall's History of Jefferson County, Illinois," be- fore the citizens, the publishers can conscientiously claim that they have carried out the plan as outlined in the prospectus. Every biographical sketch in the work has been submitted to the party in- terested, for correction, and therefore any error of fact, if there be any, is solely due to the person for whom the sketch was prepared. Confident that our efforts to please will fully meet the approbation of the public, we are.
Respectfully,
The Publishers.
EDITOR'S STATEMENT
Having been a citizen of Jefferson County and Mount Vernon since the Presidential campaign of 1840, when WiUiam Henry Harrison was elected, and having accepted a request of Messrs. B. F. Bowen and Company, to edit a plain, succinct History Qi Jef- ferson County, I naturally desired to make it as complete as possible and have taken pains to arrive at the facts and give the pioneers of the county the praise due them by a gratefulposterity. We have also tried to give proper credit to those who have from time to time dur- ing the century, striven to keep the moral trend of the county upward. The history of a county is best told in the lives of its people. It is safe to say that the life of every good citizen is a lesson that should not be lost to those who follow. The good man who pur- sues the even tenor of his way, not seeking the applause of men — always seeking to do the right thing at the right time and in the right way is the man who deserves a place in our history and we have carefully sought these characters that we might place their names m our Jefferson County History. "They have done what they could." It has been our desire to make this volume a prized treasure to this and succeeding generations because of the facts contained in it, and in view of this, we have gratefully accepted the aid given by many old timers, from their recollections of the "long ago." We have drawn liberally from the writing of our old-time friend. Dr. Adam C. Johnson, the old Jefferson county historian, without which this history would be incomplete. History cannot be changed and the only change we have made is to state the facts in
our own simple way. Kindly thanking one and all for the assistance rendered, we can but breathe a fervent prayer that we may all meet in the grand reunion in the sweet beyond, where we may meet those noble spirits gone before and talk over "Old Times." away back in old Jefferson. "With malice toward none, but with charity for all," we herewith present the reader with the result of our labors in trying to bring the main features of Jefferson county history down to the present date.
John A. Wall.
INDEX.
HISTORICAL
A Dream 309
Agricultural Societies 223
Albright, J 112
Anderson, Stinson H 58
Appellate Court 103
A Word to the Boys of Today.. 323
Baker, John 116
Bald Hill Township '. 1S8
Banks and Banking 253
Bar, The 103
Barretts, The 233
Barrett, Joshua P 2SV
Baugh Family 87
Beecher, Judge Edwin 107
Benevolent Orders 160
Bigotry vs. Fanaticism 32V
Blair, William C 114
Black Hawk War 113
Blissville Township 187
Building Materials 44
Cahokias 20
Carpenter, Robert 115
Casey Family 79
Casey, Lewis F 108
Casey, Judge T. S 106
Casey, Zadok 55
Casner Township 186
Child Lost 289
Church History 143
Civil War 121
Clark, Col. George Rogers 21
Clifford, Rev. Zenas 287
Closing Scene 332
Coal 42
County Officers 48
County Seat, Selection of 31
Courts 103
Crews, Seth P 109
Cyclone, The 219
Dodds Township 194
Dry Summers 297
Early Settlers 53
Educational Statistics 141
Egyptian Torchlight 166
Eightieth Regiment 127
Elk Prairie Township 192
Exponent, The 168
Farthing, Robert M 116
Farrington Township 196
Fairs, County 223
Fergerson, J. E 232
Field Township 193
First Balloon in Jefferson County. 208
First Public Buildings 33
Formation of Jefferson County .. 24,,
Formative Period 17
Fortieth Regiment 123
Forty-fourth Regiment 123
Forty-ninth Illinois 125
G. A. R., The 227
Geology 41
Gibson, Sam 232
Government Experiment Station.. 325 Government of Jefferson County.. 184
Grand Prairie Township 185
Grants to the Railroad 97
Great Droughts 297
Green, A. M 109
Green, William H., Sr 108
Green, William H 113
Happenings From Way-Back 284
Harriss, C. W 114
Havnes, George M Ill
Hicks, Col 112
Hill, John H 286
Historical Incident 213
INDEX
Historical Items ^'^0
Hobbs, Thomas H 232
Horticultural Societies 223
Identity or Personality 32G
mini ly
Illinois Admitted to the Union . . 24
Illinois Chronologically 25
Improvements 35
Irrigation 325
Jefferson County 41
Jefferson Democrat 169
Johnson Family 83
Johnston, Edward N 69
Johnston. Noah 6')
Joy, Rev. Epliriam ■. 286
Oldest Settlers
Old Settlers' Associations
One on General Anderson
One Hundred Tenth Regiment..
Optimistic
Ore, George L
Organization of Jefferson County.
Kaskaskia, Old Keller, C. A. .
20 109
Last o£ the Mohicans 309
Later Dates 276
Leonard. George B 110
Living Too Fast 324
Location Jefferson County 41
Love and the Law 267
McAtee, Edward 23t)
McClellan Township 192
Maxeys. The •• . . . 82
Medical Fraternity 201
Merchants 237
Mexican War 120
Military History 118
Mineral Resources 4^;
Morrison, Bob 112
More About Old Settlers 77
Morn, Noon and Night 333
Moore's Prairie Township 199
Moss, Norman H 116
Moss, Ransom 231
Mound Builders 17
Mount Vernon 33-37-62-70
Mount Vernon's Guardian 166
Mount Vernon's Great Cyclone . . 215
Mount Vernon of Today 314
Mount Vernon Township 194
Mount Vernon 240
Myths Exploded 263
Nelson, Richard S 109
News, The 167
Nuggets Picked Up by the Way- side 284
Old Folks' Reunion 225
Pace Family
Pace Family Reunion
Pace, James M
Pace, William T
Patton, C. H
Pavey, Gen. C. W. . .
Peavler, Eugene
Pendleton Township .
Physicians
Pierce, Jarvis
Piercy, Norman A. . . .
Pioneer School
Politics
Pollock, James L. ... Pollock, James M. . . .
Pollock, W. C
Postofflces
Practical Abolition . .
Preston, Finney
Press, The
Progressive Farmer . Public Buildings
Railroads
Reunions
Roads, First
Roll of Honor
Roll of Honor Especial
Rome Township
Runaway Slaves
Sacred Holidays
Satterfield, Judge J. R.
Satterfield, E. V
Scates, Walter B
Schools in the County
Schools of the Present Day
Schools in Town
Schools in Mount Vernon
Schul, Conrad
Seat of Justice, The Permanent..
Second Court House
Shiloh Township
Sixtieth Regiment
Smith, Kirby
Social Converse
Soil, Products, etc
Soldiers' Reunions
Spanish-American War
230 225 285 128 330 116 47
SS 226 111 113 110 228 114 198 201 233 116 132 172 115 110 110 240 288 112 163 170
34
95 223
91 300 302 189 288
257 231 112 104 134 132 135 132 115 64 73 190 126 115 257 45 228 130
INDEX
Spring Garden Township 195
Stratton, S. T 232
Supreme Court lUS
" Tanner, Tazewell B 105
Telegraph and Telephone 246
Temperance Work in Mount Ver- non 154
Thatcher, John R 286
The New Year 264
Then and Now 314
ToUe, James B 236
Tribute to Woman 26b
Tromley Family 233
Turning Over a New Leaf 265
Virginia Ceded to the United States IS
Wall, John A 335
War of 1812 118
War for the Union 121
Warrens, The 233
Watson Family 85
Watson, Albert 113
Watson, Asa 296
Watson, Joel F 113
Water 43
Webber Township 197
Webb, A. D 114
White, W. N Ill
Wilbanks, R. A. D Ill
Wright, Greenbury 112
BIOGRAPHICAL
Allen, James A 494
Allen, John R 412
Arendale, D. H., M. D 446
Arthurs, W. C 431
Baugh, Joel V 440
Beck, J. 0 615
Blair, Hon. William C 560
Bogan, John Stewart 408
Bray, Harry F 421
Brumbaugh, Beechworth 457
Casey, Wesley B 500
Chaney, W. S 532
Cooper, Samuel D 590
Emmerson, Louis L 508
Fairchild, George Warren 605
Farmer, Frank P 477
French, Arthur T 592
Gee, Isaac G., M. D 505
Gilmore, Wilbur H 573
Gilbert, Gale G 416
Green, George E 583
Green, Hon. William H 397
Hall, Andy, M. D 518
Ham, Christopher D 399
Ham, Sidney Breese 38V
Hamilton, J. W 577
Harriss, Clarence W 471
Hinman, Robert N 438
Holstlaw, Thomas J 544
Highsmith, George W 529
Hutchison, John L 487
Irvin, Grant 594
Keller, Charlie R 404
Kingman, H. R 571
Marshall, B. A 581
Marteeny, Elijah H 374
Mathews, Thomas J 599
Maxey, James C 356
Maxey, James H 513
Maxey, Moss, M. D 382
Maxey, Walter S 372
Maxey, William H 542
Maxey, Capt. Samuel T 359
Maynor, W^illis D 489
Millspaugh, A. C 466
Moss, Capt. John R 425
Moss, Hon. Norman H 346
Ore. George L 547
Owen, William L 485
Pace Family 339
Pace, James M 342
Pace, William T 343
Patton, Charles H 391
Pavey, Gen. Charles W 596
INDEX
Pavey, Louis G 575
Peavler. Eugene M 585
Peters, E. W 455
Pettit, Jasper N 453
Phillips. W. B 554
Poole. Charles J 459
Rainey. John L 496
Reece, William C 534
Reichel. Louis F 463
Rivenburgh, Alexander 558
Seed, Maurice J 367
Schul, Conrad 388
Simmons, Joseph W 503
Snyder, Frank 449
Stratton, Rynd L 612
Tipton, John 523
Turner, J. T 353
Walker, Elbert M 491
Ward. George F. M 515
Watson. Fred P 601
Watson. Hon. James H 536
Watson, Samuel H 607
Webb. Hon. Andrew Duff 567
Webb. Williamson C 538
Weber, R. K 525
Welborn, Hon. George B 464
Whitlock, John T., M. D 473
Williams, Curtis 545
Williams, Hon. William B 550
Williamson. Thomas B., M. D. ... 476
Willis, John J 540
Willis, Wilton C 564
Wilson, Albert 480
Winn, James R 442
CHAPTER I.
FORMATIVE PERIOD.
Reaching Far Back of the Time When Illinois was Made a State of the Glorious Union.
All life is toil; what is its fruitage? "Learn to labor and to wait."
Many pages even of a county history might be taken up in giving the "history of the Wild," so to speak, but as our mission is to give a true and succinct History of Jefferson county, we shall but briefly refer to what took place in this "realm of Greatness," back of the coming of the white man, which may justly be called the Formative Period. The Mound Builders, no doubt, preceded the Indians in the occupation of this western country, but we have no knowledge of them, except that we have some mounds and the relics found in them still remain. Then the Indians — how long they were here before the country was discovered, we will not at- tempt to say. The first settlers aside from the Mound Builders and the Indians were the French, afterward the British and then the pioneer Americans. As the territory composing Jefferson county was not the abiding place of the Mound Builders nor the Indians, except as they roamed through the woods, we will not undertake to tell all about them, but will hasten on to the more important work in hand.
At the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, the entire
18 wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL.
West was under British control. Patrick Henry, who was Gov- ernor of Virginia, gave General George Rogers Clark authority to recruit several companies of Americans to capture the northwest country, a big undertaking, but a big man in command of other big men to accomplish the task. He recruited his men in Kentucky and set out on his mission. He arrived at Kaskaskia, July 4, 1 778, and captured the fort and the town without the loss of a man. Assuring the French, who had a large church there, that they were at liberty to worship God as they pleased, they gladly took the oath of allegiance, and many of them joined Clark's band and went with him to capture Cahokia, which was speedily done. Clark then with his band threaded his way through the dense woods of Southern Illinois, to Vincennes on the Wabash, which was also captured. Clark's expedition is believed to have passed through what is now the southern part of Jefferson county, al- though there was no trail of any kind at that time. With the cap- ture of these three British posts, Illinois territory passed into the possession of Virginia.
In 1874 Virginia ceded to the United States the Northwest- ern Territory, which embraced all the lands lying between the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, including Illinois. It embraced what is now the great states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan. Wis- consin and the part of Minnesota lying east of the Mississippi river, and the Mississippi river was then the western border of the United States. This territory was called the "New Northwest," and in- cluded an area of one million eight hundred eighty-seven thousand and eight hundred and fifty square miles — greater in extent than the united areas of all the Middle and Southern states, including Texas. Out of this magnificent territory has been erected fifteen sovereign states and two territories, with an aggregate population at the present time of about twenty-five million inhabitants or nearly
WALLS HISTORY OF JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 19
a third of the entire population of the United States, and wealth untold. See what wonderful possibilities confronted the early settlers as they came to this wild and wooly West! Of course vol- umes might be written about this great body of country, but we must hasten on. But, not without referring to the act of Congress organizmg the territory, excluding slavery and dedicating it to free- dom and free schools proclaiming that religion, morality and knowl- edge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of knowledge shall ever be en- couraged. Even in the face of this a desperate effort was made to make Illinois a slave state, and for a while Illinois was the battle- field of the irrepressible conflict. The southern part of the state was largely made up of southerners and they considered the east- erners or Yankees as a skinning, tricky, penurious race of peddlers, filling the country with tinware, brass-clocks and wooden nutmegs. And the easterners, who crowded in the north part of the state, seemed to think the southerners as lean, lanky, lazy creatures, wanting slaves to do all their work — and here is where the "irre- pressible conflict" came in, but under the guiding hand of Provi- dence the "New Northwest," was forever dedicated to freedom. It is impossible to forecast the destiny of this grand and glorious section of the Union. Predictions made even now might seem twenty years hence so ludicrously small as to only excite derision, hence we leave it to the future historians to tell of its wonderful development.
The name of this beautiful Prairie state is derived from Illini, a Delaware Indian word signifying "Superior Men," and we are not disposed to object to the imputation. The Indians occupying Southern Illinois when the white men came were the Delawares, the Kickapoos, the Shawnees and the Piankeshaws. None of these were especially savage or troublesome to our first settlers.
20 wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL.
Occasionally roving bands came in to hunt and trade. They carried their pelts to Shawneetown, Kaskaskia or St. Louis, bringing back articles which they traded to the whites. A great many Indians passed through the county, sometimes camping and hunting, but never remamed long at a time.
The first European discoveries in what is now Illinois date back over two hundred years. Old Kaskaskia was settled as early as 1690 by the French, and Cahokia was inhabited even before that. Away back of this, in 1 682, Illinois was a possession of the French, and it was then that the French obtained such a foothold in the territory that the French and Indians were finally brought to war. In 1 765 the same territory was counted as a treasure of Great Britain, but a few years later. Gen. George Rogers Clark captured it from the British, and here we have the connecting link, or formative period, that brings Illinois and Jefferson county down from the Mound Builders to the Indians, from the Indians to the French, from the French to the British and from the British to Virginia, from Virginia to the United States and from the United States to itself — grand old Illinois, fifty-five thousand four hundred and ten square miles of territory — one hundred and ninety miles wide, four hundred miles long, stretching in latitude from Maine to North Carolina, embracing a climate that varies from the lakes on the north almost to the orange groves of the South — being a tableland from six hundred to one thousand two hundred feet above the sea — a free state without a peer. It is in the heart of the greatest valley in the world, the vast regions between the mountains — a valley that could feed mankind for a thousand years. It has sixty-five miles of frontage on the lakes — the fresh water seas of the north — the Father of Waters forming the entire western boundary, with the Ohio river on its southern boundary, and the Wabash river on the east, and the Illinois river and
WALL'S HISTORY OF JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 21
canal dividing the state diagonally from the lakes to the lower Mississippi, and embracing the Rock, Sangamon, Okaw, Skil- let Fork, Big Muddy and other streams, furnishing altogether two thousand miles of water front connecting and running through, in all about twelve thousand miles of navigable water, with miles of railroad more than any other state, with a soil full of bread and the earth rich with minerals — an upper surface of food and an under layer of fuel, and controlling the greatest grain, cattle, pork and lumber markets in the world, no wonder the people become infatuated with this glorious state of Illinois. We only re- gret that we cannot devote more time to its history, but it is so grand, so glorious that we feel impelled to carry it into the next chapter, and finish there. We have thus given a brief space to Illinois, because it is in name a little older than Jefferson county, and as a territory several years older, but in the beginning was Jef- ferson county all the same, the land, the prairie, the woodlands and the streams, just as when the pioneer came to live in it and make it bloom and blossom as the rose and it is the same Jefferson county today, notwithstanding a slight change in the personnel of her population.
COL. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK's GREAT AND BLOODLESS VICTORIES.
Colonel George Rogers Clark and his brave army of less than two hundred men left Kaskaskia February 7, 1779. They prob- ably passed near Breemen, Steeleville and Percy, entering Perry county and passing where Cutler, Bernard, Conant and Pinckney- ville now are, crossed into Jefferson county a few miles north of the southwest corner, passing near the Mound, where Waltonville is situated, carrying axes and felling trees to cross the streams as they went. They evidently passed the entire length of the territory.
22 wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL.
now composing the county, camped south of Mt. Vemon, perhaps near the Rogers ford; passed out of this county into Wayne county, near Kelns Skillet Fork; passed through Arrington Prairie near Jeffersonville and coming to what they called the "two Wa- bashesse," but evidently the junction of the Elm river with the Little Wabash, where they manufactured a big canoe and crossed the army, half dozen at a time. On the sixteenth they crossed the Bon Pass and entered Lawrence county at the southeast corner and finally crossed the Big Wabash near St. Francisville, and on the 23d captured Vincennes without firing a gun.
Just think of it, this patriotic intrepid American, with his one hundred and seventy-five braves in the dead of winter, traversing this wilderness, wading swamps, swimming streams, camping in the wildwoods, with no possibility of seeing or hearing of a human being, unless it be bands of savages, or perhaps wild beasts, making the trip without map or compass from Kaskaskia on the Mississippi river, to Vincennes on the Wabash, a distance of a little more than two hundred miles, and in doing so freed Illinois, from the domina- tion of not only the hated British, but from the savage red men, and the wild beast as well! The bloodless battles and results of the same — of Col. George Rogers Clark and his braves stand unparalleled in the history of warfare.
And more wonderful still, that this brave man and his equally brave soldiers, should have trod the soil of old Jefferson county one hundred and thirty years ago, before any white man had ever passed this way — long before the Caseys, the Maxeys, the John- sons, and other pioneers had ever thought of coming into these virgin wilds. Truly, when men put themselves in the hands of Providence for the accomplishment of great purposes, wonderful results are sure to follow.
wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 23
"God moves in a mysterious way.
His wonders to perform, He plants His footsteps in the sea.
And rides upon the storm.
"Trust not the Lord by feeble sense. But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning Providence He hides a smiling face."
CHAPTER II.
FORMATIVE PERIOD — CONTINUED,
Leading up to the Admission of the State of Illinois, and the Formation of Jefferson County and its Permanent Seat of Justice — Mount Vernon.
"Flow on with ever widening streams. In every brightening morn. Our story's pride, our future's dream. Our hopes of times unborn."
The establishment of a new empire, state or county, or even a town, a new and legal home for law-abiding people, always has a history peculiar to itself, and creates an abiding interest in the minds of those who read and think, and especially those who follow in the wake of advancing civilization. And so the settlement and civilization of our great Prairie state of Illinois (an empire within itself) and the various counties composing it, have an ever widening army of readers who desire to know the facts connected with the bringing in of the civilization, prosperity and great advancement which we now enjoy as a state and community. To impart and perpetuate this desired information, especially in regard to Jefferson county and Mount Vernon, its permanent seat of justice, is the mission of this book.
Illinois, — even every school boy knows that our state of Il- linois was admitted into the Federal Union in 1818, and in the in-
wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 25
tervening ninety years it has grown to be the third state in population and is excelled by none in all that goes to make up good citizenship, — in education, patriotism, the arts and sciences, in commerce, labor, manufactures and agriculture it is unexcelled. No wonder Illinoisans are proud of their great state, and heartily endorse the sentiment of the poet, who says :
"Not without thy wondrous story, Illinois, Illinois. Could be told the Nation's glory, Illinois, Illinois.
"On the record of thy years
Abraham Lincoln's name appears, Grant and Logan, and our tears — Illinois, Illinois."
ILLINOIS CHRONOLOGICALLY.
1673 — Illinois river explored by Joliet.
1675 — Kaskaskia Mission founded by Marquette — Claude Louez
takes charge of same. 1 680 — Ft. St. Louis erected by LaSalle on Starved Rock. 1687 — LaSalle assassinated in Texas. I 700 — Cahokia Mission established. 1 700 — Kaskaskia Mission moved to Kaskaskia. 1717 — Illinois annexed to Louisiana. 1 7 1 8 — Ft. Chartress built near Prairie de Rocher. 1 720 — Renault introduces African slaves. I 754 — French and Indian war. 1 758 — Ft. Massac erected by French.
26 wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL.
1763 — Illinois county and Canada ceded to English.
1765 — Ft. Chartress surrenders to British.
British rule Illinois from 1 765 to 1 778.
1 768 — British court organized at Ft. Chartress.
1 769 — Pontiac assassinated by Indian at Cahokia.
1772 — Ft. Chartress abandoned and Kaskaskia made the capital of Illinois county.
1775 — American Revolution begins.
J778 — George Rogers Clark conquers the Illinois county for Virginia. Illinois a county of Virginia.
1 778 — Illinois county "created" by Virginia Legislature.
1779 — Clark's expedition against Vincennes.
John Todd made commandant, headquarters at Kaskas- kia.
1783 — Treaty of Peace with Great Britain, recognizes title of United States to Illinois.
1784 — Virginia cedes Northwestern Territory to United States. Illinois under Territorial Government. Massachusetts cedes her claim to Illinois.
1 786 — Connecticut cedes her claim to Illinois.
1790 — Governor St. Clair visits Kaskaskia; St. Clair county or- ganized.
1799 — General Assembly for Northwestern Territory. Illinois sends two delegates.
1800 — Formation of Indiana territory, including Illinois.
1804 — Land office located at Kaskaskia; Ft. Dearborn erected at Chicago.
1806 — Burr conspiracy.
1809 — Illinois Territory organized; Ninian Edwards appointed first Governor.
wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 27
1812 — First session territorial Legislature at Kaskaskia; massacre at Ft. Dearborn; Madison, Gallatin and Johnson coun- ties created. .
1816 — Banks established at Shawneetown and Edwardsville.
1817 — First steamboat ascends the Mississippi river above Cairo.
1818 — Illinois admitted as a state; Shadrack Bond first Governor — First Assembly at Kaskaskia.
1819 — Jefferson county formed; Legislature provides for selecting a new capital.
1 820 — State Capital removed to Vandalia.
1823 — First Vandalia state house burned; act for Constitutional Convention.
1824 — Pro-slavery men try but fail to establish slavery.
1825 — LaFayette visits Illinois; School Law passed.
1827 — The first state institution — penitentiary at Alton.
1829 — First college, at Jacksonville — The Illinois.
1830 — Illinois is allowed three Congressmen.
1832— Black Hawk war.
1833 — Chicago incorporated as a village, and the Democrat, its first newspaper, started.
1835 — McKendree and Shurtliff colleges incorporated.
1836 — Old State House at Vandalia torn down and rebuilt — now the Vandalia court-house.
1837 — Springfield made the permanent state capital. — Lovejoy killed at Alton by pro-slavery mob.
1839 — First daily paper in Chicago — The American.
1843 — Legislature held at Springfield; seven Congressmen.
1846 — Lincoln elected to Congress; constitution carried.
1850 — Illinois Central Railroad given the best lands in Illinois.
1852 — Illinois, nine Congressmen.
1856 — Republican party organized — Bissell the first Republican Governor elected.
28 wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL.
1 858 — Celebrated joint debates between Lincoln and Douglas. 1860 — ^Abraham Lincoln elected President.
1861 — Illinois, thirteen Congressmen — war declared against the Union by the Rebel States — Lincoln calls for volunteers, and four years of war follows. 1872 — Illinois nineteen Congressmen. 1 901 -Illinois twenty-five Congressmen.
Events from 1875 to the present are too familiar with the people to be repeated here. These later years will furnish food for the next historian.
How true, yet we esteem it a pleasure to go back of these men and these days and give honor to men and women who were equally patriotic and brave amid much less encouraging environments — the pioneers of our civilization. And while we hold up the first settlers of Jefferson county as ideals or models in the line of first citizens, or pioneers, we realize that they are but types of other early settlers of other counties of our beloved state of Illinois. Just a few explanatory words will bring us directly to our task. In 1 778 the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act for "establishing the county of Illinois," and for "the more effectual protection and defense thereof." A clause of that act reads: "That all the citizens of this commonwealth, who are already settled or may hereafter settle on the western side of the Ohio or the eastern side of the Mis- sissippi rivers shall be included in a distinct county, which shall be called "Illinois County." By the provisions of the act, the Gov- ernor of Virginia appointed John Todd, a soldier and statesman. County Lieutenant or Commander in Chief of Illinois county, or in fact, the first civil governor of Illinois. Todd afterwards fell mortally wounded while fighting in a battle with the Indians. So it will be seen that Illinois was at that time a county of Virginia, a fact that is not generally known, by Illinoisans of today.
wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 29
Upon the organization of the Northwestern Territory Gen. Arthur St. Clair was appointed Governor. In 1 790, in company with the territorial judges, he went to Cahokia, where, by proclama- tion he organized the county of St. Clair, the first individual county formed in what is now the great state of Illinois, and its seat of justice was Kaskaskia. Randolph was the next county created in Illinois, 1 795. At the session of the Territorial Legislature, 1811- 12, Madison, Gallatin and Johnson were organized, and in 1814 Edwards was formed; in 1816, White, Jackson, Monroe, Pope and Crawford were organized, and at the session of the next Legis- lature following, Franklin, Washington, Union, Bond and Wayne came into existence.
At the first session after Illinois was admitted into the Union (1818), Jefferson county was formed, under the following act, en- titled "An Act for forming a separate county out of Edwards and White counties, approved," March 18, 1819:
"Be it Enacted, etc., That all that tract of country within the following boundaries to-wit: Beginning where the line between ranges 4 and 5 last intersect the base line; thence west with said line to the third principal meridian, thence south twenty-four miles, thence east twenty-four miles, thence north to the place of begin- ning, shall constitute a separate county to be called 'Jefferson coun- ty,' and for the purpose of fixing the permanent seat of justice therein, the following persons are appointed commissioners: Am- brose Maulding, Lewis Barker, Robert Shipley, James A. Rich- ards and Richard Graham, which said commissioners or a majority of them being duly sworn before some judge or justice of the peace in this state, shall faithfully take into view the convenience of the people, the situation of the settlement, with an eye to the future population and eligibility of the place shall meet on the second Monday of May at the house of William Casey in said county.
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and proceed to examine and determine oft the place for the perma- nent seat of justice 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 lots and sold for that purpose ; but should the proprietor or proprietors refuse or neglect to make the donation aforesaid, then and in that case it shall be the duty of the said commissioners to fix some other place for the seat of justice as con- venient as may be to the inhabitants of said county which place fixed and determined upon, the Commissioners shall certify under their hands and seals and return the same to the next commissioners' court in the county aforesaid, which court shall cause an entry thereof to be made in their books of record, and until the public buildings be erected the courts shall be held at the house of William Casey, in said county.
"Section 3. Be it Enacted, etc.. That the citizens of Jef- ferson county are hereby declared entitled in all respects to the same rights and privileges as are allowed in general with the other counties of this state.
"Section 4. Ordered that Jefferson county should vote in conjunction with White county for members of the General As- sembly and section 5, says Jefferson county shall compose part of the second Judicial Circuit and courts shall be held therein at such time as specified by law."
And a supplemental act said: That all that tract or part of county laying north of the county of Jefferson and west of Wayne, and not included in the limits of said countiesof Jefferson and Wayne established by the act to which this is a supplement, be one and the same, is hereby attached to and becomes a part of the said Jefferson county, and that the inhabitants thereof have and enjoy all the rights and privileges, as far as may be, that inhabitants of Jefferson have and enjoy.
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March 30th, an act was passed authorizing Lewis Watkins to administer the required oaths to all officers of the county, and or- dering that an election for County Commissioners, Sheriff and Cor- oner be held on the 4th day of March or April.
In pursuance to this act an election was held at the house of William Casey, which stood where the old Johnson House or brick hotel now stands; forty votes were cast and Zadok Casey, Joseph Jordan and Fleming Greenwood were elected Commissioners, and met at William Casey's June 7th, for the purpose of organizing — be- ing sworn in by Watkins. The court appointed Joel Pace County Clerk, and he gave bond of one thousand dollars with James Kelly and Isaac Casey, as securities, and now the court was ready for business.
The selection of a seat of justice or county seat was first in order and the Commissioners appointed by the act quoted above for that purpose made their report as follows: Having been appointed by act of the General Assembly, to select and fix a seat of justice in and for Jefferson county, we, Lewis Barker, Ambrose Maulding and James A. Richardson, met at the house of William Casey for the purpose aforesaid, and after being duly sworn, proceeded and determined and settled upon the southwest quarter of section 29, range 3, of township 3, on the land owned by William Casey, the town to be laid off in the southwest corner of said quarter, to begin near the timber on a point not far distant from Casey's house, and thence to the foot of the descent on a point on which Casey's house stands, or in such manner as said County Commissioners shall designate.
Signed, by James A. Richardson, Ambrose Maulding and Lewis Barker, Commissioners.
This report was accompanied by a paper signed by William Casey, in which he donated twenty acres of land to be laid off in
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town lots and sold for the purpose of paying for public buildings in the county of Jefferson, which twenty acres shall be laid off by the County Commissioners on land designated by the commissioners appointed to fix the permanent seat of justice for Jefferson county. N. B. — Provided that such commissioner shall lay off said town so as not to include said Casey's house and farm.
CHAPTER III.
MOUNT VERNON.
The Name Chosen for the Seat of Justice — First Public Buildings, etc.
"O, those blessed times of old! With their chivalry and
their state; I love to read their chronicles, which such brave deeds
relate ; I love to sing their ancient rhymes, to hear their legends told. But Heaven be thanked, I live not in those blessed limes
of old."
Thus was the county seat of Jefferson county fixed upon, and selected (in 1819 — nearly ninety years ago), and no doubt per- manently so, for no one would venture a prophecy of it ever being removed. At the time it was located there was a little dissatisfaction but none since. Isaac Hicks thought it ought to have been located at Post Oak Hill, which was a little nearer the center of the county. Other parties wanted it on or near the land where Oakwood ceme- tery now is. And complaint was made that one of the Commis- sioners, Lewis Barker, was the father-in-law of William Casey, and acted partially. But soon everybody admitted and everybody admits yet, that the selection was a good one, unsurpassed by those that were offered by other parties. Of course at that time it was difficult to .conceive what a real live town would look like in this
3
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virgin wild — as there was scarcely anything in sight but heavy tim- ber, and forests of under-brush, all to be cleared away by those hardy sons of toil, the pioneers of Jefferson county.
For their services these commissioners were allowed, Mauld- ing, who lived near where McLeansboro now is, $8, and Rich- ardson, who lived near Carmi, and Barker, who owned the Cave- in-Rock Ferry, $12 each.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
At the first meeting of the County Commissioners' Court, it was resolved to build a court-house. It would be a curiosity to see it in our public square now, but people were not so numerous, pros- perous and proud as we are now. Its size was eighteen by twenty feet, built of hewed logs that faced ten inches, closely notched down, to have a good roof of boards, a plank floor closely laid ; to have one door and one window all done in a workman-like manner, to be completed and delivered to the Commissioners' Court at the next September term, said house to be built in the public square, the timber to be furnished by Isaac Casey and Joseph Jordon ; John Sanders' bid on the job was eighty-five dollars, and gave as bonds- man, James Kelley. On the ridge west of town the timbers were "got out" and the boards "rived." Henry Tyler hewed the logs secured on the lands of Isaac and William Casey and Joseph Jor- don. The building was ready for use in September as ordered by the court, whereupon John Sanders received an eighty-five dollar certificate for the same. It stood about where the present court- house stands, its one door facing south and its only window, west. As winter came on it was discovered that the house was too large to keep warm inside without fire; hence the court ordered that the finishing touch to the building, the adding of a fire-place, be let to
COUNTY JAIL, MOUNT VERNON.
0^ ■^^)' ,a'.'^*^^^
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the lowest bidder, and this was the style of it : "A chimney place to be cut and a good chimney built, back and hearth to be like the one in the house of Lewis Watkins, and to be as good — an upper floor or loft of same plank to be closely laid and the cracks to be chinked and daubed with good mortar. Also, a platform, con- structed in the west end of the room, to be of proper height, four feet wide, of good hewed puncheons, to lack but three feet of reaching from one side of the house to the other; at the end of said platform, are to be the steps, composed of blocks or planks and a hand rail in front of the platforms of proper height and a seat in the rear of the platform (supposedly the seat of justice) and two seats in front, all to be made of good hewed puncheons. The plat- form to be supported by good substantial posts or pillars or blocks, to be completed by the first Monday in March, next, in workman- like manner. Oliver Morris undertook the job for eighty dollars, but when March came the Commissioners found the work but im- perfectly done, and forthwith docked the architect and builder five dollars, and he had to accept seventy-five dollars. And the court house complete cost Jefferson county what was then considered the exorbitant sum of one hundred and sixty dollars. Such was Jefferson county's first temple of justice.
STILL FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
In 1 820 a stray pound and a log jail were ordered built on the lot where the jail now stands. This lot was sold to G. Greenwood at the first auction of lots to help put up pubic buildings, but he failed to pay for it, and it reverted to the county. John C. Casey took the contract for building the pound for thirty-three dollars eighty- seven and one half cents, and Burchett Maxey took the contract for building the jail for three hundred and twenty dollars more
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than twice as much as the court-house cost. Zadok Casey, who was then an extra hand with an axe, either in chopping or hewing "went partners" with Burchett Maxey and together with the assist- ance of Lewis and James Johnson and others got out the logs, two hundred of them, and had John Wilson haul them to the lot. De- cember 5th. of that year, Henry B. Maxey, who was the main build- er, turned the completed jail over to the court, and the work was endorsed and paid for. The platform provided for an upper story, was made by simply working in four logs four feet longer than the others, the projecting ends forming the platform — needing no sup- port, while the steps were two logs with steps cut in them, but the work was substantial and satisfactory. Afterward the log jail was torn down and rebuilt just east of the court-house, in the square, and many now living remember seeing it there. The writer remem- bers when a boy, of accompanying A. M. Grant, who was the jailor there, to feed the inmates. He also remembers of carelessly (per- haps intentionally) letting a kind-hearted old slave, who had been taken up and posted as a stray or runaway, get away and pursue the road to freedom.
Next the court let to John Wilkinson the building of another hewed log house, to be used as a Clerk's office, for which, when completed, they paid William Casey forty-one dollars, William Jordon two dollars and twenty-five cents, Henry B. Maxey. four dollars, and John Wilkinson twelve dollars thirty-seven and one- half cents, making the Clerk's office cost fifty-nine dollars sixty-two and one-half cents, but it took one dollar more to purchase a pad- lock and chain with which to lock up the records. Safety was se- cured by putting the chain through an augur hole iti the door and around the facing through a chink in the logs and pad-locking the ends together.
So much for Jefferson county's first public buildings — consti-
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tuting at that time about half of the entire town. In the court- house Burchett Maxey hved while he built his own house and in the Clerk's office, Joel Pace spent the last years of his single and the first years of his married life here. It was here that he lived when Harvey T. Pace came from Kentucky and split three thousand rails for Joel at fifty cents per hundred in state paper, equal to twenty-five cents in specie. Harvey boarded with his Uncle Joel, and fourteen feet square proved big enough for him and Joel's family besides, and also for the Circuit and County Clerk's office. For many years Joel Pace held both of these offices and dis- charged the duties well.
MOUNT VERNON.
Mount Vernon was chosen by the coirmiissioners as the name of the new county seat of justice, although Mount Pleasant was first proposed and favorably considered, but the name of Washing- ton was greatly revered by the citizens, and Mount Vernon, his an- cestral home, prevailed as the county seat of Jefferson county. Joel Pace was ordered by the court to contract with a surveyor to lay off the twenty acres, donated by William Casey, extending from Har- rison street on the north to Jordon street, on the south, and from Casey street (now Eleventh street), on the west to Johnson street or alley, first street east of the public square. The lots numbered forty-eight, lying in eight squares, three squares each way, and one to the county, but nothing was said about blocks in the survey. The surveyor was William Hosick from — perhaps, Shawneetown. In September it was ordered that Joel Pace and William Casey be and are hereby employed to set Mulberry stakes around the public square, one at each corner, to drive all the stakes in the town and also to number the lots for which they are to be paid by the county.
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the sum of five dollars. On the day of the sale the services of J. E. Davis, a Cumberland Presbyterian preacher, was secured to cry the sale.
"Oh, yes, gentlemen, I am now gomg to sell you some lots in the beautiful city of Mount Vernon, all covered with a beautiful coat of green, but destined to be covered with beautiful blocks of magnificent buildings."- — How phophetic.
Lot No. I , was struck off to Bennett Maxey for forty-one dollars; No. 2 to Barton Atchison; Burchett Maxey bought No. 4, south of Herman's, where he built a log house; Lewis Watkins took the Joel Pace corner at one hundred sixty-two dollars and fifty cents; Nelson Ferguson took what is now the Ham's bank corner, one hundred and sixty-five dollars; Clark Casey, the Bond corner for one hundred and sixty dollars; Thomas Jordon, the lot where the Economy store now is; Doctor McLean, who afterwards located at McLeansboro, bought the Harvey Pace corner, where the third National Bank is, for one hundred and thirty-six dollars, with Isaac Casey as security. He failed to pay for it and Isaac passed it over to Burchett Maxey. J. E. Davis, the preacher who cried the sale of the lots, came in with a colony of Casey's and Maxey's in 1818. His wife was a sister to Burchett and Elihu Maxey's wives, and to James Bowman's and John Afflack's wives, all being daughters of John Taylor, of Wilson county, Tennessee. Of those who bought the original lots, Bennett Maxey was the son of William Maxey and brother to Joshua C. and J. P. Maxey, and was the father of William H. and James J., Charles C, Joshua C, Jr., and Thomas J.; also of Mrs. Emily Ray and Mrs. Eliza White; William and Edward were brothers from Virginia. Wil- liam married Rhodam Allen's sister, Emily, and was the father of Henry B., Bennett Nelson, Elisha, Charles, Hardy, Joshua Can- non. William McKendrie, Adney and John, also of Mrs. Clar-
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issa Johnson, Mrs. Harriet and Mrs. Vilinda Casey and Hostil- lina; Edward married Elizabeth Pitner, came to Kentucky and thence to IHinois, in 1819, was a Methodist and raised no children, but adopted Judge J. R. Satterfield. Barton Atchison was from Georgia, married a Hill, sister to Mrs. Wilkey and Mrs. Dempsey Hood, came to this county in 1816, and was much in public life. His sons were William, Ignitius, Samuel, George and the daughters, Winnie Myers, Martha Chaffin and one, the wife of Theophilus Cook, Jr., Nelson Ferguson, came and stayed one year and went back to Tennessee. His wife was a sister of Jordan Tyler. Clark Casey, John C, was a son of Abraham P., and son-in-law of Isaac Casey; came in 1818, and built a cabin on Mulberry Hill, south- west of town, lost his wife and married a Bingaman, went to Mis- souri, came back and died in 1862. Lewis Watkins was at the front some years, first in Moore's Prairie, then in Mount Vernon, finally returning to Tennessee, leaving his daughter, Mrs. Green P. Casey here. She was the mother of Lewis F. Casey. Henry Tyler was the son of John Tyler and John was a half-brother of James and Lewis Johnson. Henry married Isaac Casey's daughter, Catherine. He lived on the Centralia road for many years. John C. and Isaac Tyler were sons of Mrs. Ingram. Oliver Morris was son-in-law to Joseph Jordan. He built a brick house in Moore's Prairie as early as 1823. John Wilkerson married Dicy Keelin. in Virginia; she died and he married Mrs. Thomas, sister of Rhodam Allen and to William Maxey's wife. Mrs. Thomas by her first husband had five children; Mrs. Thad Moss's grandfather. Aunt Polly Parker and Edward Wilkinson's wife were three of them. This much for some of the very first settlers and builders of Mount Vernon.
Having discerned the discoverers of Jefferson county, and be- come slightly acquainted with the "locaters and fixers" of the per-
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manent seat of justice for the county as a starting point, we shall now launch out in search of the other unseen, and to a very large extent, unknown facts about the county and its inhabitants.
CHAPTER IV.
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
Why SO Named — Its Location — Formation — Its Geology — Soils, Products, etc.
"Our father's God, from out whose hand The centuries fall like grains of sand. And into common good ordain This rivalship of hand and brain."
Jefferson county, so called in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, and the reputed writer and signer of the Declaration of Independence. As designated by Legislative act, it is situated southeast of the intersection of the old Ohio & Mississippi (now Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern) Rail- road, and is bounded on the north by Marion county, on the east, by Wayne and Hamilton counties, on the south, by Franklin county, on the west by Washington and Perry counties, and has an area of five hundred seventy-six square miles. When it was "first attacked" by the settlers, about four-fifths of the, territory was tim- ber land, and one-fifth prairie, the latter being the elevated levels between the watercourses, having considerable depth of quarternary deposits, sometimes underlaid with shale, but it is seldom that rock is found ; however, some timber hills are found in the prairies, as in Knob Prairie, underlaid with rock. The timbered land is partly flat, but most of it is undulating or broken in consequence of the
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many watercourses which traverse the county in different directions. It has some post-oak and some barrens with black oak, white oak, and also hickory. The timber in the creek bottoms was quite heavy, swamp-oak, water oak, sugar maples, sycamore, black and white walnut, etc. The county is well supplied with branch water, (when it rains) is traversed by branches of the Big Muddy and their tributaries. The main branch of the Big Muddy heads near the northwest corner of the county and handles all the water on the west side of the county. In the northeast part of the county is Horse creek, a tributary to the Skillet Fork, and Little Wabash, and it has been said that the rain falling east of Marlow Hills runs into the Wabash and the Ohio rivers, while that falling west runs into the Big Muddy and the Mississippi rivers. Usually we have all the water we need in the county, but last year everything went dry, including the streams, cisterns, ponds and saloons.
COAL.
The geological formation of Jefferson county, like those around us, are members of the coal formation. Nearly all over the county is found the same strata traced over in Marion county, a coal seam which varies from six to twenty-four inches in thickness. At a greater depth may be found the coal bed and the sand stone over- laying it, have been traced over a large area of the outcrop of coal, and attains considerable but variable thicknesses. But little lime- stone crops out in the county and that generally between two bodies of sandstone, of which there is more or less in all parts of the county. Almost anywhere single layers of sandstone of sufficient hardness can be found for building purposes. The coal near the surface in this county is the same as the vein at Central City. Much of this surface coal has been mined and they pronounce it excellent.
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The only drawback is thickness, or rather, the shallowness of the veins. It could not be mined at all but for its closeness to the sur- face. The question as to whether a lower coal bed of workable thickness has been settled by the sinking and successful working of the Mount Vernon coal shaft for the past fifteen years, although the vein being worked is eight hundred and fifty feet below the surface. The vein is about six feet thick and the coal of a good average quality. The shaft was put down by some enterprising citizens of the town, who as is usually the case received no reimbursement for their expenditures, but they were public benefactors just the same, and will be given due credit in another part of this book. Jefferson county is underlaid with a good workable vein of coal, the only drawback being its great depth, but even that is being overcome by our improved machinery. Coal on top and coal on the bottom, so our people are not likely to run short of fuel for many years, not- withstanding the county is largely bared of its forests. There is some iron ore in this county, but not in quantities to make it valuable for the production of iron.
WATER.
The underneath water for the most part may be called good well water, but in localities it is somewhat salt, originating, no doubt, from the decomposition of the sulphate of iron contained in the coal or shales. As the coal seams are near the surface in many places, wells frequently contain these salts in quantities sufficient to ruin the water for household purposes. This occurs partly in Mount Vernon and Rome townships, and in the south part of the county. The strongest mineral water perhaps to be found in the county is in the the Green Lawn Springs in Mount Vernon, which were a few years ago a popular resort, but of late years have been aban- doned. These springs, three in number, issue from the side of a
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shallow ravine at the same level, a few feet from each other. The springs all contain a considerable quantity of iron, combined with salts. A remarkable fact is that the waters of each are different, but the difference may be in the relative quality of salts. They evi- dently emanate from the same stratum, but passing through different portions of rock, the water may come in contact with different mineral substances. But one spring, which Doctor Green called the "Tepid Spring," differs from the others in that the water is warmer, not freezing in winter, but perhaps the fact may be attributed to its saline character.
BUILDING MATERIALS.
Building materials were plentiful up to within a few years ago. Plenty of hard sandstone for foundations, clay from which to man- ufacture brick, and timber from which anything from a cradle to a home big enough to hold a big family and all your wife's relations including your mother-in-law, could be safely housed. For many years there was plenty of workable timber. Ash, white and black oak, post oak, black walnut, hickory and cherry, etc., but alas! where are they now? The growth of timber was immense and the only problem that seemed to confront the settler was "How shall we get rid of it?" The surplus timber seemed to be the bane of their lives, and "cut and slash" wherever one pleased, was the order of the day. The woods and fields used to be illuminated by the burn- ing of logs, simply to get rid of them. These same logs today would be worth many dollars each. It seemed that the timber never would be cleared away, notwithstanding everybody in those days used only wood for fuel, building, fencing and nearly every- thing else. "Woodman, spare that tree," was never heard or thought of in those days. The result is today that we find nearly all of our farms entirely denuded of timber, not even enough for
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firewood. After the coming of the railroads, this vicious timber slaughter became more contagious and the whole population felt at liberty to chop down any and everything that would make a rail- road tie or a mine prop. Reckless mankind destroyed in a few years grand groves of trees that nature was centuries in making.
THE SOIL — PRODUCTS, ETC.
The pioneers understood far better than we do that everything used by mankind in any line whatever— whether as food or raiment, or in the arts and sciences, in the manufactures, in the commerce, in the household, and in all the world, is simply and purely the product of the soil — of Mother Earth; and what a mother she is! The corner stone upon which all life rests is the farm, the miner — the digger in the earth, for everything must be dug out before it is usu- able. From the earth comes all life, all beauty, all pleasure, wealth and enjoyment. So, at the coming of the pioneer to Jeffer- son county, the virgin soil welcomed him, even as a bride welcomes the groom. They found the soil deep and strong, with fertility of the centuries resting upon it, not as deep as the soil in the corn belt further north, but well adapted to the growth of all the grains, vegetables and fruits, which was not so true of the lands further north. They simply "tickled" the earth with the hoe and it gave in return vegetables, grain and fruit showers. The permanent effect of the soil on the people is as pronounced as upon the vegetation that springs from it and in these early pioneers we read the result of how good the soil was then, and it would be as good now as then, had all the farmers treated it with more kindness and consideration — had they fed it while it fed them. Since then, we are sorry to say, some of our Jefferson county farms have literally been "worked and "starved" to death, by being "corned" and "wheated" for half
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a century at a time, without ever having received a pound of fer- tilizer or manure in return for what it has yielded the proprietor. Remember this maxim: "While the land feeds the eater, let the eater feed the land." We are glad to know that many of our Jeffer- son county farmers are acting on this humane plan, and that their lands are increasing in fertility and price. Many farmers in Central and Northern Illionis, who are farmmg on land, the market price of which is from one hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars per acre, are selling and buying land here that will raise anything they want for from forty to sixty-five dollars per acre, leaving them a neat banking fund and plenty of products from their new farms to live on, beside getting a more agreeable climate for themselves and stock. Farm life is becoming more agreeable than it was a little while back. Let the good work continue, do something to keep the "boys'* "down on the farm," which will be better for the "old folks at home " and much better for the "boys."
CHAPTER V.
JEFFERSON COUNTY ORGANIZED.
First by Commissioners and Organized into Civil Divisions for Voting Purposes. Finally Organized into Townships.
Courage! There is none so poor — None of all who wrong endure — None so humble, none so weak But may flush his father's cheek. And his maiden's, dear and true. With deeds that he may do. Be his days as dark as night He may make himself a light. What though sunken be his sun — There are stars when day is done.
One of the first acts of the County Commissioners was the lay- ing of the county into civil divisions. At first it was divided into two districts or townships called respectively "Moore's Prairie" and "Casey's Prairie." In 1820 Walnut Hill Precinct was formed. It included all of Marion and Jefferson counties north of the line dividing townships 1 and 2, south. Then the next change we find in the civil divisions is in June, 1 832, when Grand Prairie precinct was formed. It was in the northwest part of the county, eight miles square, the voting place being Poston's Mill. In June, 1834. Horse Creek precinct was laid off. It extended seven miles from the east
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line of the county and was bounded north by the county hne and south by the Fairfield road — voting place being Frank Haney's. Gun Prairie precinct was formed in 1835, beginning where the "New Hurricane" crossed the west line of the county, run with the hurricane to Morgan's Mill; to S. Toney's and W. Toney's to the edge of Moore's Prairie, and to the south line of the county — voting place, house of William King. The next precinct was Long Prairie, bounded on the west by Middle Fork and Muddy river, and the Grand Prairie road — voting place, H. Hick's house. In 1846 Elk Prairie precinct was formed. Its bounds were from the mouth of Dodd's creek to Mendenhall's quarry, west to Middle Fork, and to the county line, then up the creek to the place of beginning — voting place, J. Kelley's. At the same time New Moore's Prairie precinct was formed, including township 4, range 4 — voting place at Wilbanks. Then for many years the business of the county moved on under the old precinct system. The first Board of Com- missioners was composed of Zadok Casey, Fleming Greenwood and Joseph Jordan, and under this system of commissioners (three in number) , the business of the county was conducted until 1 869, when township organization was voted in, and the county was laid off into sixteen townships, each six miles square. Under the precinct system, county officers changed but seldom, but managed to succeed themselves, but under township organization, the county officers changed oftener and the township officers change every year, evi- dencing the fact that the people rule.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
County Clerk. — Joel Pace was both County Clerk and Circuit Clerk, and held the office from 1819 to 1837, when Noah Johnson was chosen County Clerk. He was succeeded by E. H. Ridgway,
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who held both offices until 1845, when Joel F. Watson was chosen. In 1857 W. Dodds came in; in 1865, C. H. Patton; 1869. W. Dodds; 1871, J. N. Satterfield; 1873, W. H. Smith; 1877, J. N. Satterfield; 1881, two terms, A. C. Tanner; 1893, C. D. Kell; 1897, John R. Piercy; 1902, William B. Phillips, the present clerk.
Circuit Clerk. — E. H. Ridgway succeeded Joel Pace, as Cir- cuit Clerk in 1841 ; he by John Wilbanks in 1848, and he by T. B. Tanner in 1852. He resigned and John S. Bogan took the office in 1 854, and held it until 1 888, when W. A. Davis came in. In 1892, W. V. Satterfield took the place, died in office and J. F. Bogan filled out the term. Then L. E. Jones and then C. A. Keller; then George W. Highsmith and then Burl Hawkins, the present incumbent.
Sheriffs. — Lewis Watkins, the first Sheriff, was succeeded by W. L. Howell; in 1824, Nicholas Wren came in; James Bowman in 1828, who served until 1842, when W. J. Stephenson was chosen Sheriff and served until 1848. He was succeeded by Wiley Piper; 1850, J. R. Satterfield; 1852, William Dodds; 1854, J. R. Allen; 1856, James Wescott; 1858, John Bagwell; 1860, C. G. Vaughn; 1862, J. B. Goodrich; 1864, C. G. Vaughn; 1866, Wil- ham Dodds; 1868, W. E. Coffey; 1870. three terms, J. B. Good- rich; 1876, two terms, George W. Yost; Sam Cooper one term; then Thomas M. Gray, succeeded by John R. Ward, T. E. Manion, S. S. Howe, and the present incumbent. Grant Irvin.
County Treasurers. — The first Treasurer of Jefferson county was James Kelly, who perhaps handled a couple of dozen dollars during his term. He was succeeded by Edward Maxey; he by John Wilbanks ; he by Joseph Pace ; he by S. Goddard, he by J. Livingston, he by G. P. Casey; he by H. B. Newby, and A. B. Watson, John H. Watson, W. Hicks, S. W. Jones two terms; W. i
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H. Smith; C. D. Ham, G. L. Cummins, C. W. Lindley, J. F. Car- roll, W. A. Davis, F. E. Patton, T. H. Mannen, S. T. Hirons, S. H. Watkins, W. B. Williams, and Wilton C. Willis, the present Treasurer.
County Judges.— Until the adoption of township organization, the presiding officer of the Board of County Commissioners was the County Judge or Probate Justice and this position was filled about twenty-five years by Judge Satterfield, who has figured so extensive- ly in the management of Jefferson county affairs. After Satterfield the Board of Commissioners passed out, and the county judgeship stood on its own merits, Jared Foster being elected County Judge, and those succeeding him were Judges C. A. Keller, W. B. Ander- son, William T. Pace, Robert M. Farthing, J. D. Norris, Con. Schul and A. D. Webb, our present County Judge.
School Commissioners, or Superintendents, as they call them now — Browning Daugh is the first we have any account of. ap- pointed in 1836; J. R. Satterfield came next in 1845; then came John H. Pace, W. H. Lynch, J. H. Pace, J. R. P. Hicks. Office changed to School Superintendent, and James M. Pace was chosen, followed by G. W. Johnson, John D. Williams, William T. Summers, Oscar Stitch, J. W. Hill and A. E. Summers, the pres- ent mcumbent.
County Surveyors. — The first elected Surveyor was Lewis F. Casey, who served for many years. He was followed by W. B. Anderson. A. M. Grant, John D. Williams, W. T. Williams, B. C. Wells, Kirby Smith, James Westcott, S. T. Maxey, and B. C. Wells, just elected.
Jefferson county adopted township organization in 1869, and the first Board of Supervisors were elected in 1870; Jacob Breeze, Grand Prairie; E. B. Harvey, Casner; Samuel Johnson, Bliss- ville; John B. Ward, Bald Hill; G. L. Cummins, Rome; J. R.
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Moss. Shiloh; William A. Davis. McClellan; G. W. Evans, Elk Prairie; John C. McConnell. Fields; D. H. Warren. Mount Ver- non; R. D. Roan. Dodds; W. S. Bumpus. Spring Garden; M. A. Morrison. Farrington; S.V.Bruce, Webber; W.A.Jones Moore's Prairie. The county has had many good Boards of Supervisors since that day. Township organization has become quite popular with the people of the county, as it seems to be more nearly a home- rule government than the old commissioner system, and yet it costs considerably more. Since the county was fully organized, officers have mainly been brought out by party machinery, each party pre- senting its candidates through caucus or primary. Sometimes In- dependents slip in. but usually the successful ones are old party nominees, sometimes one, sometimes the other.
During all this organization period, Joel Pace was officially part of the organization itself, and it seems proper that we here record "what manner of man" he was. Born in Virginia, he moved with his father to Kentucky. On reaching manhood, Joel went to Frankfort, Kentucky, where he worked for Thomas Long. The latter had a brother, Billy, merchandising in Vincennes, Indiana. Riley asked Thomas to refer him to a trusty young man who would make a good salesman. He recommended Joel Pace, and Riley employed him and sent him to Vincennes. Here he remained two years, when Riley had a stock of goods damaged by the sinking of a boat in the Ohio river, and he sent young Pace to sell them out as best he could at Shawneetown. Riley abandoned himself to drink and Joel left him and worked for Peoples & Kirkpatrick. at Shawneetown. Judge Brown, who was then "Judge of the Realm." then lived at Shawneetown, and he appointed Joel Pace Circuit Clerk of Jefferson county, and procured for him the ad- ditional offices of Recorder and Notary Public. So he had three offices when he came here in 1819. and was soon appointed to the
UNrvERsnv (
lUJNOIS LIBR/ AT URBANA-CHAM
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forth office, County Clerk. And yet there was so Httle business that he attended to the duties of them all, and still found time to teach a school, the first ever taught in the county. Such was the "make-up" of the man, who at one and the same time held several of the most important offices of the county, for about twenty years, discharging faithfully his official duties. And it is always the pleasure of the historian to record the doings of a faithful public official. The early officers of the courts were efficient and faithful, but none of them wore official honors so long and faithfully without rest as did Joel Pace. He was in every respect an ideal pioneer, and Jefferson county is proud of his memory. The scramble for the "loaves and fishes" of the county was "light and airy" as com- pared with the strenuous work along that line in later years. The most lucrative offices of the county were filled by appointment and not by popular vote, as now, until about 1 840. The early records show few changes, the appomtmg powers seeming to agree with Chancellor Kent, who said: "The great danger to this county is the too freqent change of men who prove themselves faithful in office." All organizations have weak spots, and so with the organiza- tion of Jefferson county, but these weak spots were gradually "chinked" and "daubed," as the pioneers did their cabins, and were finally "cut out," and supplanted with better things and modes, until now we have one of the best organized, even running counties in this great and glorious state. We have not the room to give the organization of townships more space in this chapter, but may de- vote a chapter to that later. Havmg started the county machinery, we will go back and see what was the real character of our first inhabitants.
CHAPTER VI.
THE EARLY SETTLERS.
Their Characteristics — Zadok Casey — Stinson H. Anderson.
Through toil and trouble, happiness and love,
Weariness and woe, in the mills of earth,
The tools of eternity are working.
It is their noise we hear in the city's dull roar;
Their keen edge we feel when we smart with some
strange pain. Here is making that which is finer than anything
that can be cut in marble. The glory of character.
"Our lives are songs; God writes the words.
And we set them to music at pleasure;
And the song grows glad, or sweet, or sad.
As we choose to fashion the measure.
We must write the music, whatever the song.
Whatever its rhyme or meter;
And if it is sad, we can make it glad,
Or if sweet, we can make it sweeter."
The first settlements of Jefferson county were made under great difficulties, and amid hardships and dangers. Most of the settlers were from the states south of the Ohio river, and were poor
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in worldly wealth — called by some "poor white trash." But while they had but little education, and comparatively no wealth, they were men and women of sterling worth — physically stalwart and strenuous, looking upon labor as an honor, and a glory, which nothing could be accomplished without. They recognized that there was a vast difference between reputation and character — that character is what a man is ; reputation is what he is thought to be ; that character is real — that reputation may be and often is, false; that character is what you are at home ; that reputation is what you are abroad; that character is a man's soul; that reputation is that which is in the minds of others; that character is a man's worth, while reputation is the price placed on him by others. Such were the pioneers of Jefferson county. They came with faith in God, and a wish to do right as a basic thought. Believig that
"Life was lent for noble deeds."
They concentrated their energies upon the work before them with a full knowledge that they would have to "labor and to wait." They realized that labor is mighty and beautiful, and that the noblest men on earth are those who put their hands cheerfully and promptly to honest labor. They realized that there is not an atom of useful material in all the world that is not made useful by the brain and brawn of labor. And added to this the dignity of labor which predominated in the minds of these people, which was deeply imbedded in their hearts, and the never dying principles of charity and love which shone out through their every day lives like "apples of gold in pitchers of silver," never to be forgotten. Charity always flows from a good heart, and looks beyond the skies for approval and reward — it is only another name for disinterested love — the same feeling that bequeathed to this sad world "The Great Sym-
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pathizer and Lover," who "went about doing good to others" while on earth. So these first good citizens beheved in doing unto others as they wished others to do unto them, and not one of them practiced the Irishman's golden rule — "do to others as they do to you, and do it first, " or "do" others before they "do" you. They seemed to remember that love is the perpetual melody of humanity — it glorifies the present by the light that comes backward and lightens the future by its gleams of hope sent forward. It elevates the aspirations, expands the soul and stimulates the mental powers.
Such were the characteristics of our Jefferson county "Fathers." A noble people, and the virgin soil here afforded them a splendid heritage. And by their labors, their piety and their mode of living, they have certainly made it more glorious for descendants, who today, with thousands of others, are enjoying the "fruits" of their labors, while they have entered into the rest they so richly de- served. "They builded better than they knew." As they built their cabins they could not see the handsome residences, stores and factories that should occupy the same ground in the not very distant future. It would be a wonderful experience if they were to come back today and try to locate their cabins and truck patches, but why go to dreaming "while life is real," and such is life.
It would be a pleasure to individualize noble men and women, and give each their due mead of praise, in due season, but a dozen volumes would not hold it all. Suffice it, that we give in this chapter a brief synopsis of the lives and characters of just two of our pioneers who were ideal characters and who were not only at the front in all local matters, but who became state and national figures in their day and generation. They left their impress upon Jefferson county for all time to come. First, then, we come to
Zadok Casey, who came to Jefferson county in the spring of 1817, and reared a cabin in Shiloh township, the place known as
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Capt. J. R. Moss's homestead, near Shiloh church. He was bom in Georgia, in 1 796, and at the early age of nineteen, was married to a daughter of Samuel King. From the pioneer sketches of Mr. Johnson and others, we give some facts of his early life and labors in this, his adopted county. Soon after his marriage he began to preach, and best of all he kept it up through his long and useful life, even in the midst of his heated political campaigns, in which he en- gaged. He was as poor as poverty itself, and after his father died he had all the care of his mother as well as that of his own family. Arriving here in 181 7, he went into camp beside a big log, with his mother and family until he could rear his cabin. There was no one near to help him raise a big log cabin, so he put up one of poles, made a floor of puncheons, a door of clapboards, beds of scaffolds, and boards, and with a dirt hearth, a stick chimney, and a skillet and shovel, and commenced living at home out in Shiloh. He was one of the men described in the first part of the chapter, and soon there was evidence of thrift and improvement about the plantation. He was a diamond in the rough. By the aid of his wife he soon learned to read, and his natural thirst for knowledge soon led him to accumulate a small library and he eventually became the best posted man in all the region round about. When things began to stir down at the seat of justice, Zadok would walk down and help the boys out, but he never forgot to preach on all proper occasions, and it is said of him that he invited every man, woman and child in the county to come to the grove standing on what is now Bond's corner (and every one of them was there) to hear him preach what proved to be an excellent sermon.
But very few moments of idleness were spent by Mr. Casey after arriving in the county. As already stated he was one of the first Board of Commissioners, and helped in organizing the town and county. In 1 820, young as he was, he was pitted against Doc-
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tor McClean, of White county, for the Legislature, but was de- feated by a few votes, but at the next election, in 1822-24, he was elected to the State Senate for four years. So great was his popu- larity that he carried every vote in the county but one. In 1830 he was elected Lieutenant Governor of the state, and he again re- ceived every vote in the county but one, and that was his own. Be- fore his term expired he was elected to Congress over William Allen, of Clark county. He was re-elected in 1834, and again in 1836, 1838 and 1840, but in 1842 John A. McClernand succeeded. Undaunted, Governor Casey immediately engaged in local domestic enterprises, but the people in 1847, together with Walter B. Scates, and F. S. Casey, elected him to the Constitutional Convention, and to him and Judge Scates, Mount Vernon is indebted for the location of the Supreme Court-house. He was elected to the Legislature again in 1852, and was a member of the State Senate at the time of his death, September 4, 1862. In politics Governor Casey was a stalwart Democrat of ye olden type — thoroughly patriotic and conscientious in all his public acts. He was a good financier, al- though beginning life penniless, he accumulated considerable wealth. His children were: Mahala, Mary Jane, Samuel K., Hiram R., Alice, Newton, Thomas S., and John R. These are all dead, unless John R., who was a physician at Joliet, still survives. Such was Governor Casey's success in public life, but he shone even more brilliantly in private life, among those who knew him best. Many did not ceem to realize the source of his strength, but had they witnessed him the first night of his residence in Jefferson county, when after building a fire beside the log for his wife to pre- pare their frugal meal, he stepped in to the forest close by and, leaning against a big tree with the silent stars looking down upon him as witnesses, he knelt in prayer to Almighty God, asking that his blessing might rest upon him in his new home and that health and
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happiness might dwell in his rude home, and above all, that he might be a Christian man and upright honorable citizen of this new county. That honest petition was granted all along the journey of the Governor's life, simply, no doubt, because it was oft repealed, —what a wonderful life! A grand old man, whose pure and ex- alted life is one of the most important in the history of Jefferson county, for the study and contemplation of the youths of the county. He was glorious in his death, or rather departure — for to such spirits
"There is no death; these stars go down To rise upon some fairer shore. And bright in Heaven's jewelled crown. They'll shine forever more."
His demise, coming in the meridian of manhood, was a national as well as a local calamity, for which a greatful posterity can only now have the consoling compensation that may come from the pen of the biographer, whom, we trust, may gather the hint and make a far better book than this, entitled "Life and Times of Governor Casey." For almost half a century he served his God and his fel- lowmen in Jefferson county, and at last laid down to sleep, with harness on — just as he desired — at post of duty. Calmly he sleeps where his active life was spent. He sleeps and the billows of rest- less humanity like a disturbed sea heave about his resting place; but they disturb not his calm repose, for his spirit — the real Zadok Casey — is not there, but is dwelling in "mansions not made with hands — eternal in the heavens."
Let every reader of this sketch feel the importance of emulating the virtues of Jefferson county's truly great man — Governor Zadok Casey.
StinSON H. Anderson, was another prominent citizen and
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statesman whom we desire to speak of in this chapter. The material and political history of Jefferson county and state of Illinois, are embellished with the finger-marks of these two statesmen — Gover- nors Casey and Anderson.
Although of the same political faith, the only difference per- ceivable, being that Casey was more of a Jeffersonian Democrat, • while Anderson was more of the Jacksonian order, yet to say that at all times they were in perfect party harmony would be in con- flict with the political history of the county. Often it was found that there were two Richmonds in the field, and they almost always proved foemen worthy of each other's steel. For years it was another "war among the roses," but was without bloodshed and car- nage, and occasionally it cropped out among the descendants of these two great men, until the most of them have joined the ever- increasing majority on the other side. Sometimes the county seemed too small for these two master-spirits, and this led them to cross swords upon the points of political preferment. These local differ- ences, however, cut no difference upon national questions or in nat- ional contests. In these they stood shoulder to shoulder — always loyal to principle. Governor Anderson was born in Summer county, Tennessee, at the opening of the century — 1800, and while yet a young man, came to Jefferson county, a few years later than his peer. Governor Casey. He bought the farm east of town embracing all that portion of Mt. Vernon, east of Eighth street, which was after- ward Doctor Green's farm. He soon proved himself one of the most enterprising, successful farmers in the county. He devoted considerable attention to raising fine stock — especially fine horses. He loved a fleet-footed courser, and at one time he owned a little race mare which he called "Polly Ann." He believed that she could outrun the fleetest animal in all the realm. Doctor Logan, father of Gen. John A. Logan, had a fine racer called Walnut
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Cracker, and he challenged Anderson for a test of speed between his horse and "Polly Ann." Logan lived where Murphysboro now stands, and after considerable bantering between the owners of the rival nags, a race was agreed upon — a 1 ,000 yard dash. So con- fident was each of the speed of their pets, that they staked not only their ready cash, but almost their entire property upon the outcome. The race was run on Logan's own track at Murphysboro, and Gen. Bill Anderson, son of Governor, then but a lad, and Gen. John A. Logan, were the riders. When the horses came upon the track, the Logan horse came with his head up and nostrils dis- tended like a veritable war-horse, while little Polly Ann stood with her head down and ears drooped, seemmg almost lifeless. "General Bill" felt awed at the appearance of Walnut Cracker, and whim- peringly said to his father that he feared "Polly Ann" was beaten. "William," said the Governor, "she's got to beat, and you must see that she does beat, or I'll feel tempted to beat you!" The big race came off a few minutes later, and amidst a tremen- dous excitement Polly Ann passed under the wire several lengths ahead of the high-headed Logan horse, thus giving the Gover- nor possession of all the Logan stock, horses, cattle and hogs, except Walnut Cracker, and the Governor said he didn't want him. Governor Anderson came at a time most needed, to help build up the agricultural interests of the county and make the county seat a place of importance. He sold the Green farm to Ridgway a brother-in-law, and embarked in business up town, but farming suited him better, and in a few years, he became in possession of one of the best farms in Elk Prairie precinct, and moved there with his family.
But the talents of Governor Anderson were not destmed to be hidden under a bushel, nor his abilities to rust unburnished, and, like Cincinnatus, he was called from the plow to take a place in the
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councils of the state. He was chosen to represent Jefferson county, in the Legislature in 1832, and again in 1834, where he showed his ability as a leader, convincing his fellow members that it was safe to trust him in that capacity. In 1838 he was elected Lieutenant Governor on the ticket with Governor Carlin, and for four years was the presiding officer of the State Senate. Hon. Noah Johnston who was a member of that body describes him as an able, courteous, dignified presiding officer, whose knowledge of parliamentary law enabled him to avoid mistakes. His rulings always withstood the severest tests. After his term of Lieutenant Governor, he was ap- pointed Captain of the United States Dragoons, and served in the Florida or Seminole war. Afterwards he was warden of the state penitentiary, at Alton, for four years. During President Polk's term as President, he served as United States Marshal for the state of Illinois, and performed well his duties.
The Governor was a man of most exalted integrity — the very soul of honor, scorning everything that even had the appearance of a mean act. Although unlike Governor Casey, he did not affiliate with any church, still he gave freely of his means to all churches and to the spread of the Gospel. He took his final departure in September, 1857, deeply mourned alike by the state and county, which he had so faithfully served — and by all the people who knew him. Happy is the county which can boast of the lives and services of two pio- neers such as were Governor Zadok Casey and Governor Stinson H. Anderson.
CHAPTER VII.
MORE ABOUT MOUNT VERNON.
The Permanent Seat of Justice — Some of Its Settlers — Noah Johnston, a Land Mark.
Courage — nothing e'er withstood Freemen fightmg for their good; Armed with all their father's fame. They will win and wear a name, That shall go to endless glory. Like the gods of old Greek story. Raised to Heaven and heavenly worth. For the good they gave to earth.
Brevity is a necessity at this point, but it seems proper that we allude to these very first settlers and some of their doings in this chapter. Later on, of course, our reference to individuals must cease and our remarks be merged into a more general write-up of what has taken place during the passing years. But these first set- tlers well deserve our attention and praise. William L. Howell, the man who succeeded Lewis Watkins as Sheriff, was a nice man, but a poor manager, and he had to give up the office on that account. He moved up to Jordan's Prairie, where his little boy was lost in trying to follow his mother to the branch. There were only two paths, one to the branch and the other to the neighbor's. On her return to the house, the mother missed the boy and gave the alarm.
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but it was nearly night, and the boy could not be found. For two nights and a day search was kept up. Green Casey lived at the Frank Casey place; he went out to attend to his stock after dusk, and heard a child crying, as he thought, but fearing it might be a panther, went back to the house. Early next morning he took his gun and went out to the point whence came the noise, and there sat the child, quite exhausted. He was soon restored to his almost dis- tracted parents, and joy reigned in that household. A burying ground was laid off at Old Union, and Aunt Milly Tyler was the first woman to be buried there, and then McBride's wife, and Roar- ing Billy Woods. Thomas Tunstall bought the Kirby Tavern, and kept it and sold groceries. He bought and sent South a great deal of stock; he gave a set of plates or a set of knives and forks, for a yearling. He gave Nolin forty coWs and calves for a race horse. He erected the tread-mill that stood near the Asa B. Watson place, and brought John Summers, from Shawneetown, to run it. Sum- mers afterwards married and the long line of Summerses followed. Elisha Plummer took the William Casey house, and started a blacksmith shop and two cabins on what is now South Eleventh street. He was a cabinet maker, his wife a sister to Jarvis Fierce; Colonel Reardon, the preacher, was his son. Joel Pace built his first cabin about a hundred yards east of where Governor Pavey lives. Doctors Adams and Glover came, boarded at the H. T. Pace corner, but soon Glover went to McLeansboro, and Adams married Jane Tunstall; some years afterward moved to Moore's Prairie, and died. Downing Baugh came, married Milly Pace, went to Vandalia, to Collinsville, finally located in Mount Vernon, where he sold goods and was Justice of the Peace. He built a two- story house on the north side of the square, and put up another grocery store. McClenden built a small house west of the court- house. Joseph Wilbanks came in and took charge of the tavern.
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and bought the McClenden house for a store room, soon after went » South and died, and Governor Anderson married his widow. Bur- chett Maxey built the H. T. Pace corner. Among those who did business on the square in those days, and who bought in and sold out, were William Hamblin, James Black, E. H. Ridgway, W. W. Pace, James Bowman, John Johnson, Harvey Pace, Stinson An- derson and scores of others whose names we have not been able to secure, but business went on and the town grew as the new settlers came in, mostly from where the original settlers came from.
In 1822 a new court-house was decided upon, the wall to be brick, thirty-two by twenty-four feet, two stories high, etc. Mc- Bride took the job, worked on it, handed it over to Thomas Jordan. It cost three hundred and twelve dollars, but stood unfinished until 1829, when it was ordered repaired, furnished and painted with three coats of Spanish brown. The work was done by Cannon Maxey and Stephen G. Hicks, the painting being done by Jarvis Pierce ; a few feet east of this new court-house were the logs of the old court-house, bought by H. B. Newby, and he put up a house with them at his old place (now known as the Gibson Place) ; the old Clerks's office disappeared and provision was made for the Clerk's office in the new court-house, so we see the seat of justice moving up to a higher plane, but we find it important to leave the other improvements in the hands of the proprietors and builders, while we gather up more valuable facts.
In 1824, William Casey sold ninety rods off the west side of the southwest quarter section 29, to James Gray, and the conveyance totally ignored the fact that Mount Vernon is in the heart of the tract. This land was laid off and added to the town and called "Storm's Survey, of Gray"s addition to Mount Vernon." After this Mount Vernon began to "spread" herself, and a new and larger court-house was in demand, and the Commissioners appointed
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Noah Johnston, J. W. Greetham, Downing Baugh and A. M. Grant to advertise and plan for the building of a new court-house. Still other commissioners. Barton Atchison, James Sursa and Wil- liam Bullock, mounted their horses and went to Carmi, to examine the White county court-house, and when they returned they ordered that the Clerk shall advertise for the building of a new court-house after the plan and size of the court-house at Carmi. William Ed- wards (known as Uncle Billy) got the contract. He was induced by Governor Casey to come to Jefferson county and buy lands, and got here just in time to get the contract for five thousand five hundred dollars. He was a Methodist preacher. His eldest son, Francis, became a physician, married Colonel Hick's daughter, located at Sandoval, and recently died there. His youngest son, Joseph, also a doctor, has long been a resident of Mendota, and paid Mount Vernon a visit last summer. The court-house was finished in 1 840, but the county had to borrow money to pay for it. This court-house was forty feet square, square roof, court room below, four offices above with stairs at the southern corners, with doors on the south, east, and west, altogether making quite a formidable appearance. And in this building many of the political giants of the state were at one time and another, listened to by Jefferson county's hardy yeomen. In this court room took place the noted altercation be- tween our former fellow citizen. Doctor Green and Gen. John A. Logan, during the war for the Union.
Up to the building of this court-house, the town had not begun to "put on airs," so to speak, but now the Mount Vernon Academy was being built, the old church was finished, the town was incor- porated and prosperity seemed headed this way, when men like Eddy, Castles, Baltzels, Phillips, Doctor Short, Schank, Hinman, Thomas, Wingate, Nelson, Haynes, Scates, Roe, Gray, Rahm, Stephenson, Palmer, Barrett, Tromly and others were locating and
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building in the "old town." During this swell of prosperity. Dr. W. S. Van Cleve was instrumental in having the public square enclosed, and the weeds cut, which gave the new court-house quite a "said and aforesaid" appearance, the only eye-sore being the old log jail, which graced, or disgraced the eastern side of the new building. Thus during the first twenty years of Mount Vernon's existence, it had three so-called court-houses, but they were not "permanent," like the seat of justice.
Thus far there had been but little incentive to grow crops, for there was no market. Each settler raised his own corn, potatoes and "garden sass," but no more than enough for home consumption. Hard times were the rule especially by the time spring put in its ap- pearance. About all the settler had to trade with were hen's eggs, pelts, hides, etc., except occasionally the men and children would go into the woods and dig "ginseng," which would bring about three dollars per pound, and that would make the whole family feel aristocratic. The cattle and hogs wintered themselves — as to fresh meat, there was no trouble ; the head of the family would take down his gun and go a little way into the woods, bring in game of dif- ferent kinds, for breakfast, dinner or supper, whenever needed, and everybody had a little corn patch for bread, but there were no means to reduce the corn to meal except with those who were lucky enough to have mortars and pestles, or those who would hollow out the top surface of a big stump and beat the essence out of it with a hammer or stone. There were no mills for a long while, until this prosperous period just recorded.
Perhaps there could be no more appropriate closing of this chapter than to give the life-sketch of the next character to the two prominent citizens given in the preceding chapter, in no less a per- sonage than
Noah Johnston. He was a land-mark, and favorably
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known to all in his day and generation. He has passed away, but still liveth. He liveth today in history, and in the memory of the people where he had his earthly existence. His life stands out as it were a friendly guide board, ready to point out to the traveler the rocks and snares on the road of life. He was a gentleman of the old school — a gentleman by nature. His life and labors were long and eventful and along the line of march he spent few idle moments. With active thought and mind he suffered but few events to pass unheeded. He was a grand man, and worthy of being a citizen of the best county in the best state of the Union. As a boy we almost idol- ized him ; as a man, we remember him as the ideal of what an Amer- ican citizen should be. He lives in the hearts of his countrymen. He was born in Virginia, 1 799, came to Jefferson county, via Kentucky and Indiana. He married Mary Bullock in Indiana, and they came to Jefferson county and raised their family. Here, in storm and sunshine they trod the road of life together, doing what they could to better the world and now their bodies lie together in the cemetery, while their spirits are basking together in that bliss un- known to earth.
At first the major was engaged in farming and merchandising, but was not very successful. In 1 838 he was elected to the State Senate, to represent this and Hamilton counties, and during his term of four years much important legislation was passed upon. During the term the state capital was removed from Vandalia to Springfield, where for some years the Legislature was held in a church. Abra- ham Lincoln was a member of the same session and led the removal project, together with other prominent men from the central part of the state. In 1 852, Major Johnston, Abraham Lincoln and Judge Dickey were appointed a commission to take and report the evidence on claims filed against the state on account of the construction of the Illinois Canal. In 1845 he was enrolling and engrossing clerk of
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the Senate, and under his inspection passed the entire revision of 1845, which is said to be the best the state ever had. In 1846, he was elected as a "floater" to the General Assembly, from the coun- ties of Jefferson, Hamilton and Franklin. After his return home, he was appointed army paymaster, and ordered to St. Louis for duty. The bond was two hundred thousand dollars, and he did not feel like asking anybody to go on it, but his friends rallied around him and made his bond good. He reported for duty and opened and took charge of the office. At one time he went to Leaven- worth with two hundred thousand dollars, and in the spring of 1 848, crossed the plains with one hundred thousand dollars. He traveled twenty-five thousand miles, received and paid out two million dol- lars and never lost a cent. While in this position the major, by economy, saved enough from his salary to relieve him of his financial embarrassments.
In November, 1 854, Finney D. Preston resigned the office of Clerk of the Supreme Court, and Major Johnson was appointed in his stead; elected to same in 1855 and 1861 . In 1866 he was again elected to Legislature, from Jefferson and Franklin counties. Be- sides these places of honor and trust, he served on a board to super- intend the construction of the Supreme court-house, as Justice of the Peace, as postmaster (although he permitted Daniel Kenney to draw the pay) and was deputy United States Marshal under Stinson H. Anderson and president of the First National Bank.
He was a man of good, hard sense, no surplus words, a wise and honest counsel, and enjoyed the confidence of all with whom he had dealings. He witnessed every material improvement and advance- ment made by our county and state, and has contributed largely to the same. As a partisan he was a Democrat of the old school, al- ways ready to give a reason for the faith that was in him — a friend to the churches and the schools, and every improvement that was
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worthy of support. In no position, public or private, was ever lodged the least stain on his character, straightforward, plain, frank, honest, the noblest American of them all. Born in 1800, he de- parted this life just before his eighty-eighth birthday, lamented by the people of the entire county. He was buried beside his wife in Oakwood.
Edward N. Johnston, youngest son, is the sole survivior of the family, and resides at the old homestead, which he has improved and modernized. He has many characteristics of his revered father, and is a staid and substantial citizen, engaged somewhat in farming, and a stockholder in the bank of which his father was at one time president.
CHAPTER VIII.
Still More about Mount Vernon and Better — It's Growth and Development as it Grows Older— Its Business Men — Its Prosperity — Its Present and Future.
Haste not! Rest not! Calmly wait; Meekly bear the storms of fate! Duty be thy polar guide — Do the right, whate'er betide! Haste not! Rest not! Conflicts past, God shall crown the work at last.
Aside from the old Goshen road, there were no roads except bridle paths. No road touched Mount Vernon for a couple of year after it was laid off. The new road from Crenshaw's went to Isaac Casey's on Beal's Hill, but roads soon came and have con- stantly increased since. Doctor Johnson says the first religious or- ganization in Mount Vernon was at the log court-house, in 1 820, by Jacob Norton, Joseph Jordan, Oliver Morris, and Overton Har- low, and they were Baptists. And not long after a log church was raised near the creek, but it was not much used and the meetings were moved to William Hicks, two miles west of town. But the church at the creek was still used occasionally until Newby bought and converted it into a blacksmith shop, and there George Starner and Jefferson Stephenson, afterwards County Judge of Washington county, hammered iron for many years. The Baptist church was built north of the Fairfield road, where the trail used to run north
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of the Franklin school. It, too, was near the creek, supposedly be- cause there was much need of water there. Afterwards another house was built which would now be inside the old fair grounds, if standing. Mount Vernon continued to build up. George Pace sold the lot where Strattan's hardware store stands, to John Van Cleve, and moved to Salem in 1836; W. W. Pace built a cabin where the Ham bank stands ; Ed Ridgway built a high-roofed house where Wise is, and S. G. Hicks sold goods in it for a while and then built where Buckham is. Later Hicks built near where the Metho- dist church stands. Ben Miller bought it and moved it to his lot, where the Summers house stands. S. H. Anderson used to live in a cabin about where Doctor Green's office is, until he traded what was the Green farm to Ed Ridgway for a farm in Elk Prairie, and moved to it. John Bostwick kept a rough house — a doggery, so- called, on the Fergeron lot until one night it fell down and scattered itself all over the street, and then John went to the new town of Rome, and started a grocery there, after he had hired Asa Watson to build the first house in Rome.
In 1 830, Doctor Adams built a house where Grant's store now is. He sold it to H. T. Pace, for twenty dollars, he to Burchett Maxey for twenty-five dollars; he to Oliver Morris for thirty-five dollars. Baugh built a store on the north side, and a two-story frame a little east of it, but sold them and rented Van Cleve's house. Doctor Allen came and bought the Baugh place, and put a glass front in it — known as the old glass house. Noah Johnston and Bullock merchandised on where the Mammoth now stands. Green Daniels built on the corner of Ninth and Jordan streets, and lived there; Samuel Goodrich afterwards lived there. Green Daniels built a cabin northeast of the court-house. Bowman got it and built a house in front of it, and let Rhoelam Allen sell it to Rev. John Johnson, and that was his home until he died — where the Wise
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Clothing Store now stands; James Ross, a hatter, came and buiU a shop where the Economy store stands. A. D. Estes built a grocery store on the Mammoth corner. Absalom Estes built just west of the grocery store, remained on the corner until Castles came and bought it and built on a residence ; there it stood until Crews bought it. W. B. Thorn bought the lot south of Hobbs Mill, Ninth street. He started a blacksmith shop and lived in the rear. In 1837, John Johnson built a log house where the City hotel stands, the Doctors Greetham and T. B. Johnson used it as an office. Thorn sold his blacksmith shop and moved to the red house about where Hawkins bakery stands. Alfred Potee built where E. M. Walker lives. The Lamar boys built a house on what is now the east end of the Mrs. Joel Watson property, and Mrs. Foley Blackhawk, Williams and Decovey lived there. Doctor Greetham built where Hitch- cocks' gallery is. Reverend Phelps built on south Casey and Ridgway put up a row of houses on what is now Broadway from Eleventh to the middle of the block, west. Jarvis Pierce built the Mount Vernon Inn, opposite the Methodist church, and sold it to Eli Anderson, and when Grant came in, he bought the school-house that stood near Noah Johnston's, and added to it the east end of the hotel. The Joel Watson house was built, and the Baltzell house, just west of Watson and the Melcher house which stood near the Mount Vernon Inn. D. Baugh built the house which stood on Herrins corner. Thomas Cunningham built the house where Charles Pool now lives. M. Tromley built the house where the mattress factory now stands, and John Livingston the one where Ward's house now stands. The Caesar and Guyler cabins went up where the Carter property now is, and all the travelers stopped and bought ginger cakes and cider, from Aunt Mariah, as she al- ways kept out the sign for the benefit of travelers. W. Prigmore built where Mrs. Klinker lives, Johnny Smith where the Mahaffy
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house stands. Tom Pace built west of the old Odd Fellows' hall ; McAtee got it and it formed a part of the Johnny Bogan place. Hiram McLaughlin built on Casey street. Doctor Gray got it, then Nelson owned it. So it will be seen that considerable prosperity struck Mount Vernon during the forties. Dealers had to obtain the license in those days, and Joel Pace, Handle and Grant. E. H. Ridgway, W. W. Pace, Harvey T. Pace, Eli Anderson, H. B. Newby, D. Baugh, Noah Johnston, Dr. Adam Sanderson and Eastes, Thompson and Johnson, B. Wells, A. D. Estes, Hick- man and Witherspoon, L. C. Moss. A. B. Watson, James Kirby, James Bowman, S. G. Hicks, Van Cleve, and others took out li- cese and it seemed that business was certainly on the boom. Peltry was the chief money of the county, and the road to St. Louis was kept hot sending in the skins which were swapped for goods or money.
The second court-house was built and prosperity spread her- self. The academy was also built about this time, and new citizens came along in a hurry. During this business period Mount Vernon's population was increased by such good citizens as Jonas Eddy, Castles, Baltzel, Doctor Short, Schank, Phelps, Hinman, Thomas, Clement, Nelson, Doctor Caldwell, Doctor Roe, Doctor Gray, Kahn, Stephenson, Palmer, Barrett, Tromly, Barnes, Seimer, and soon after came Green, Mills, Preston, McAtee, Bogan, Condit. A few years later, Stratton, Pavey and Fergerson came to town, and then business commenced in earnest. Stratton bought the Jacky Johnson farm, swapped it for a big stock of goods, took in James Fergerson as a partner, took under their wings J. D. John- son, Westbrook and others, and got down to trading, milling, and almost anything that would bring the people and their money to town. Varnell came and added largely to the business hubbub, and Mount Vernon was the center of all creation so far as we knew.
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for we had no telegraphy, telephones, railroads or daily papers to tell us what other folks were doing. And it was "get there," and don't forget it. Varnell built the Continental Hotel, the New York store, and many other buildings. The Methodist church, the John- son House were built, the Supreme court-house, the Presbyterian church and many other houses were going up like rockets and there were good times galore. But along came the war and stopped everything, and not until the coming of the first railroad, in 1869. did the prosperity resume operations. Then the coming of the road and the spreading of the town gave an impetus to the work that has almost constantly gone on since. But our remarks as to the town must be general, for it has become too large for little fellows like us to handle in detail. The railroad built shops here, and people came flocking in from everywhere to help boom the town, and like Mr. Finney's turnip behind the barn, it grew and it grew and it still keeps growing. After the coming of the roads, three trunk lines, and one cut-off. Mount Vernon has never seriously suffered for trade, be- cause she has had first class dealers, always ready to serve all comers. With such business men as we have had during the past fifty years — the Varnells, the Stratton-Fergerson's, the Ham-Tay- lor's, the Nugents (for be it remembered that the great Nugent firm of St. Louis, got their start in Mount Vernon) , the Johnsons, the Wards, the CuUis, McAttees, the Hobbs and Paveys, and many others that have held forth along the years. Mount Vernon could not fail to please and succeed. All this refers to the general trade, to say nothing of the special lines represented by hundreds of equally as good men as those named above. We allude to this now, so that special lines may fall into their proper places, and that we may show that Mount Vernon is up-to-date in all departments. The lawyers, doctors and others will have the benefit of another chapter. It is now two miles across Mount Vernon's corporate limits in either di-
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rection, whereas, it first only embraced twenty acres. It has a pop- ulation of ten thousand people, and still growing to "beat the band. It has four railroads, telegraphs and telephones galore, electric lights, inexhaustible water works, gas plant, heating plant, many miles of improved streets, perhaps ten miles of good sidewalks, and all the modern improvements, and a city council that is wide-awake for the city's best interests. It contains the Mount Vernon car and manufacturing shops, employing about seven hundred men, due notice of which plant will be given elsewhere, a preserving factory, a knitting factory, and many smaller factories — all up to date. Brick streets and granitoid pavements were inaugurated under May- or S. H. Watson in 1892, and are still going on with vigor. There is hardly a block that cannot be reached dry shod, and the end is not in sight. As soon as township organization was adopted, the county ordered a new court-house, with G. W. Evans, W. A. Wil- bank, Samuel Johnson, D. H. Warren and John McConnell, as building committee. It was built, but blown down by the cyclone in 1888, and was rebuilt larger and better. It shows for itself in the public square. It is too late now to particularize about these things. Suffice it to say that the public spirited citizens have de- manded these improvements, and their many fine homes in the city show that while they demand public improvements, they begin at home in the matter of showing what ought to be done. So with these broad and truthful statements, we will give Mount Vernon a rest, at least for a season, while we turn our attention to other de- partments of Jefferson county history. Mount Vernon now has free mail delivery, requiring six carriers to cover the territory which is a great convenience, especially for the people in the outlying sections of the city. The system was inaugurated when Captain S. H. Wat- son was postmaster and the writer was his assistant. Many other improvements are in contemplation. One which strikes all the
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people favorably is the erection of a union depot, which will be an honor to the city and a great convenience to the traveling public, ob- viating the neccesity of having to walk or be carted from one part of the city to another, in order to make the transfer from one road to the other, and also hire the baggage transferred. This is one of the pressing needs of the city, and it is to be hoped that the roads will see the importance of getting together and building this union depot, as no improvement is more sorely needed. Other important improvements are coming, but we leave them to be recorded by the next historian.
CHAPTER IX.
MORE ABOUT THE OLDEST SETTLERS.
The Caseys, the Maxeys, the Johnsons, the Watsons, the Paces, Baughs and Others.
"Life's more than breath.
And the quick round of blood;
'Tis a great spirit and a busy heart.
We hve in deeds, not years.
In thoughts, not breaths.
In feeHngs, not in figures on the dial.
We should count time by heart-throbs.
He most lives who thinks most.
Feels the noblest, acts the best;
It matters not how long we live, but how.
In speaking of the first citizens of Jefferson county as being men and women of stalwart character for honesty and integrity, we do not mean to convey the idea that they were without their faults, for by tracing their history we find that they had "weak spots," like the rest of mankind. Neither would we lionize them because they lived to a "ripe old age," but because they had for their motto: "What's brave, what's noble, let's do it." And because, as one of them expresses it:
"It's nothing against you to fall down flat. But to lie there, that's disgrace."
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And this is the class of people we are writing about in this chapter — such as the Caseys, the Maxeys, the Johnsons, the Wat- sons, the Paces, the Baughs, etc. Mr. Johnson alludes to a general fight that took place in New Mount Vernon in 1820, in which nearly everybody took part. It seemed that somebody said that the Caseys and Maxeys were going to rule the county. John Abbott wanted to refute that idea and threatened to thrash the first Casey or Maxey he met — which happened to be Elihu Maxey. At it they went and soon the entire population was interested, excited, and even "Uncle" Jimmy Johnson threw his straw hat high in the air and invited any other man who wanted to fight to come forward. Jim Abbott said, "Anyone that whips John Abbott will have to thrash me." The whole outfit had their coats off, ready for the fray; but in a few minutes the storm blew over and "peace reigned in War- saw"— or rather, where they "war saw" a short time before. It was no unusual thing for part of the population to settle their dif- ferences by fist-i-cuffs, but this was the first outbreak among the better citizens.
Aunt Suky Johnson in her memoirs fifteen years later, also gives Mount Vernon a black eye, when in her account of her new home she says: "We found Mount Vernon a 'hard place.' There were only five professors of religion in town — two Baptists and three Methodists, and the same number of groceries — five. There was no church; two blacksmith shops, three stores and a half a dozen log houses; not a fence in town except crooked rail fences, and these were buried under a luxurious growth of elder, polk and jim- son weeds. Saturday was always a lively day. The Moores, Jor- dans, the Long Prairie and Horse Creek gangs, came to town, and from two to six fights took place, and that A had his nose bitten off, or B had his jaw-bone broken, or C had his eyes blackened> etc., etc., were the items that went to make up the gossip of the day.
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Races and shooting matches, open grogeries on Sunday and the fence corners full of drunken men, were part of the exercises."
But all this was the "other side" of the story of our first set- tlers. The Christianity of the Caseys, Maxeys and Johnsons and others soon began to tell on the town and county, and has pro- gressed through the succeeding generations until now we find the en- tire county equal in civilization and refinement to any part of the country, and as to Mount Vernon, it may very appropriately be termed the Athens of Southern Illinois.
THE CASEYS.
The Casey family was the most numerous at the start, both in the south, and in the first settlement of Jefferson county. We have already given the life and services of Zadok Casey. His father was Randolph, a warrior under Gen. Francis Marion. Of his chil- dren— Zadok, Samuel, Levi, Isaac, all came to Jefferson county, and have been noticed. We are just in receipt of a letter from Oakland, California, from Mrs. Mellie Casey Rockwell, in which she says: "My father, William B. (Buck) Casey, was born in Jef- ferson county, Illinois, in June, 1821, the second male child born in the county — son of William and Amy (Barker) Casey. Uncle Blackford Casey, my father's oldest brother, was born in June, 1815, and was the very first male child born in what is now Jefferson county. My mother is still living at the age of eighty-three ; my father died in 1884. Uncle Blackford Casey passed away in De- cember, 1892. His oldest son, Greetham Casey, who was born in Jefferson county, seventy years ago, now lives in Covine, Los An- geles county, California. My mother taught school in Mount Ver- non in 1850." This reminds us that there are fewer Caseys in old Jefferson today than there were in those early days. They have
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moved on with civilization and become less prolific, perhaps. The same may be said of the Maxeys, and Johnsons, also, for they are fewer now than then. William Casey, Jr., came here in 1836; he was the father of Blackford, Maletna, Buck, Abraham, Drury B., Thomas, Melissa and Zadok, Jr. He used to live northwest two miles on what is now the Centralia road. Abraham T., Wil- liam's brother, married Valinda Maxey, located on Salem road and preached "around." His children were Harriet, who married Dr. W. S. Van Cleve; Catherine, who married Mont Morrow; Bel- veretta, who married J. R. Walker; Elizabeth, who married John Sproul; Martha, who married Dr. Shirley, and Lafayette, an itin- erant preacher. Thomas M. Casey, afterwards known as "Uncle Tommy," married Harriet Maxey. They had eleven children and we remember: Clinton M., Jane, WiUiam, Cynthia, Mary, Barger, Rebecca, Nanny, Abraham and Rhoda. Abraham P. died in Missouri, leaving his children; John C, Green P., Franklin S., Martin S., Isaac, Clarissa and Elizabeth, in this county. John C. married Polly Casey, Green P. married Margaret Watkins, Frank- lin S. married Rhoda Taylor. He lived on the Richview road, near Grand Prairie, and died there. Thomas J. and Robert were his sons. Mrs. Lew Beale was his daughter. Lewis F. Casey, in giving an account of his father's family. Green P. Casey, says: "My grandfather was Abraham P. My grandfather on my mother's side was Lewis Watkins. My parents were married in Mount Ver- non in 1820, went to farming out in the woods, with nothing but bears, deer and coons to molest them. My brothers, Abraham and Hiram, died in childhood; my sisters married as follows: Harriet married George Seward ; May A. married John T. Smith ; Nancy A. married Henry Phillips; Sarah A. married John WiUis; Mahala P. married Dr. John Murphy; Margaret married Capt. D. M. Short, of Texas, and Rhoda Ellen married Alfred Galbreath. Also
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two sisters, Arabella and Isabella, both of whom died young. Green P. died in 1857, and his wife in 1866, mourned by all who knew them." Lewis F., the surviving son of this family, was made surveyor of Jefferson county at the age of twenty; was Commis- sioner to take the census of the county m 1 845 ; was lieutenant of Company H, Second Regiment, in Mexico; represented his native county (Jefferson) in the Legislature in 1847. He moved to Texas in 1852, was chosen Prosecuting Attorney; elected to the State Sen- ate in 1861 ; was surrounded by secession sentiment and served the cause until it railed; then returned to Illinois; began to practice law at Centralia, and died there a few years ago. His wife was Mary J., daughter of Governor Z. Casey. Samuel K. Casey, eldest son of Governor Casey, bought the old homestead (now the Chance place) and lived and died there after serving in both houses of the Legislature, serving as warden of the penitentiary, and being large- ly instrumental in securing Mount Vernon her first railroad. He is survived by Samuel Casey, a prominent real estate dealer of Mount Vernon. Thomas S. Casey, son of Zadok, also served in both houses of the Legislature, as Circuit Judge, and for a while as colonel in the war, and for many years he was prominent in the law and at one time was on the Appellate Court bench. Newton Casey, another son of Zadok, also served in the Legislature, and other public positions. Mahala, his daughter, married a Mr. Dwight and Judge Samuel L. Dwight, of Centralia, is their sur- viving child. He married Capt. R. D. Noleman's daughter. The other Casey descendants in Jefferson county have proven themselves good useful citizens in the private walks of life, and none of them have ever wrought disgrace on the Casey name, and Jefferson county may consider herself fortunate in having the Caseys for her first in- habitants. Suffice it to say that the Casey family have left their impress on Jefferson county, although the greater number of them
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have passed over the divide, where they await the grand Casey reunion on the other side.
THE MAXEYS.
In the early settlement of the county, the Maxey family comes next. Jesse Maxey, of Tennessee, had several children: William, Edward, Walter, John and Elizabeth. William, who was mar- ried, came to Illinois in 1818, and was appointed Justice of the Peace. He tried to marry Ransom Moss and Anna Johnson, and "broke down" completely. Some say he commenced on the Dec- laration of Independence; backed off and tackled the Constitution of the United States, and finally got through, but Governor Casey twitted him with saying that the Lord instituted matrimony in the days of men's "ignorance" instead of "innocence." He finally concluded with the invocation: "And may the Lord have mercy on your souls." And thus ended the first marriage ceremony ever "pulled off" in Jefferson county. Mr. Maxey was a good man, if not very learned. His children were: Clarissa, Henry B., Bennett N., Elihu, Harriet, Vylinda, Charles H., JoshuaC, William M. A. and Jehu. Burchett Maxey came in time to buy a lot and build the first house ever built in Mount Vernon. He married Peggy Taylor and their children were: Eliza, who married Col. S. G. Hicks; W. P., Thomas B., Elizabeth (married Breeze) ; Elihu K., John H., James C, who married Nancy Moss, and still lives in Mount Vernon; Edward K., Jehu J., Henry B., Franklin C. and Harvey M. Walter S., Henry, Oscar and Frank, are sons of James C. and Nancy (Moss) Maxey; Mrs. Sugg, her daughter.
Henry N. Maxey was in the War of 1812, and with General Jackson at New Orleans. His children were: Emily, William H., James J., Charles H., Joshua C, Eliza and Thomas J. William
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and James were preachers. Elihu, the one who whipped Abbott, married EveHne Taylor, then Sarah Guthrie, built a horse mill, was a benefactor and met accidental death. He had ten children — Talina, married Mervel Smith; Perrigan T., Henry, William C, Thomas, Elizabeth, Margaret and Eliza.
Charles H. was the son of William and married Sally Bruce. His children were: Caroline, Mary, Martha, Drucilla. F. S. Parker married Caroline, Joseph Burke married Mary, C. D. Frost married Martha, G. A. Collins married Susan, and James M. Swift married Drucilla. Joshua Cannon, son of William, married Susan Criswell, and their daughters were Mrs. M. A. Cummins and Mrs. John C. Tyler and son. Thomas, who died recently.
Dr. William A. Maxey, youngest son of William, married Edna Owens. He was both physician and preacher. His children were: Simeon W., Samuel T. (spoken of elsewhere), William C, Harriet J. (Mrs. Satterfield), Sarah C. (Mrs. S. Hill), J. Van, and Nelson, who married Miss Burgen and lives in Iowa.
John Maxey, son of Jesse, came in 1823 with William and Jonathan Wells, removed to Wayne county and died. Such, in brief, was the Maxey families, who first came in to help make the county and mould sentiments of good citizenship, and along both lines they have been eminently successful.
THE JOHNSONS.
Like the Caseys and Maxeys, the Johnsons one and all have been prominent from the earliest settlement of the county. Benjamin Johnson, the ancestor of our Jefferson county Johnsons, was a Marylander. John, a son of his, was the father of our pioneers. Lewis, the son of this John Johnson, was among our very first settlers. He had nine children — Milly, Anna, Lucy, married L.
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Foster and they lost their house by fire and their infant son was cremated; James E. Johnson was the eldest son of Lewis. He was quite a preacher and improved the farm where John T. Johnson raised his family. John T., the next oldest brother of James, was licensed to preach when but twenty years old. He joined the con- ference and took regular work. Nicholas lived in Grand Prairie and died there. Elizabeth married G. B. AfP.ack, of Richview. Nancy married James Barnes, of Richview. Susan married A. Witherspoon, and went to Kentucky. James Johnson second son of John, married Clarissa Maxey in Tennessee, and came here in 1818. His eldest son, John, married Sarah Hobbs and they were the parents of our present Dr. A. Curt, James D. and John N. Johnson, Mrs. Henry T. Waters and Mrs. David H. Summers. He was an enterprising man, a physician, but chose rather to do other business. He merchandised and built several houses in Mount Vernon, among them the Johnson House, the big brick near the Methodist Episcopal church, in 1854. He died, much missed and lamented, in 1 858.
John, the youngest brother of Lewis and James, came later, in 1 834, and located in Mount Vernon. He died here in 1 858. His children were Doctor T. B., who died in Kentucky in 1870; the wife of Blackford Casey; J. Fletcher; Washington; G. Wesley, J. Benson, a girl and boy who died in childhood, and Adam Clark, the faithful historian of the pioneers of Jefferson county. John Johnson, "Uncle Jacky," as we knew him in our boyhood days, was born in Virginia, in 1 783 — born in poverty and left an orphan. By the help of a slave he learned the alphabet, and after he was converted in his teens, he could not read intelligently. But by the light of pine knots he studied the Bible at night, after hard days' work, and on Sunday, at some cabin on the hillside he would pro- claim the Gospel with a pathos and power that always carried the
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hearts of his rustic hearers by storm. He had a voice of unusual power and could be heard two miles away. His discourses were brief, but always plain, practical and convincing. Yet with all his rugged vigor his heart was as tender as a woman's, with a sympathy that extended even to the insect at his feet. He was to all intents and purposes, a pioneer preacher of the Cartwright order, except that he had none of the great preacher's belligerency. He traveled the country from Ohio to Natchez, in Mississippi, and preached at every opportunity. His allotted work led him through much unin- habited country, among Indians, wild animals and equally wild men, but always trusting in the Lord. He was certainly a great preacher and a very remarkable man. Over sixty years ago we heard him preach from the text: "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" and we have never forgotten the text, the sermon, nor the man. His widow died here in 1895, and his sons are all gone, except Washington S. The descendants of J. Fletcher and G. Wesley are still in our midst, and rank among our very best people. His death was peaceful, and triumphant. Many of his descendants are valued citizens of Mount Vernon.
"So fades a summer cloud away. So sinks the gale when storms are o'er; So gently shuts the eye of day. So dies a wave along the shore."
THE WATSONS.
Dr. John Watson came to Jefferson county in 1 82 1 , "squat- ting" for the winter at Mulberry Hill until next spring. John H. and Asa B. built a large crib on their claim north of town (the old Watson place), and they moved to it. In this they lived until the
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hickory log house was built. They tended a crop near Union the first year, but had their own place ready for business by the next season. The head of the family was a physician — the first to locate in the county. His quinine cost him ten dollars and fifty cents an ounce, and he sent east for an ounce of veratrum, and it cost him forty dollars, which showed that there were "trusts" in those days as well as now, but they would not trust the country doctor for medicines. The people in those days were quite healthy and never thought of having the new-fangled diseases that prevail in this en- lightened age. The doctor found time to assess the entire county, and still keep up his practice, for which service he received seventeen dollars — about enough to buy an ounce of quinine. The dressed fawn-skin in which he carried his Assessor's books is still in the Clerk's office. He left the farm work entirely to the boys, while he attended to his professional and official duties. The wife died March 3d, and the doctor died June 3, 1845, beloved and respected by all who knew them. Their children were : Virginia, who married John Summers, whose mill and home east of town was always con- sidered the most hospitable place in all the country; John H., who married Betsy Rankin, and their children were: John R., who mar- ried and died in Iowa; William D., who at an advanced age, re- sides in Colorado, and has raised a large family; Thomas P., who recently died without offspring; Milly F., beloved wife of the writer; Samuel H., long prominent in the politics of Jefferson county, now residing in Los Angeles, California; Joel P., postmaster at Ashley; Dr. J. H., practicing physician at Woodlawn; Amelia, de- ceased, wife of B. S. Miller, and Nancy, who died in youth. Then came William B., who married the Leonard girl and who resided in St. Louis. Then Asa B., who married Diana Ham, and their children were: Andrew J., Thomas J.. Mrs. Lydia Collins, Mrs. Carrie Pavey, Mrs. Lew ToUe, Mrs. Hal Goodwin and Mrs. R.
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House. Then came Joel F., for many years County Clerk, and who married Elder Taylor's daughter, and they were the parents of Doctor Walter, Attorney Albert and Howard Watson. The latter lived in St. Louis, and died but recently. Joel's second wife is still living — a noble. Christian woman, who was Tom Pace's widow. The youngest was Harry M., who married a Cummins, and left two daughters, both now living in the far West.
THE BAUGHS.
Downing Baugh came early, acted well his part as a business man. Judge, Justice of the Peace, enterprising and useful citizen, and above all, as a Christian. Some years ago he moved to Mc- Gregor, Iowa, and but recently died there at a ripe old age of — perhaps ninety-five. He left his imprint on the early history of Mount Vernon, and left with us his posterity, of which we are just- ly proud. His children were: Mrs. J. J. Fly, who is still with us, at an advanced age, and is the mother of Walter, Oscar and Ad- dison Fly, and Mrs. Carrie Spiese and Amy, at home; Mrs. H. H. Wilkerson, who moved to Chicago and died; Thomas J. (dead) ; John W., our well known express agent — whose children are: Frank and Nellie; Joe V., the present editor of the Mount Vernon News, whose children are: Ernest and Harry, and Mrs. "Hat' Thurston, living in Dakota. The writer well remembers being one of the charivari party who "serenaded" Mrs. Fly and Mrs. Wilker- son— both having been married the same night, over fifty years ago. The Baughs then lived on what is now Herrin's corner. We were sent over to Aunt Mariah's, who kept gingerbread and cider about where George Carter now lives, for the "treat" and it was a good one — ^just such a one as Aunt Mariah (colored) delighted to give.
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THE PACES.
Joel Pace, tiring of the carking cares of office, moved to his farm (now General Pavey's home) and began to raise his own corn-dodgers. Flis twin brother, Joseph, was doing the same on his farm, south of town. Both had interesting and industrious fam- ilies. Uncle Joel's children were: Charles T. (than whom Mount Vernon never had a better citizen) ; Dr. W. C, of Ashley; Samuel F., who died early; Edward C, who became banker, and died at Ashley; Newton C, deceased, who was captain in the army, and afterwards, for several years. Mayor of his native town; Addison M., who chose the great West as his home; Mrs. James Haynes (mother of George M., lawyer and historian) ; and Mrs. General Pavey, still on the "old hill." Aunt ParmeHa went home in 1877, and Uncle Joel followed her in 1879 — having served the town and county long and well. He has been extensively noticed in pre- ceding chapters.
Uncle Joseph Pace died near the same time, full of years and honors that always come to a good man, who loves his neighbors, and serves God. He was father of Thompson Pace, so well known by many yet living; also of Mrs. George and James Dillingham; Mrs. Black Allen and Mary. None of the Paces have ever brought reproach upon themselves or upon Jefferson county.
There are many other families that deserve special mention, such as the Summers, the Andersons, the Mills, the Shorts, the Grays, the Baltzels, the Bowmans, the Newbys and many others of the very early days, but for the present we must hasten on, and as we have already given a brief account of the first marriage, perhaps we had bfetter refer to the second one — or rather to the three in one; six souls that beat as three, were made happy just over the line of what is now Shiloh township. The Maxeys and Caseys had
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already "mixed up" considerably and they seemed to like it. Mr. Maxey had a house full of pretty girls, and the Caseys wanted them, so it was determined that on a certain evening Thomas M. Casey (afterwards Uncle Tommy) and Harriet Maxey, Abraham Casey and Vylinda Maxey, and Bennett N. Maxey and Sally Overbay (who was raised by the Maxeys and went by that name) should be made one — no, we mean three — the first, and perhaps the only triple wedding that ever took place in the county.
In the "good old times" of which we write, it was the correct thing for a man to be the head of a family, and for a woman to be the queen of the household. Loving and working together, without impairing each other's personality or individuality, was the rule. They seemed to realize that the strongest worldly love is that of husband and wife — that love that makes "two hearts beat as one" — that love that unites them not only in acts of conjugal bliss, but in every department of life made them feel that they were not "unequally yoked together." To this usual mode of everyday life we attribute much of the "harmony of those days" when elope- ments and divorces were unheard of — when happy marriages was the rule and not the exception.
The identical evening came, so did everybody, and the pranks, jests and capers and good, hearty laughs that rang out on the night air, would have shamed a modern charivari party. But the triple ceremony was performed, everything went merry as a half dozen marriage bells, until after the repast. Then it was dis- covered that it was growing late — too late to go home till mormng, and the house, although large, contained but one room — and what should be done with these six, nay, three, hearts that beat as one, two, three. After the old folks got their heads together, it was de- cided to erect beds for them in the cook-shed and smoke-house. All hands turned out and with poles and clap-boards, they had soon
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erected three bedsteads, wonderful to behold, but sufficiently sub- stantial for the occasion, and two of the happy pairs were disposed of in the smoke-house and the other in the cook-shed. It was an event long to be remembered — in fact, the most remarkable event of the kind that has ever occurred in Jefferson county. But it was pertinent as showing what the Caseys and Maxeys could do when they "put their heads together," after which it was always an easy matter to get other things going their way. And the Casey-Maxey combination was largely typical of many other "old settlers'* of Jefferson county.
CHAPTER X.
FIRST ROADS.
Hard to Get — Better Roads. Badly Needed — Railroads — Lots of Them.
Who turns his back when the winds blow chill. And wails "Alack," when his luck is ill, May never possess the pride of soul — He earns who battles and gains the goal.
In addition to what may be termed the commercial aspect of good roads, they have a highly important social aspect as well. They bring the farmer into closer touch with the world at large. He and his family are not forced to remain at home for days at a time because the condition of the roads make traveling unpleasant, if not difficult. Good roads insure efficient and prompt rural mail deliveries, placing the newspapers on the table of the farmer early on the day of publication, enabling him to transact much of his business by mail and to take advantage of early information as to fluctuations in the prices of his farm products. Good roads mean that the farmer and the members of his family can enjoy to a greater degree the society of their neighbors and friends in the town and country. They mean that his children can be more regular in school attendance, and can receive to a greater degree the ad- vantages of education. They mean the bringing closer together of the town and country, with advantages on both sides, for as the
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farmer is benefited by being brought into closer touch with the town, so all the business interests of the town prosper as the result of the facility with which the farmer and his family can do their shopping. Good roads also benefit the inhabitants of towns and cities by affording facilities for pleasant country drives. They in- vite the business man to the establishment of country and suburban homes, such as he can enjoy only when he is assured that the con- dition of the roads will be such as to enable him to reach his place of business promptly in all kinds of weather.
Everybody knows that good roads are good things, and that nothing is more conducive to good business than good roads. Among the improvements of any country, nothing is more important than its roads or highways. Civilization is judged by its roads. In this chapter we will speak of our roads and railroads, taking them as they came in. When Mount Vernon was first laid off it had no roads — not even by-paths, and the pioneers had their cabins, their clearings, the public buildings and the public roads all to make. First, as to wagon roads, for it was many years before railroads were even dreamed of. First, we allude to the
SALINE AND WALNUT-HILL ROAD.
At the beginning the Goshen road was the only one running into or through the county, and it crossed what is now the Fairfield road, four miles east of the site of Mount Vernon. The County Commissioners made several efforts to get a road viewed and laid out before they succeeded. Several times committees were ap- pointed to view and lay out certain roads, but time passed and no road. Finally, James Abbott, William Jordan and Reuben Jack- son reported that they had viewed and selected a line for a road running through Mount Vernon, beginning at or near the southeast
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corner of the county and up through Jordan's Prairie, on the north. The report was accepted and the road ordered, eighteen feet wide. Uncle Joseph Pace was the surveyor, G. P. and A. P. Casey, chain carriers. Jordan and Abbott had a bottle of whiskey. After drinking, they offered it to Uncle Joe Pace ; he took the bottle and emptied its contents on the ground. The road was opened and most of it is used to this day. The bridge across Casey's Fork of Muddy was the only one to be built, and Ben Hood and Canton Wilkey built it for forty-four dollars and fifteen cents. The Vandalia road was the next opened, but it took a long time to make people believe it was a permanent highway. The
RICHVIEW ROAD
came next, which accommodated the Grand Prairie people in get- ting to town. With a few changes the same is the Richview road of today. Next the
NASHVILLE ROAD i
ordered to cross the Middle Fork of Muddy, near Shiloh meeting house and the West Fork, at or near Hamblin's. Then came the
FAIRFIELD ROAD
bossed by John Summers, who had located over the creek, and be- gan business with his mill, on the D. H. Warren place. In the main what was then made the aforesaid road is the Fairfield road of to- day. Then came the
BROWNSVILLE OR PINCKNEYVILLE ROAD.
Several routes were viewed and selected and some of them even adopted, but really no road until 1837, when the Pinckneyville
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road was made and located, mostly where the same road now runs, except as to various wmdings.
In alluding to these roads we have not attempted to give de- tails, but simply referred to results, the very thing sought by the pioneers and the one thing needed — open roads. After these diffi- cult— that is, difficult to secure and difficult to follow, highways were duly opened, other roads "too numerous to mention" became the order of the day throughout the county. Among them was a road across the southwest corner of the county — the Nashville and Equality road. Another from Salem to Chester across the northwest part of the county. In 1 839 a new state road from McLeansboro to Mount Vernon was located. Later a road was laid out from the academy to Short's Mill on the creek and thence east into the wilderness; the Richview and Farrmgton road crossing the Salem road near Pleasant Grove ; the Frog Island road ; the Ashley and Spring Garden ; one from Rome to the Carlyle road ; the Mount Vernon and Lynchburg road; the Spring Garden and Tamaroa road; one from Lynchburg to Ham's Grove and many others — so many in fact, that strangers are always in doubt which road to take. Many of them, like a snake, wriggle in and wriggle out, leaving the traveler still in doubt whether the snake that made the tract is going north or coming back. No attention was paid to section or township lines in the laying out of these roads and much valuable land has been impaired by their various windings. Of course the personal interests of the "viewers" and others cut coniderable ice in the formation and subsequent preambulation of these roads. And we may truthfully say that under township organization, we have very expensive roads and very few really good ones — especially in winter, when good roads are needed. Unfortunately we have noth- ing to make roads of — except dust or mud. But the time is com- ing when we will import the material and malie good roads.
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OUR RAILROADS.
When our pioneers were viewing and laying off the wagon roads alluded to above, they had never dreamed of having a rail- road into or through Jefferson county. But about 1836 and from that on, they began to dream and dream until the railroad fever fully set in. In that year the Illinois Central road was chartered and our people wanted it but only got about four hundred yards of it across the northwestern corner of the county — although in 1 852 when the road was really built, the surveyors ran a survey through Mount Vernon in charge of B. G. Roots, and made us think we already heard the toot, toot of the iron-horse. Of course a great mistake was made by not locating the road through Mount Vernon and Jefferson county. The Legislature had a crazy fit in the session of 1836-7-8 and attempted to cover the whole state with railroads at once — one from Cairo to Galena, one from Shawneetown to Alton — and several in the central and northern part of the state — in all about fifteen hundred miles. The result was a debt of fourteen million dollars, and a "jerkwater" road from Springfield to the Illi- nois river on the west — about a hundred miles, worth perhaps one hundred thousand dollars. By the efforts of Noah Johnston in the Senate and H. T. Pace in the House an act was passed which gave us an interest in two hundred thousand dollars that was appropriated to counties that failed to get any railroads. But we missed the railroad, and missed getting the money — except one hundred and fifty dollars secured by the persistent efforts of H. T. Pace — part of what we were entitled to from the sale of the "Saline lands." Then railroad excitement died out until 1851-2, when the Illinois Central was again chartered, and the work actually begun. Then the fever broke out again. The Sangamon & Massac road was chartered, Jefferson county being represented in the company by J.
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M. Johnson, Z. Casey, T. M. Casey and H. T. Pace, but there the thing stopped. Another was the "Mount Vernon Railroad Com- pany" with Z. Casey, H. T. Pace, S. H. Anderson, Q. A. Wil- banks, J. R. Allen, S. K. Allen, S. W. Carpenter and B. F. Wood, as charter members — to build a road from Mount Vernon, tapping the Central at some point to be determined — it didn't tap.
The following document will show that Mount Vernon's prom- inent citizens were in earnest in trying to secure a railroad :
We, the undersigned citizens of the county of Jefferson and state of Illinois, in consideration that any person or association of persons, organized or incorporated under and by virtue of any act of the Legislature of the state of Illinois now in force, or under and by virtue of any act of the Legislature aforesaid which may hereafter be enacted, will and shall build, construct and equip a railroad from the town of Ashley, in Washington county and state of Illinois, the town of Mt. Vernon, in Jefferson county and state of Illinois, either as a separate and distinct road or forming a portion of a through road running to the town of Fairfield in Wayne county, Illi- nois, or to any other point east of Fairfield, within a reasonable time from this date, do hereby agree, undertake and bind ourselves and each of us to grant and convey by good and sufficient deed or deeds of conveyance in law and equity the quantity and description of lands situated in said county of Jefferson and annexed to and set opposite our names to any such person, or association of persons organized and incorporated as aforesaid, so soon as such person, or association of persons, incorporated and organized as aforesaid, shall give securities or guarantees sufficient to satisfy any number of persons not exceeding five whom we, or such portion of us shall in any public meeting at the court-house, in Mt. Vernon, called for the purpose upon ten days' notice, designate and appoint, that said railroad will be constructed and equipped within a reasonable time, as aforesaid, from this date.
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Mt. Vernon, Illinois, April 10, 1858. SUBSCRIBERS. NO. ACRES.
W. B. Thorn 80
H. B. Newby 80
W. D. Green 80
H. T. Pace 80
T. B. Tanner 80
Thomas L. Moss 40
Charles Mason 10
A. P. Elkins 40
John Waite 40
C. M. Daily 40
W. H. Herdman 40
J. Q. A. Bay 20
J. M. Pace 80
S. T. Brown 10
C. Johnson 40
E. V. Satterfield 20
J. F. Watson 40
Joel Pace 80
Abraham Marlow authorizes W. D. G. to subcribe 20
James B. Tolle 80
D. G. Anderson 80
Dan Baltzell 80
D. C. Warren 80
Dr. G. authorized to subcribe for Willoughby Adams 40
In 1850 Congress gave Illinois the swamp lands within her borders for educational and internal improvements, and the state in turn gave each county the same lands within its borders for the purposes named. Jefferson county's share was about nineteen thou- sand acres and at an election held in 1855 the proposition to do-
7
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nate these lands to the construction of a railroad carried. Proposi- tions were made by foreigners to build the road, but not accepted. Then Governor Casey founded a company under the name and style of Van Duzer, Smith & Co. and to this company the work was awarded, signed by Z. Casey, and A. M. Grant as president and secretary of the old company. Subscriptions were opened at An- derson & Mills' store and forty thousand dollars soon subcribed and partly paid in. The work began to boom. The track was cleared from Ashley to Mount Vernon and the road-bed partly finished. Van Duzer, Smith & Co. were everybody's pets ; they went in debt to everybody. Ties were piled along the line; they got money from Shackelford & Givens and had our trustee give them a deed for four thousand acres of the swamp lands; Dr. Green and others found themselves grantors for them to the tune of ten thousand dol- lars. One of them had married one of our handsomest ladies; Van Duzen took five hundred thousand dollars in bonds to New York to sell and it is said his report is not yet in. Work began to drag — slower every day; and then — the work ceased — and the whole en- terprise was a dismal failure. The grantors attached what little was left — virtually nothing ; Smith went back to New York and his wife was reported rich, but he owned nothing; Van Duzer went to Michigan and later to the penitentiary and Goetschins died in Paducah, Kentucky. The company forfeited everything. The old company recovered the franchise and the road-bed was sold at Springfield and bought in for the company through Thomas Hobbs for a mere pittance. To recover contingencies, a new charter was formed for the Ashley & Mount Vernon Railroad by Z. Casey, H. T. Pace, J. R. Allen, W. D. Green, T. B. Tarmer, C. T. Pace and Noah Johnson. Then came others who wanted to build the road, or rather wanted the lands, and after much maneuvering and scheming and so forth and so on, bonds for one hundred thousand
wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 99
dollars was voted by the people of the county for the building of the road through the county. After many efforts and many propo- sitions had failed, a new company got a charter for a railroad from St. Louis to Shawneetown and took the name of the St. Louis & Southeastern Railroad Co. This company was composed of Orvil Pool, James H. Wilson, J. J. Castles, S. K. Casey, W. D. Green, T. H. Hobbs and E. F. Winslow — all old residents, except Gen- eral Wilson, who was General Grant's chief of staff during war, and General Winslow, who built the Brough road by the Vandalia, sold out for one hundred thousand dollars and became a railroad man. And the contract was finally let to Winslow & Wilson, prin- cipally through Dr. Green, who had definitely learned that it was the best way to subserve Mount Vernon's interests. After all the efforts and many besides. Mount Vernon's first railroad, the St. Louis & Southeastern (now Louisville & Nashville Railroad) was completed in 1869-70, using the original road-bed from Mount Vernon to Ashley, made in 1858 by Van Duzer, Smith & Co., and instead of obtaining a "bob-tailed" road as the projectors were often twitted with, we secured what later proved to be one of the best trunk lines running from the Southeast to the great Northwest. Mount Vernon also secured extensive and valuable car shops that largely increased our population and wealth. These shops were un- fortunately burned down in 1878, but speedily rebuilt. Later, the work was removed to Howell, Indiana, and the buildings were leased to the Mount Vernon Car Manufacturing Company (of which, more hereater). The boom that struck Mount Vernon with the coming of the first railroad has had a few lulls, but has never ceased, and now that it is one of the best railroad centers in the southern part of the state, its destiny is intimately linked with future prosperity. And for this we should not forget that we are largely indebted to the public-spirited gentlemen of our county named in connection with the securing of this first road.
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Prior to this time a Marion and Jefferson county railroad was chartered ; also the Shawneetown branch of the Illinois Central, both to run through Mount Vernon, and still others, but — "nothing do- ing," or nothing done with these roads.
THE AIR LINE — NOW SOUTHERN.
A road was undertaken from Alton to Mount Carmel, money borrowed and the road begun by Gen. William Pickering. He spent all the money he could get and all he had himself and made the road-bed from Princeton, Indiana, to Albion, Illinois, then failed, but retained the ownership of the franchise and road-bed, which he sold to Bluford Wilson and others — his heirs getting four- teen thousand dollars only for it. The purchasers, after dickering around for a long time, got matters in shape to continue work on the road — finally changing its name to the Louisville & St. Louis Railroad Company, and adding several branches. It reached Mount Vernon in 1883. For a year or two its western terminus was Mount Vernon, running its trains to St. Louis over the Louis- ville & Nashville, but it was finally built to St. Louis, via Rome and Centralia, and after achieving success, was transferred to the sys- tem of the Great Southern road — this giving us another trunk line east and west and adding still more to our population and wealth. The Southern has become a very popular road and that without costing Jefferson county many thousands of dollars, as the first road did. Jefferson county paid good and well for its first road.
THE JACKSONVILLE & SOUTHEASTERN,
principally through the persistent efforts of Judge James R. Driver, was built to the town of Drivers, four miles west of Mount Vernon
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on the Louisville & Nashville (sending its trains here over that line), was operated a few years and sold to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and now runs south through the county, crossing the Louisville & Nashville at Woodlawn, passing through Woodlawn, Cravat, Waltonville and Emerson City.
THE CHESTER & TAMAROA.
road was extended to Mount Vernon in the eighties and is another valuable link of road — especially, locally. It is destined to be con- tinued to Terre Haute, Indiana, and become part of another trunk line system. It is doing a fine local business, and is chiefly under the management of C. B. Cole, of Chester.
THE CHICAGO, EASTERN ILLINOIS
Railroad Company built into Mount Vernon a few years ago, and this link formed part of another trunk line, the Frisco system, which runs all over the West and South. This gives us a direct line to Chicago, as good as the one we ought to have had years before. It runs to the Ohio river and crosses the Mississippi river at Thebes and takes in the entire Southwest. It is a fine road and cost the county nothing.
So it will be seen that Mount Vernon and Jefferson county are "fixed" so far as railroads are concerned — making the county seat one of the most desirable railroad centers in all the region round about. Certainly our "internal improvements" are keeping pace with those of other inland counties of the great Prairie state.
In conclusion we may say that we have in Jefferson county about four hundred and fifty miles of railroad track (including the sidings at the different towns), fifteen depot buildings and other
102 wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL.
valuable railroad property, upon which the county derives a good revenue. We have facilities for traveling in every direction, two or three times every day, and instead of driving our hogs and geese to Shawneetown or St. Louis, while we hauled our chickens and eggs and hides, as we used to, we have a home market for them at good prices, and what we want from the cities can be laid at our doors on twenty-four hours' notice. Where it used to take us a full week to go to St. Louis and do our little trading, we can now go in the morning, do a days' business and be home by bed-time. What would the first settlers of Mount Vernon have thought of the vision- ary who had the spirit of optimism so deeply implanted in him as to prophesy that all this would come to pass within the natural life- time of one man? It teaches us that instead of adopting the pessi- mistic wail of
"The world's a hollow bubble, don't you know? Just a painted piece of trouble, don't you know?" we should mount the higher plane of optimism, and proclaim from the hill-tops
"The chap who humps and never stops
To register complaints. May lack the wisdom of the wise.
The perfectness of saints; And what is more, mayn't know what 'tis
To bear a famous name. But, spite o' what the neighbors say. He gets there just the same.
LIBRARY Of THE
COURT HOUSE, MOUNT VERNON.
CHAPTER XI.
JEFFERSON COUNTY COURTS.
Supreme and Appellate Courts. The Bar, etc. The Sacred- ness of the Law.
"Oh make Thou us, through centuries long, In peace secure, in justice strong; Around our gift of freedom draw The safeguards of Thy righteous law; And cast in some diviner mold, Let the new cycle shame the old!"
In these days of light thinking and still lighter talking about the law and the courts, it is well to get back towards the old land- marks and understand that the perpetuation of our liberties depend largely upon an honest and intelligent bar. It is by the courts that criminals are apprehended and punished; it is through these courts that wrongs are redressed, and the innocent given their liberty. Com- ing nearer home, we can truly say that Mount Vernon may well be termed the seat of justice— the home of Judges. In 1848, the Supreme Court was located here, and the state has spent consider- able money in buildings and equipments, and today Mount Vernon has a fine state court-house and contains one of the best law-li- braries in the state. The first term of the Supreme Court was held here in 1848, with S. H. Treat, Chief Justice, and J. D. Caton and Lyman Trumbull, Associates; Finney D. Preston, Clerk. In 1854
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Preston resigned the clerkship and Noah Johnson was appointed. In 1855 Treat resigned, and O. C. Skinner elected to the vacancy, but Scates was made Chief Justice, but in 1857 Caton came in as Chief Justice and Sidney Breeze was elected in Scates' place. In 1870 the new constitution increased the number of judges from three to seven, making seven districts instead of three. In 1878 Breeze died, and D. F. Baker succeeded him, and J. H. Mulkey succeeded Baker. In 1867 R. A. D. Wilbanks (Bob) was elected Clerk; in 1878 J. O. Chance succeeded him. Until the court-house was ready for use, the court held its sessions in the basement of the Odd Fellows old hall, and in the Masonic hall, over J. Pace & Son. T. B. Tanner, Major Johnston, Z. Casey, W. J. Stephenson and J. N. Johnson were selected to superintend the building of the Supreme Court House, and Tanner, who had been sent to Legis- lature, obtained ten thousand dollars and the building was finished and is a credit to the state.
Among the men who occupied the bench of this court, perhaps there was none better equipped for the place than our Carlyle neighbor. Judge Sidney Breeze. He had served as State's Attorney, Attorney for Illinois under President Adams, and had been a member of the United States Senate, in all of which positions he proved himself competent. Many good things might be said of him, truthfully, but his record is in the hands of the people.
WALTER B. SCATES,
one of our own legal jewels, needs but a brief notice at our hands. Although "brought up in the woods", he was a man of excellent repute, a useful citizen of Mount Vernon, a superior judge of law and a pure citizen without guile. He ranked among the best and most honorable judges of the state, and was withal a Christian gen-
wall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL. 105
tleman of the old school. After leaving Mount Vernon, he located in Chicago and held positions of honor and trust there. When Lyman Trumbull was elected to the United States Senate, Judge Scates succeeded him on the Supreme Bench.
Baker, Mulkey, Breeze, Scates, Koerner, and all who came to the Supreme Bench from our part of the state, proved themselves the peers of the best talent from the northern part of the state, as well as from other states.
The new Constitution provided for the creation of Appellate Courts after 1874 in districts made for that purpose, to which ap- peals from the Circuit Courts could be taken. Such Courts to be held by Judges of the Circuit Courts, as provided by law. Under this provision this was made the Fourth District, with three Judges. On the organzation of the court for this the Fourth District with headquarters at Mount Vernon, T. B. Tanner, J. C. Allen and George W. Wall were assigned by the Supreme Court to Appellate duty. Judge Tanner became presiding Judge and Wilbanks, Clerk, by virtue of his Supreme Court clerkship. In 1879 Judges Wall, Baker and F. S. Casey came to the Appellate Bench. This court greatly relieved the Supreme Court, where much business had ac- cumulated.
TAZEWELL B. TANNER.
No member of our Jefferson county bar ever became so thor- oughly identified with every material interest of the town and county as did T. B. Tanner. He came to this county in 1846 and took charge of the public schools and afterward assumed the editorship of the Jeffersonian, the only paper published here. In 1849 he was siezed with the gold fever and went to California, but returned the next year and was elected Circuit Clerk, served two years, resigned to give place to John S. Bogan. He then entered the practice of
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law with T. S. Casey, and in 1854 was elected to the Legislature and secured favors for Mount Vernon in aid of the building of the Supreme Court House. In 1862 he was elected to the Constitu- tional Convention. In 1867 he was a candidate for Judge, but James M. Pollock, another Mount Vernon Judge, was elected. Four years later he was elected over Pollock and Colonel Crebs, of Carmi. At the expiration of his term he took up the practice of law, and held his own against all comers. He was a profound lawyer and kept up with all the decisions. To his clients he was honest and just, and if his patron did not have a good case he would frankly tell him so. He married Governor Stinson Anderson's daughter, Sarah, who is still living among us. On the bench he was diligent and painstaking, sifting every case and bringing to the front all the equities. Of unimpeachable integrity, a better and purer man never sat in judgment. Tanner still lives in the hearts of our Jef- fersonians.
JUDGE T. S. CASEY
was another Jefferson county product — a son of Governor Casey. He was educated at McKendree College, and after securing the degree of Master of Arts, studied law with Hugh Montgomery, and in 1854 was admitted to the bar. Elected State's Attorney in 1860 and re-elected in 1864. In 1862 he entered the United States army as colonel of the One Hundred and Tenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He participated in the battles of Perryville, Stone River and several minor conflicts. On his return home he re- sumed his professional labors, discharging the duties of Prosecuting Attorney until 1868. In 1870 he was elected to the Legislature and in 1 872 to the State Senate, where his noted father had served years before. In 1879 he was elected Circuit Judge and assigned to duty on the Appellate Bench. In politics he was always a hard-
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shell Democrat. He married Miss Matilda Moran, of Springfield, and died in 1 890.
JUDGE EDWIN BEECHER
settled in Fairfield in 1 844, and was a few years later made Judge of this Circuit for six years. We believe the old Judge is still liv- ing in Fairfield — totally blind. Circuit Court commenced in this county in 1819, with Judge Wilson presiding and has been in business ever since. It is impossible as well as undesirable, to fol- low up the succession. Suffice it to say, we have had many learned judges and many important cases since then. In 1 838 we find that Downing Baugh was indicted for peddling clocks without a license, but he was not convicted and the very next year was elected Circuit Judge. In 1841 an indictment for murder was returned against Rolin Bradley for the murder of Elijah King in Elk Prairie. He was pronounced guilty and sentenced to he hanged. A gallows was erected on the road, somewhere this side of Newby's and stood there for many years. We well remember how we boys used to "shy around" it when we had been out "plugging" watermelons. Bluford Hayes took a petition to Springfield for reprieve and got back with the papers just in time to disappoint one of the largest crowds that had ever assembled in the county. Bluford wqs there- after very unpopular because he had interfered with the exhibition and many believed as long as they lived that the jury was right when they said "hang." The jury consisted of Coly Smith, W. M. Ful- ler, John H. Watson, S. B. Shelton, B. McConnell, Jesse Phillips, Downing Baugh, John Holt, D. McLaughlin, Joel Smith, Ed Owens and W. Gibberson.
Judge Scates was on the bench from 1837 to 1840, then Judge Denning to 1846 — when Judge Baugh came in. Marshall came back from Congress and presided till 1 865 and then Judge Pollock
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came and was succeeded by Judge Tanner, and then Casey. Since then we have had as Circuit Judges: Allen, Creighton, Pierce, Newlin and other residents of other counties — all good Judges, however.
WILLIAM H. GREEN, SR.,
was another member of the bar of this county whose light was not to be hid. He came with his father's family to Mount Vernon in 1846. He was the son of Dr. Duff Green, Sr., whose ashes sleep in Old Union cemetery, and a brother of Dr. W. Duff Green, who was for so many years prominent in Mount Vernon's history. After teaching school, he read law with Judge Scates and was made a lawyer in 1 852. He moved to Metropolis, then to Cairo, and be- came prominent both in the law and in politics. He died about a dozen years ago, at his home in Cairo.
LEWIS F. CASEY
was another Jefferson county boy struggling up to manhood. He read law with R. F. Wingate, and was admitted to the bar in 1 845 ; went to the Legislature in 1846 and voted for S. A. Douglas for Senator. For two years he was a law partner of Judge Breeze. In 1852 he moved to Texas and was elected Prosecuting Attorney and made financial agent of the state. In 1861 he was sent to the Texas Senate, the one that passed the ordinance of secession ; voted for Wigfall for Senator of the Confederate states, and of course for Jeff Davis for President of the same. He returned to Illinois in 1 866 and located at Centralia for the practice of law. He and Cap- tain S. L. Dwight had an extensive practice, until he died and Cap- tain Dwight was elevated to the Circuit Bench. He was a son of Green P., a nephew and son-in-law of Governor Zadok Casey.
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RICHARD S. NELSON
was another Mount Vernon lawyer for many years, and all ad- mitted that he was a good one. He also held forth at Shawneetown, Old Frankfort and Metropolis. While at this place last he had some experience — more than he wanted. He arrayed himself with the law-and-order party as against the "Flatheads," something like the Kentucky Regulators, and they tried to "get him," but he got away from them and came to Mount Vernon. He was a man of more than ordinary ability and rose to distinction without friends or money. His intellect, legal erudition and unbending integrity com- manded confidence and respect wherever he was known. Jasper Partridge was a partner with him, but in 1861 he raised Company I of the Forty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry and became cap- tain of same, and located at Carmi after the war until he died.
SETH F. CREWS
came in 1872 and joined teams with George M. Haynes in the law. He was elected State's Attorney in 1876, and to the Legislature in 1882, then moved to Chicago where he now resides.
A. M. GREEN
graduated in the law at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and was admitted to the bar in 1870. In 1872 he was elected State's Attorney and served four years. In 1877 he was sent to the Legislature and moved to Texas, where he is quite prominent in his profession and in politics.
C. A. KELLER
was a Jefferson county boy, son of Willis Keller, grew up to be a good lawyer, was admitted to the bar in 1873 and elected County
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Judge in 1877, serving acceptably for four years. He edited a Democratic paper here and moved to Texas several years ago and is doing well there.
GEORGE B. LEONARD,
another Jefferson county production, admitted to the bar in 1876; practiced here for several years and moved to Danville, Illinois, where he ranks with the most successful practitioners.
C. H. PATTON,
for many years the acknowledged head of the Mount Vernon bar. came here just before the war, taught school and worked about. Was elected County Clerk in 1865, served until 1869, then pur- sued the practice of law with diligence until his death, which oc- curred a few years ago. He was a leading Mason, and a promi- nent man in politics — always a Democrat — public-spirited in all local enterprises and a valuable citizen of the town and greatly missed when he died.
JAMES M. POLLOCK
came to Mount Vernon in 1857 and entered upon the practice of law. In 1864 he was elected Circuit Judge, and was re-elected. He was a good lawyer, a Presbyterian and a Democrat. He died some time in the eighties.
W. C. POLLOCK,
son of J. M., obtained license and began the practice of law here, but now holds a legal position of some kind at Washington, D. C. He married Judge Grant's daughter. May.
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JAMES M. PACE
was born in Mount Vernon in 1 826, among the first male children coming into the world in Mount Vernon. He was a "fixture" here during his natural life. Nearly everybody knew him and it may be nearer the truth to say that he knew everybody in the county, for he was almost a walkmg encyclopedia of knowledge of things per- tainmg to Jefferson county and we personally regret his absence as we try to lasso facts for this volume. He certainly would be of very great help to us now and our life-long friendship would, we feel certam, insure us this assistance. For several years he was County School Superintendent and when a city charter was granted to Mount Vernon, he became its first Mayor. He and his wife died within a year of each other, leaving Judge W. T. Pace and Mrs. Bitrolf, surviving children.
W. N. WHITE
was a promising young lawyer, admitted to the bar in 1879, elected State's Attorney in 1 880. He served faithfully.
GEORGE M. HAYNES,
admitted in 1870, was a partner of Seth Crews and drifted to Chi- cago with him and has served as Corporation Counsel and other important places. George is one of these good, whole-souled fel- lows that we read about, but seldom meet. He was a grandson of Joel Pace and a better historian than we ever expect to be.
R. A. D. WILBANKS,
admitted to the bar in 1867, for twelve years was Clerk of the Supreme Court, but was generally too busy with politics to do much at the law. He has been dead several years.
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GREENBURY WRIGHT
was a character we had nearly forgotten, but he knew a great deal of law, but went to the West to grow up with the country,
JAKE ALBRIGHT wasn't very slow at the law and married D. C. Morrison's daughter.
BOB MORRISON is still trying to imitate Blackstone down in Gallatin county.
COLONEL HICKS,
too, was a great lawyer, but he gloried more in military achieve- ments and we have not his legal record, but his military history is given elsewhere.
FINNEY PRESTON,
was a lawyer, but he didn't practice here, was only Clerk of the Su- preme Court.
E. V. SATTERFIELD,
admitted — well, he admitted himself; anyhow, he knew a good deal of common law.
This concludes the members of the bar who are "absent with- out leave" — who have "appealed their cases to the higher court" — and we feel it proper and right that we turn our pencil upon the legal lights who are still with us, cumber the earth with their pres- ence, as follows:
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JOEL F. WATSON. We take our young friend, Joel F., first, because we believe in putting our young men to the front and be- cause Joel F. Watson, Sr., was an honored name among our pio- neers. He was the grandfather of our youngest attorney whose name he bears. Joel was recently graduated from a noted Texas law school, married a Texas belle and came home to embark in the practice of the profession as a partner of his father, Albert Watson. He is now serving as Master in Chancery, and has a bright future before him.
WILLIAM T. PACE, son of James M. Pace, and the grand- son of Harvey T. Pace, is too well known to be presented to the people now living here, but for the benefit of coming generations, we will state that no more genial man lives than Willie Pace. He is a lawyer of good repute, always seeking to know just what is the law, and have it take its course. He is true to his clients and if any of them have a bad case he frankly tells them so. He served as County Judge for several years, and gave general satisfaction. Recently he and Miss Dry, of DuQuoin, were united in wedlock, and have settled down to housekeeping in the old homestead so recently vacated by the death of his lamented parents.
ALBERT WATSON, the youngest of three sons bom to Joel F. and Sarah (Taylor) Watson, was born in Mount Vernon, April 15, 1857, attended Mount Vernon schools and finished up at Mc- Kendree College. He taught school two years, then began reading law under C. H. Patton, was married to Mary E. Way. He was admitted to the bar in 1880 and it is now admitted by all that he is a good, safe lawyer. He is also president of the Ham National Bank of this city, the bank at Ashley, at Ina, and Ewing.
WILLIAM H. GREEN, the son of Dr. W. Duff Green, is an- other Jefferson county production, a valuable citizen and one of the best lawyers in Southern Illinois. He is an impressive pleader, a
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close student of all the important decisions of the courts, with a mind judicially poised, backed up with a determination to reach the highest round in the ladder of professional excellence. He has been the choice of his own county for several years for the Circuit judgeship. He has served the county as State's Attorney, as repre- sentative in the State Assembly, and other important places with honor and fidelity. The most peculiar part of it is he is a bachelor. "A hint to the wise," etc.
A. D. WEBB, now County Judge, is a Franklin county product, but a fine man and a good lawyer. He is now in the full flush of manhood, with ability and determination enough to keep him at the front for many years to come. As Judge he is proving himself the right man in the right place.
C. W. HAE^ISS, a Perry county boy, son of Rev. J. Carroll Harriss, a war-time friend of the writer, "Clarence," as we all call him, is a conscientious, industrious, painstaking young man, combin- ing all the elements that go to make up an ideal legal light. He has a business partnership with Judge Webb, and is getting his share of the practice and has a bright future before him. He recently mar- ried an excellent Mount Vernon girl, the late William H. Herd- man's daughter, and is "one of us" for all time to come. He is de- veloping into an orator of considerable ability.
WILLIAM C. BLAIR came to us as a Washington county prod- uct, and is gaining prominence as a criminal lawyer, but is perhaps a little more inclined to politics than the law. He has served in the capacity of State's Attorney, Master in Chancery, and has just been re-elected as Representative in the Legislature. Both as a lawyer and a politician, hunting the "deep swimming holes," he will no doubt succeed in "getting there."
EUGENE PEAVLER, another home production, is one of our rising young men with the requisite ability and vigor, and will sue-
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115
ceed. He graduated at the law in one of Indiana's best law schools. He has just served two terms as City Attorney for Mount Vernon. He may not intend to get in anybody's way, but it would be a good idea for aspiring young fellows, like himself, to leave him a clear track.
CON SCHUL is an importation, but has been forging to the front since he came. He is one of those self-made lawyers that knows no defeat, and his only danger, perhaps, comes from within. He is persistently for his client (as all good lawyers are) and no loop-hole escapes his attention. When it comes to pros and cons, he is always on the "Con" side.
ROBERT CARPENTER was a student of C. H. Patton and suc- ceeded in getting the correct principles of the law well settled in his mind, but never has sought much practice, and he is advanced in age now, so that he will not long be seeking earthly justice, but justice of a higher order, and it certainly cannot be that any Jef- ferson county lawyer will be found on the wrong side when it comes to — the highest court. At least, we hope not.
JAMES L. POLLOCK, son of the late Judge Pollock, was raised in our midst, married here, and is one of us. He is a good, quiet citizen, a good lawyer and is doing well m the practice of his pro- fession. He was a candidate for State's Attorney, but was dis- tanced in the primary. He is a better lawyer than politician. No doubt, he will be favorably heard from along the legal road of life.
KIRBY SMITH, a Scion of one of the F. F. J's. (first families of Jefferson), is another member of our local bar, well equipped for unravelling the legal tangles that may occur in our county. Like the rest of the bar, he is comparatively a young man and has great possibilities ahead of him. Perhaps the law would yield more to him than politics, as he has just received his second defeat for State's Attorney, but is now ready for any legal tussle that may come along.
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GEORGE L. ORE, his Republican opponent, was re-elected State's Attorney. Ore is a Hamilton county production, but as the saying down there is, "he's a yallar good one." He is just enter- ing on another four years' term as State's Attorney, which posi- tion he fills to the perfect satisfaction of the people, and although the county is normally Democratic and he is a Republican, he has been elected twice in succession.
NORMAN H. MOSS is another Jefferson county production and a good one at that. He has been in the practice of law several years, and is quite popular — a logical reasoner, a close thinker, an attractive speaker and wears a smile that will not come off. He has a bright future before him, legally speaking, if he does not fol- low the ignis fatuus of politics too far into the dismal swamp. He has been a member of the Legislature and is now serving as parole officer of the Southern Illinois Penitentiary.
NORMAN A. PIERCY is another Jefferson county product, and interests himself both in the law and agricultural pursuits and is do- ing well. He is strictly conscientious in his dealings with his fellow men — a thing, we regret to say, cannot always be truthfully said of lawyers.
ROBERT M. FARTHING, also a native of old Jefferson county, ranks A No. I in the courts and on the bench. He served four years as County Judge. For the past two years he has held an im- portant legal position under the government, with headquarters in Ohio, but has never thought of giving up Mount Vernon as his home. We still claim him as "our Bob." The people will watch for his home-coming.
JOHN BAKER, Farthing's student, is also in Ohio, with him. Baker is a young man just entering the profession and will no doubt make his mark. He is also a Jefferson county product.
One of the peculiarities in connection with our present bar is
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the fact that they are all comparatively young men (except one) and nearly all Jefferson county "kids," hence our anxiety to see them all do well, so that the next historian may embalm them in a sarcophagus of good words and sweet memories.
CHAPTER XII.
JEFFERSON COUNTY's MILITARY HISTORY.
Its part in Black Hawk and Mexican Wars. The War for the Union, and the Spanish War.
It is great to be out where the fight is strong. To be where the heaviest troops belong. And fight there for man and God.
Every state and nearly every county in the Union has had military experience — that is, have furnished men and perhaps means for military service. So our own Jefferson county has had a part in all the wars that have taken place since its formation — and before. While the county may not have had a soldier that served in the Revolutionary war, it has had many descendants of such soldiers. But quite a number of our pioneers took part in the War of 1 8 1 2 — but these wars had passed into history before Jefferson county came upon the stage of action and our greatest interest in them is the fact that without them Jefferson county would never have existed; in fact, none of the states and counties of these glorious United States would have been, had it not been for these wars. The Revolution- ary war transferred this magnificent domain to us, and the War of 1812 settled its ownership, perhaps for ever. The result of these wars was the securing to the puny Republic of thirteen feeble Amer- ican colonies an empire greater than that over which the Roman eagles soared, when it was said: "From her throne of beauty she
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ruled the world." War is calamity, nay, as General Sherman said, "War is hell," but without it we could never have permanently established this grand empire and made it free for all.
We hardly know where to begin or what to say as regards Jefferson's county war record. Suffice it for the present to say that her sons have always been in the forefront of danger, when duty or patriotism demanded it, and her daughters have always been equally patriotic and faithful to the county in encouraging and min- istering to the comforts and wants of her "soldier boys." As al- ready stated, several of the Maxeys, Wilkies and others were in the War of 1812 — long before the county was formed. At the time of that war this part of the country was having "troubles of its own" with the Indians. Then the Black Hawk war sprung up in 1 83 1 , and Jefferson county sent many of her best citizens to quell the disturbance. The Indians were very largely responsible for the war. and those who have read the Indians' characteristics can readily imagine what this means. Jefferson county sent a full company. WTiile we would be pleased to give a roster of all Jefferson county companies that have served in all wars, we know that time and space forbid ; but the patriotic example set by the few pioneers then in the county seems to demand that their names be handed down to pos- terity. Here they are: Captain — James Bowman; Lieutenants — F. S. Casey, Green Depriest; Sergeants — S. G. Hicks, Eli D. An- derson, J. R. Satterfield and Littleton Daniels; Corporals — George Bullock, James Bullock, Isaac Casey, Isaac Depriest; Privates — S. H. Anderson, G. W. Atchinson, Ignitious Atchinson, Sam- uel Bullock, WiUiam Bingaman, John Baugh, James Brad- ford, M. D. Bruce, P. C. Buffington. S. W. Carpenter. Zadok Casey, John Darnell, William Deweeze, Gasaway Elkins, Robert Elkins, Isaac Faulkinberg, W. D. Gaston, W. B. Holder, W. B. Hayes, James Ham, Joel Harlow,
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John Isom, John Jenkins, David Kitrell, J. C. Martin, N. Morgan, I. F. Miner. J. E. McBrian, H. B. Newby, J. R. Owens, Peter Owens, Wyatt Parish, George W. Pace, James Rhea, Jacob Reynolds, WilHam and Noe Thomason. They had one man killed and three wounded and two or three died of disease. We give this short roster because it comprises the best citizens of the county, and because these names and their descendants appear in all the later military lists of the county. Each man furnished his own horse and gun — and "waited" for his pay. But the war was soon over and that was the last Indian war in Illinois.
THE MEXICAN WAR.
Early in 1846 war was declared against Mexico and Illinois furnished four regiments. Jefferson county contributed two full companies. The first. Company H, was part of the third regiment. Col. Ferris Foreman, of Vandalia, commanding; Col. Stephen G. Hicks was captain and Lewis F. Casey and William A. Thomas (Bob's father), lieutenants. The company left Mount Vernon on June 1 8, 1 846, marched to Alton and from there em- barked to Mexico. They saw hard service, were at Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo and other small battles. The action of this and other Ilhnois companies at Cerro Gordo caused General Twiggs, then in command, to exclaim: "Well, I never saw such fellows as you Illi- nois men are — with others, it is "go, " but with you it is "come on." After the capture of Jalapa, the term of Company H expired and the men came home in 1847.
The second company was enrolled at Mount Vernon, June 3, 1847, under the second call. The company had in it, also, some of the best men of the county and was officered by Captain James Bowman; Eli D. Anderson (the writer's landlord at the Mount
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Vernon Inn, to whom he was a "bound" boy) and Willis Holder, lieutenants. This company suffered heavily from disease, and among the number, Lieutenant Anderson died at Vera Cruz. The company went to Alton, but did not set sail for Mexico until Au- gust 1 3th. After reaching Mexico, they were on duty until the close of the war, but were not engaged in big battles as was the first com- pany. The company was A, of the Second Regiment, by Colonel Collins and S. G. Hicks, lieutenant-colonel. When this war came up, eight thousand Illinoisans offered themselves, but only thirty- eight hundred could be accepted. The fields of Beuna Vista, Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo will carry the glory of our Illinois soldiers long after the causes that led to the war have been forgotten. We may state that many considered the "cause" of the war an insuffi- cient "excuse" for war. It brought us the great state of Texas, but increased our slave territory.
WAR FOR THE UNION.
But it was reserved till our day for our sons to find a field, a cause and a "foeman worthy of our steel" — that fully brought out and illustrate the true spirit of heroism in all its fullness. Illinois put nearly three hundred thousand gallant soldier boys in the field — far exceeding the number the Federal government had in all the wars of the Revolution, but our present duty is to confine our re- marks, as nearly as possible, to the soldier boys of Jefferson county.
When the war for the preservation of the Union was forced upon the country, Jefferson county came to the front and did her whole duty in the glorious work of maintaining the Union, one and indivisible, and upholding the honor of the flag. True, not many of the original settlers went to the front, for they had finished their work and passed on to their reward, but their descendants were
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largely in evidence and none were more deserving of praise and honor. Speaking of "soldier boys," how literally true the expres- sion: The great war was fought and won by boys. There were two thousand boys in the Union army under fourteen years of age; eighty-six hundred under sixteen years old ; one million one hundred and fifty thousand under eighteen; two million one hundred and sixty-eight thousand under twenty-one — literally a boys' fight. No wonder we call them "our boys," and no wonder we are proud of them and their parents who taught them patriotism. May the coun- try ever be blessed with such parents — and such boys. Were it possible, we should like to individualize the service of each of our Jefferson county boys, but we must content ourself with saying that all — from general to the last private in the rear rank — proved them- selves brave and patriotic — entitled to the undying respect and love of every good citizen of our county and state. Like other counties, Jefferson had a few secession sympathizers who allowed their prej- udice against President Lincoln and his party to alienate them en- tirely from all feeling of loyalty and to even hate their loyal neigh- bors. The most peculiar phase of it was that men who had been driven from the South on account of slavery and had obtained free homes here, were apparently ready to fight for the perpetuation of slavery. Ex-sheriff John Bagwell organized a small company of these "mistaken spirits" and took them into the service of the Jeff Davis oligarchy. Many of them never came back — Bagwell him- self was killed in the battle of Shiloh. Some parties of this kind who remained in Jefferson county, caused more ui^easiness among the loyal women and children, than the "braves" who went to the front — on the wrong side. And even today, after the war feeling has entirely subsided, the boys in blue persist in saying that they have more respect for the boys that went and fought on the other side, than they had for those who were not brave enough to fight as they talked.
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When the war became inevitable, Jefferson county was no laggard in taking the right side. When the stars and stripes were hauled down from Fort Sumpter and the rebel rag displayed in its place, it set our best people ablaze with patriotic zeal and many rushed off and joined the first squad they could find — ready to die, if need be, for the flag and the Union. Part of Noleman's Cavalry was the first organized squad to leave the county.
THE FORTIETH REGIMENT was soon organized, principally from Wayne, Hamilton and Franklin counties, but with enough Jefferson county boys to fill some of the most important offices. Col. S. G. Hicks was made its colonel, John W. Baugh its ad- jutant, Albion F. Taylor its quartermaster, and S. H. Watson one of its captains, but he was soon placed on the commander's staff. Also several privates from the county helped the Fortieth to be one of the very best regiments in the service. At the battle of Shiloh, while leading the Fortieth in the thickest of the fight Colonel Hicks was wounded and fell from his horse, but he pointed for the regiment to sweep on and he crawled to water, half mile away, and washed his wounds with his own hands. After he recovered. Gen- eral Sherman put Colonel Hicks in command of Paducah, Ken- tucky. The rebel General Forrest sent in a demand for the uncon- ditional surrender of the place and Colonel Hicks sent him word he would have to "come and take it. " They came and the battle was fierce, while it lasted. The rebel had about twelve hundred killed and wounded, while Hick's force, being protected by the fort, lost only seventeen killed, and a number wounded. Hicks died in 1869, Mrs. Albion Taylor being his surviving child. The Fortieth with forty other Illinois regiments, marched with Sherman to the sea and home again and made an unexcelled record for duty and bravery.
THE FORTY-FOURTH REGIMENT contained the first full com- pany that marched out of Jefferson county — Company I. Jasper
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Partridge was made captain, Russell Brown and Jesse Bliss, lieu- tenants, with the writer as first sergeant, which was supposed to be in the line of promotion; but at the end of three years the above officers still held their commissions — a thing that did not occur with any other company in our knowledge. Company F, organized at Ashley, also contained many Jefferson county men, and these two companies went to Chicago and joined an organization calling itself the Northwestern Rifle Regiment, but which was numbered the Forty-fourth Illinois when finally mustered into service. This act almost caused a mutiny in the regiment from the fact that there were two full companies from Ohio and two from Michigan in the or- ganization. This mutiny did finally break out when at the St. Louis arsenal the regiment, company by company, refused to be armed with old wire-locked muskets, instead of rifles as we had been promised. The regiment was ordered locked up in the arsenal and after two days, the authorities, seeing that the regiment was full of American grit, finally issued the promised guns and the regiment went "flying" after "Pap" Price. We finally caught up with him and McCullough, VanDorn and Albert Pike, with his half-breeds (more than double our number) at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, fought the whole outfit for three days and won the most signal victory. The guerrillas had captured our supply trains and being too hundred miles from our base of supplies (there being no railroads), we then foraged as we went through South Missouri and Arkansas under General Osterhouse, and finally went to Tennessee, then to Mississippi, then to Cincinnati, then to Louisville, where we joined the army of the Cumberland and were in all the battles southward. In the terrible battle of Stone River, the writer was badly wounded and taken prisoner, taken south and enjoyed the hospitality of Con- federate prison fare at several points — especially at Libby in Rich- mond. After passing through all the battles of the Atlantic cam-
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paign — Buzzard Roost, Rocky Face, Resaca, Dallas, New Hope, Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochie, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, etc., came back and participated in the battles of Nashville and Franklin. This reminds us that forty-four years ago this 30th of November, the Forty-fourth and a few other Illinois organizations were engaged in the sanguine battle of Franklin, which was the cul- mination of sixty-nine days of anxiety, both North and South. Buoyed by hope. Hood sacrificed Joe Johnson's veterans in useless assaults upon Sherman's troops before Atlanta. He fancied he could fall back on Sherman's line of supplies, defeat Thomas, and draw Sherman's army back into Middle Tennessee. But on that could November morning, he found the Union troops entrenched on Harpeth river, near Franklin, and tried to roust them from their breast-works, with the result that Hood's army lost seven thousand men and our troops suffered a loss of three thousand. The battle was proportionately more desperate, ferocious and destructive than was Gettysburg. It was, in fact, the critical battle of the war, for Grant had troubles of his own in Virginia, and decided victory over "The Rock of Chickamauga" at this time and place, would have recalled Sherman's army and the war "between the states" would have been indefinitely prolonged. It was truly a case of "when Americans meet Americans, then comes the tug of war."
After the fragment of Hood's army had left Tennessee, the Forty-fourth went to New Orleans and to Texas, and finally got back to Illinois in October, 1865, having seen more than four years' service. A Jefferson county man, William J. Stephenson, was the first lieutenant colonel of the Forty-fourth and William Stephen- son, a lieutenant of Company F.
THE FORTY-NINTH ILLINOIS was another regiment that had Jefferson county material. Company IC being made up here. B. F. Wood was captain, then Joseph Laur, James Lcfi^nion and John S.
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Brooks were lieutenants. Col. W. R. Morrison was colonel. He was wounded at Fort Donelson and saying his wound ought to send him to Congress, he went home, then to Congress. It was assigned to various commands, always doing its full duty, and being mustered out of the service with honor inscribed upon its banners.
THE SIXTIETH REGIMENT contained more Jefferson county boys, and its second colonel was William B. Anderson, a Jefferson county boy. Its last colonel, George W. Evans, was a Jefferson county farmer and banker for many years, and a public-spirited man, whom Mount Vernon missed greatly when he died and was buried here some years ago. Three companies were composed of Jeffer- son county men, besides some of the other companies had some of our "own raising." Colonel Anderson was born in Mount Vernon in 1830, a son of Governor Anderson, was educated in the Mount Vernon schools and at McKendree College, studied law and was admitted, but preferred farming and did not practice. In 1856 he was elected to the Legislature and re-elected. He was the first to introduce the idea of a constitutional amendment prohibiting special legislation and making all laws general in their nature. He fought for the idea until he became a member of the constitutional conven- tion, and had it engrafted into that instrument. As a soldier. Col- onel Anderson was both noble and brilliant, and it was said by many that Gen. John A. Logan and Col. (after general) W. B. Anderson, were two of the best volunteer officers in the army. After the war, General Anderson was sent to Congress and served as Pension Agent for years. He died full of years and well-merited honors. He was a brave and efficient soldier. As a general he would have won a name and fame surpassed by none. He went into the army as a private and came out as a brigadier-general, but this promotion camr ^oo near the close of the struggle to avail him anything i'^ '^' .,din jf an active general. We never met a Sixtieth
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regiment member that did not almost worship "Col. Bill Ander- son," he was so kmd and human to his men — often letting some tired boy ride while he trudged along with the rank and file. He was a loved comrade and an ideal officer and Jefferson county may well be proud of the life and services of general, colonel, comrade Wil- liam B. Anderson.
Col. G. W. Evans of the Sixtieth, was a brave, gallant, faithful soldier. He never missed a march or a battle in which the regiment participated. He was in all the battles to the sea and was at the surrender of Gen. Joe Johnson, and led his regiment in triumph through Richmond to Washington, where it participated in the Grand Review and then to Louisville, Kentucky, where they were mustered out. The colonel then came to Jefferson county to live and die.
Company C, of the Sixtieth, had John R. Moss as captain first, then Capt. Simeon Walker, then Capt. Rhodam Allen, but he modestly declined the promotion and Frank L. Fer- guson was made captain. Company D, mostly from Jefferson coun- ty, had Alfred Davis as captain; he resigned and Luke S. Wil- banks was chosen; he also resigned and John B. Coleman (one of Mount Vernon's best citizens) was made captain. He was killed at the battle of Peach Tree Creek. Company G had the follow- ing officers from our county: Jehu J. Maxey, Cornelius N. Breeze, John Frizell, Asa Hawkins, J. W. Moses and John A. Johnson. The Sixtieth went everywhere it was ordered to go, did everything it was ordered to do — ate all the "hard tack and sow-belly" in sight, "busted" the black coffee kettle, wore out all the uniforms they had and came home to be good citizens and die in peace — and the most of them have -succeeded.
THE EIGHTIETH REGIMENT is the next to boast of Jefferson county boys. Company E was a full company from the county, S.
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T. Strattan, captain; Newton C. Pace, first and C. W. Pavey, second lieutenant. After the battle of Perryville, Kentucky, Cap- tain Strattan resigned and Pace was made captain. William C. Maxey was first lieutenant. Lieutenant Pavey was promoted to a captaincy, but was on detached service when the regiment was mus- tered out. John R. Cunningham was made captain of Company H, and Robert Milburn, lieutenant. Rev. John W. Lane, of Mount Vernon, was the chaplain of the regiment. The Eightieth was or- ganized at Centralia in August, 1 862, and joined the army then or- ganizing at Louisville. At the battle of Perryville, which occurred a few days after they were mustered in, they fought like veterans, but lost fourteen killed and fifty-eight wounded. Lieut. N. C. Pace was wounded. The next battle was at Dug's Gap on Sand Mountain, and Lieutenant Pavey was wounded. The next May the regiment, while out scouting, was captured by a superior force, the men paroled and the officers sent to Libby prison. After the men were exchanged, the regiment had a varied experience — but gener- ally varied from bad to worse — only four of the captured officers ever got back to the regiment. During its term of service it traveled over six thousand miles and took part in over twenty battles. It was an ideal Illinois regiment.
THE ONE HUNDRED TENTH REGIMENT also contained many Jefferson county boys. Thomas S. Casey was its colonel ; Thomas H. Hobbs, its quartermaster; Dr. Hiram S. Plummer, its surgeon. Company B had for its officers: Charles H. Maxey, captain; Sam- uel T. Maxey, first lieutenant; John H. Dukes, second lieutenant; Charles Maxey resigned in 1 863 and S. T. succeeded him as cap- tain, but he was mustered out under the consolidation of the regi- ment. The regiment was consolidated into a battalion of four com- panies, and E. H. Topping made commander, Casey, Hobbs and Plummer being mustered out. The One Hundred Tenth saw less
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service than some other lUinois regiments, but had good material for good soldiers, but it is said, were not properly trained and cared for. The battalion did excellent service under good military rule. Dr. W. C. Pace as surgeon and J. P. Watson, captain, both of Ashley, were members of the battalion. Many Jefferson county men besides these, scattered in various commands, were good and faithful soldiers. Nearly every regiment recruited in Southern Illi- nois caught one or more Jefferson county boys and it is sufficient to say that not one of them ever disgraced themselves or the county they so faithfully represented.
Many Jefferson county boys served in cavalry regiments, not- ably the Sixth and Thirteenth Cavalry, but we have not the record at hand and can only say they were brave soldiers — like the rest. Capt. Fred Boswell commanded a company in the Thirteenth, and some few were in the artillery.
It would have been a pleasure to have been more thorough in giving the service of those we have mentioned and many we have not spoken of. The story of Jefferson county soldiers is already known far and wide. A perusal of the Black Hawk and Mexican wars and the Civil war tells the story. The hundreds of battlefields, and the broken ranks of the home-coming regiments attested that they had met b