Cass County, Illinois - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 10 of those read), 1882

SUCH are the expressions that everywhere meet the ears of the inquirer seeking information of the early settlement. To the generation of to-day the phrase has become trite and nearly meaningless, but the thoughtful observer can not fail to notice that it is far otherwise to the man who knew the country when it was houseless, roadless and pathless - " Where nothing dwelt but beasts of prey. Or men as fierce and wild as they."

The present generation knows nothing of trackless forests, unbridged streams, pangs of hunger, days of struggle and nights of fear. We can not get any degree of experience of pioneer life in our day; no adequate idea can possibly be presented; it is lost only as we see some of the effects of those early trials and hardships in the wrinkled brows, scarred hands, and tottering limbs of a few of the old pioneers, who leaning upon their staffs in the helpless infirmities of age, are to be spared but a few short summers at most. We are apt to forget in the whirl and hum of the nineteenth century, with one invention hurrying another out of date, that there ever was any necessity for pioneers. The man who opens up a new country to-day, can not be called a pioneer in the true sense of the word. In seeking a home in the West, the traveler sits in a palace coach instead of an ox cart, and is hurried over streams and rivers, through State after State, with the swiftness of an eagle's flight; his pockets are crammed with maps and information of the great railroad corporations, which offer him land on a long time and easj- payments. Deciding to buy land, his household goods and a house framed and ready to be put up, are shipped almost to his door (!) at reduced rates, while improved implements and all the advantages of a pioneer experience of a hundred years, unite to make his work effective. In ten years he is in the center of civilization, combining more privileges than the proudest and oldest community of New England knew, when the pioneers of this land were young. What difficulties they encountered, and with untiring fortitude overcame the hardships that so numerously were heaped upon them, it is the purpose of these pages to relate. When they sought the untried country of the West, the}' launched out like a mariner, on an unknown sea; following a wagon track till that ceased, they passed the frontier and entered an unmapped wilderness, guided only by compass and deed; arriving at their destination without protection or shelter, they built a house of such material as the scrubby timber permitted, unassisted by mill or machinery. Their log house, with mud to make it tight, the rude doors, and for a time, windowless, and chimneys made of a tottering mass of mud and sticks, the remains of which here and there are seen, was their home. The fitful flame of the hickory was their light and fire, the babbling brook furnished them water till the spade penetrated the unsounded depths, securing a purer source of God's sparkling liquid. But all this is of the past.

About us are gathered the fruits of their toil in a civilization to which the world elsewhere is a stranger, and, looking back along the way over which the pioneers have strolled and toiled, we can say with a full and overflowing heart of gratitude, " Well done, thou good and faithful servants."

Richmond Precinct is bounded on the north by Sangamon river, which in pre-historic times formed a broad surface of bottom land on each side of its present course, and there is but little doubt that the original channel once extended from bluff to bluff, and as the waters gradually settled and were withdrawn, the present bottom lands were gradually formed.

In 1883, the water, owing to the heavy rains of the winter and spring, covered the entire bottoms, leaving scarcely a perceptible spot above the vast ocean of water; in consequence of which a large portion of the bottom land the past year has been without cultivation. These overflows are not uncommon, however, for they occur nearly every year, but not to such a height, bringing so much ruin and destruction to the settlers, as the past year. The water during the year was higher than it was ever known by any of the settlers, but Shick Shack, a chief of the Pottawatomie tribe, pointed out a high water mark to Philip Hash, one of the first settlers, that reached nearly one third of the way up Shick Schack Knob, one of the highest hills of Richmond Precinct; whether he saw this himself or whether it was simply a matter of tradition, can never be ascertained; but this we know, should such a flood as that occur at the present day, every building on the bottoms, and Chandlerville with all her trees, bridges and improvements, would be swept down the lUi- "ois River, and not a trace of human existence left in the course of the torrent.

The surface of the precinct we find is considerably broken after entering what is called the upland; there seems to be nothing but a succession of hills, as though some mighty force had collected those majestic heaps and then promiscuously threw them together, some falling upon each other, and others sparingly strewn over the remaining surface. These hills may be called the Alps of Illinois, with a scenery as beautiful as any elevated upland in the State. Amid these apparent mountains where a half century ago the foot of a white man iiad scarcely trod, there are now beautiful homes, cultivated fields and grazing herds.

The farmer, long toiling in subduing his fields, improving his buildings, would not exchange his hilly home for the sunniest and fairest of Illinois prairie; the hills are no longer obstacles to the owners and tillers, but a source of pleasure and satisfaction. Many of the farmers have become wealthy, some have retired from active labor and removed to some quiet village; others are quietly enjoying life on the scenes of their pioneer struggles.

The timber, where in an early day there was bvit little, is now quite numerous. Puncheon Grove, about tlie centre of the precinct, was the principal source of timber from which many of the earlier cabins were built, and is yet one of the best localities for good useful timber.

In the Spring of 1836, Mr. Philip Hash, being of a roving, hunting turn of mind, found himself on the bottom lands of the Sangamon river, as the first white settler. He hastily constructed a temporary cabin, and at once began preparing foracrop. The Indians were then his only neighbors, and it was here that his little son, Zaohariah Hash, now one of the oldest and most esteemed citizens of Chand lerville, first made his acquaintance with them, and learned considerable of their language. The following year a man by the name of Richard Chowning came from the South and located near the cabin of Mr. Hash, on the land now owned by the widow Tantrum. He having a large family of boys, began at once the cultivation of tobacco, a crop which he had always cultivated as a business. He sold his crop at Springfield at a handsome price, and after continuing on the bottoms a few years, he moved to parts unknown, none the poorer for his short sojourn on the Sangamon Bottoms.

Robert and Eaton Nance and Peter Dick, with his two sons, Levi and Henry, were added to the little colony about 1S"^9, and others soon followed, among which were John Witley, .lohn Lucus, .James Fletcher, Thomas Jones, Joshua Nance and Gary Nance. This made up a happy, lively and prosperous colony. But previous to the coming of the last named settlers, the community were considerably agitated and scared over the floating reports that the Indians were preparing to attack and massacre the settlers; they all left their cabins and took refuge at Clary's Grove, where a few settlers had located, but after remaining three weeks in a military state of defense, they all returned to their deserted firesides and resumed their usual labors. The Indians were of a friendly character, and never molested the settlers except by the annoyance of begging, which they practiced to no small extent. To show their native customs in heaping drudgery upon their wives one incident will suflice. An Indian and his squaw came to the cabin of Philip Hash, when Zachariah was a boy, and begged a bushel of corn; being very cold and wintr}', Mr. Hash gave them the corn, and invited them into the cabin to shell it, that it might be less bulky and burdensome to carry. They both sat down upon the floor, before the fire-place, and silently began their work; the Indian, after shelling an ear or so, broke the silence with an " och," and pointing to the palm of his hand, as though it hurt, said to Mr. Hash: "Hurt Indian; squaw no hurt;" and she without a word, or without even lifting her eyes from her work, completed her task, shouldered the sack of shelled corn, and then followed her master on a dog trot homeward toward the wigwam.

It is said by some of the early settlers, that there was a custom prevailing among the Indians that when they married, the Indian presented his wife with the shank-bone of a deer, and she in turn presented her husband with an ear of corn, the ceremony indicating that he will furnish the meat, and she the corn.

The first crops that the early comers principally raised, were mostly wheat, buck- wheat, sod-corn, cotton and melons ; the latter article was very largely raised. In those days people buried them some four feet in the sand, kept them till Christmas, when they had, what was called their melon-breakings," which were among the liveliest entertainments of pioneer times.

Cotton was considerably cultivate<l till after the big snow in 1831. Previous to that people raised enough for their summer clothing, and plenty for their quilts and bedding in general.

People in an early day did nearly all their teaming and farming with oxen. Many of the settlers were not able to own horses, and those that were, were not able to use them during the greater part of the day in the fly season, as these green-heads were so numerous that a horse could not resist them, but would lie down and roll in the harness, or under the saddle, or do anything to shake off the blood-sucking swarms that would literally cover its body.

Rattlesnakes at this time were very numerous on the bottom lands. Mr. Hash had one field of oats in which he killed over forty I of the'se venomous reptiles. They were so iium ;rous that he was unable to secure harvest help, and consequently had to do it all himself, and did it without accident or harm, though often binding bundles under which the drowsy rattlers lay coiled.

Till 1833, there was no physician nearer than Beardstown or Petersburg. Dr. Chandler then came and did a humane work among the early comers. He traveled night and day, giving all of his patients the same care and attention; whether rich or poor, with or without money; a noble, generous man was Dr. Charles Chandler.

Many of the first settlers did not remain long, coming in from eastern and southern States and settling in a wild country; poorly clothed and more poorly sheltered, they would be taken with the ague or other fevers, and as soon as they could close out their interest in the land and harvest their crop, they departed wiser, but not richer than they came.

The first mill patronized, was a mill run by horse power, on Rock Creek, a Mr. Bowen owning the mill, and also a cotton gin. Jn those days there was no bolted flour; every patron bolted their own, or ate it as the chronic dyspeptics of to-day do, bran and all. There was little farm machinery used; sowing, reaping, mowing and threshing, was all done by the muscle of men and sturdy youths, who labored for health as well as wealth. Grain was hauled to Beardstown or to Petersburg; cattle were driven often to St. Louis, a distance then averaging from 130 to 170 miles, as the roads were often impassible in places, and much time and distance taken to go around in search of better and more passable places.

The only road in Richmond Precinct in 1833, except here and there a lone wagon track, was the Bottom Road, leading from Beardstown to Petersburg.

The settlers of 1833 were Philip Hash, James Hickey, Henry McHenry, John Hamby, John Taylor, Peter Dick, Jesse Armstrong, Wm. P. Morgan, and C. J. Wilson. These pioneers in their war with nature were not entirely without amusement, religious worship or educational training for their children.

Mr. Zachariah Hash tells us that it was not uncommon to see a young man with his girl start out with an ox team and go eight or ten miles to a dance. Cotton pickings, carding and spinning parties, were very common, the girls working all day, and the boys coming in the evening to participate in the dance, and to see that their girls got home safely. They did not then have halls and waxed floors to glide over in whirling the dizzy waltz ; it was a puncheon-floor, with such openings that often the broad foot of the pioneer girl would slip through or become entangled, so it became necessary for her partner or lover to show his gallantry by helping her out. For many winters a negro by the name of Robert, from Tennessee, was the noted musician of the Sangamon Bottom. The sweet strains of his violin roused the most indifl'erent, and brought the heaviest of cow-hide boots quick and strong down upon the heavy timbered floor. Such was the dance of the pioneer.

In 1839 or 1830, the first religious assembly that ever convened in Richmond Precinct, was at the residence of Philip Hash, Reddick Horn, an old pioneer minister, preaching. Revs. Levi Springer and Peter Cartwright also quite frequently visited the settlement on their spiritual missions, but Rev. Reddick Horn was quite a constant visitor of the settlement for many years.

Meetings were held in the cabins of the settlers till Chandlerville churches were organized, when all church-believing and church-going people attended there.

The second church society that was organized in the precinct was at Big Puncheon Grove, and the first settlement around the vicinity of that grove was made about 1830. In 1838 we find the following families in that neighborhood: John Lucus, George Thatcher, Joshua and Robert Nance, John Chesser, Joseph Goble, John Howton, John Bingley, Bartlet Conyers and Elijah Watkins.

The Puncheon Grove Baptist Church, sometimes known as the Iron Side Baptist, was first organized by the religious zeal of Wm. Watkins, Thomas Plasters, Daniel Atterberry, Wm. Armstrong, JamesWatkins, Elijah Watkins. The society held their first meetings at private houses, till 1842, when they built a church near the site of the present school house. As to the cost, it is difficult to say, for the members of the society contributed miscellaneously money, labor, lumber, timber, etc., till the religious edifice was completed. Cyrus Wright was their first pastor, and continued till his death; since then no regular services have been held.

The church was used for school purposes as soon as completed ; elections, law- suits, etc., were held within the sacred sanctum, and consequently, considering the numerous uses to which its doors were open, it did not last very long, and has since been torn down, and its decayed timbers replaced with a house of education.

No Sabbath school was ever conducted in connection with the church, as the Old School Baptists do not believe in that system of teaching and propagating religion.

One peculiarity about the members of this church, was their extreme enthusiasm, but though extreme in their religious views, they were in a secular sense among the best and most honest citizens in the precinct; at present there are but four male members remaining out of their former number of forty.

was a rude log house built on the Sangamon Bottom, on the Beardstown and Petersburg Road, on the land now owned by the heirs of Joshua Morse; the land was then owned by Henry McHenry, who was most active in planning and carrying out the enterprise.

The first scholars that attended that school are now gray headed old men and women whose shadows are fast lengthening in the path of life, and nearing the eternal sunset. Many already have gone; the rest soon must follow. C. J. Wilson, one of the first scholars, retains in memory the names of but few of his school mates, John Hash, Pollie Dick, Henry Taylor, James and Levi Dick, and the children of Absalom Bowling are all he can mention.

The school was taught by an Englishman who came from the East, by the name of James L. Grant. He was a man of excellent intellectual understanding, a good scholar and good fellow, and taught a good school, but he had one weakness, and that was taking a little too much grog under very frequent circumstances. Drinking spirits in these days was considered a necessary matter of health. Every farmer kept it in the pressing seasons of work, and many of the farmers keeping a little copper still, where they manufactured their own whisky and supplied their neighbors. Then it was a pure article that men drank, now the man that desires his morning dram must pour into his stomach four parts of poisonous compound to one of pure whisky. No wonder we have drunkards. The school continued its progressive work, till the present building known as the Dick school house was erected. Girls in the first schools of the country brought their work and knitting just as much as their books. They were expected to improve their noon and recess in preparing stockings for the family, and doing such other work as could be conveniently carried to tho

There are now four district schools annually taught in the precinct. The Dick school bouse has already been mentioned. The Lynn school, Pontiac school, and Green Ridge school, are the other three.

Shick Shack Knob, known as the summer resort of an Indian chief of the same name, was first entered by James Hickey, and ho purchasing other lands adjoining, found it necessary to have it surveyed that his boundary lines might be more definitely located. He being acquainted with a young surveyor in Menard county, by the name of Abraham Lincoln, had him come and survey the land;

Henry T. and Abner Foster kept store for a time on the land since owned by John P. Dick; at that time the mail was distributed there and the post-office was known as Richmond. Their goods were hauled from Beardstown and Petersburg; they kept a good stock for that early day, and continued a successful business for several years. They closed out in 1837 or 1838 and Richmond ceased to be the centre of pioneer trade.