Grundy County, Illinois - Yii., 1882

Con2;ressioiial townsliip 33 iiurtli, G east, is divided into nearly equal parts by the Illinois River, which enters the township a little north of the middle point of its eastern bonndary, and flows sonthwestwardly through its territor}'. The difficulty of passing the river for the purposes of township business, has enforced the natural division by political separation, and though one township by the original survey, these portions have always been in different precincts and borne different names.

Erienna is the elder of these twin townships, and is situated north of the river. The northwest corner is a high plateau, ending on the river front near the western boundary, in an abrupt descent of some eight}' feet. From this point the second bottom or bench approaches nearly to the river brink, leaving space for barely two or three hundred acres of alluvial bottom lands. The margin of the plateau from the western line of the precinct follows the trend of tlie river bank, its margin being marked by the common road north of the railroad till it reaches the eastern line of section 10, where it curves northwardly out of the precinct. South of this line of the highland, with the exception of an oval ridge on which Mr.

Iloge's residence is placed, the surface of Erienna is principall}- a flat sandy soil, underlaid witii a coal deposit. Long Point Creek risinjc in the northwest corner of the precinct, furrows through the plateau and flows to the canal, the course of which it i'ollows out of the precinct under the name of Rat Run. Nettle Creek - the English for Little Mazon of the Lidians - rises in the lower ground of the eastern part of the precinct, and takes an eastern course into Morris, where, with a sudden turn south, it joins the Illinois. Along the stream the surface is considerably broken and clothed with some of the flnest walnut timber, besides other varieties, to be found in the county. On the highlands the timber was of a scrubby character, a certain indication of the stiff' claj' soil found here. The greater part of the farmers devote their lands to the cultivation of corn, though Messrs. Hoge & Ilolderman, who own very extensive farms here, pasture large herds of cattle.

The tirst settler in Erienna, and one of the earliest in the county, was Isaac Hoire. lie was a native of Fauquier County, Virginia, and shrewdly foreseeing that money early itivested in Illinois lands would make a large and sure return for the inv(^stment, came here ver}' early and bought his lands in this township at the flrst sale before there were anj other -settlers save Marquis, perhaps. He was a young unmarried man, w'ltli considerable capital and impressed with the general belief that the prairie would be taken up only where timber was to be had, entered the most of his lands in the timbered section along the Nettle Creek. Other members of his family settled in Nettle Creek township and for some time after his purchase there was no cabin in Erienna to indicate the presence of the white man. Soon afterward he married and moved onto his land here, and adding to his possessions by further purchase from time to time has now one of the large farms of the county. Another large farm owned by A. Holderman occupies the larger part of the central portion of the precinct, which with that of Mr. Hoge's is devoted largely to pasturage for cattle. The large herds owned by Mr. Holderman at an early date were as remarkable a sight as a herd of buffaloes, and their trails to the watering places during the summer were said to be as conspicuous as those of the buffaloes on the plains. Mr. Holderman, however, was an early settler in Kendall County and bought land here somewhat later.

Columbus Pinney was perhaps the first actual resident of Erienna. He was a native of New York State and came out by the lakes to Chicago and from thence to Marseilles. In the Spring of 1836, became to section 12, where Datus Kent had put up a log house and barn for Kimball of Marseilles. Here Pinney kept the stage change and hotel which is now known as " Castle Danger." The cabin is destroyed but the stable still serves the purposes of a barn, though it stands on a new location.

The origin of its later name is very obscure. After staying here tiiree years Pinney removed to Aurora and the cabin was empty for awhile. It was subsequently inhabited for a short time when it was left untenanted again. It was used occasionally by wayfarers, and perhaps horse thieves and prairie bandits found it a convenient place to stay for a night, but no authentic incident can be learned in which the name could take its rise. Its name is well fixed, however, and generally used, and Is probably the outgrowth of the natural respect for the mysterious.

In 18-1:0, O. Cone, a native of Jefferson County, New York, came b\' the lakes to Detroit. Frotn that point, with his family, he came in wagons across the country to Marseilles, where his brother-in-law, Kimball, was engaged in superintending some public improvements. Cone remained here until IS-tO, when he rented a farm of Mr. Hoge, on section 6, 33, 7. He was subsequently elected sheriff of the county, and afterward retired to a farm which he purchased on section 2, 33, 6. Messrs. Kennedy and Kendrick were attracted from Ohio by the canal work, and on the stopping of operations, settled, in 1812, on section 7. About 1845 or '6, Peter Griggs settled on section 3, and about the same time Abram Holderman came into the precinct. In 1848, Charles Moody came in from Marseilles and settled near where the road crosses the canal on section 15. After this the settlement of the precinct rapidly increased. The completion of the canal brought in a large number of persons seeking a home, speculators, tired of holding property which did not appreciate fast enough to more than meet the expense of llorroni Citv was the name of an ainl)itious plat of ground which was staked ont in 183(1, by Dr. Ilorroin, wlio originally settled soutli of the river. It did not |)r(ive a failure, because it never had any ]>riimise of success. A short-lived stage route passevl near it, but beyond the imagination of its projector, the location had no relation to it, or anything tangible. Clarkson was the original name of the location of Castle Danger. Kimball, who was interested in the stage line, hoped through the influence of this enterprise to build up a village which should become the county seat, but fate decided in favor of Morris, and Clarkson did not mature. During the construction of tlie canal a number of temporary shanties gathered about the old log cabin, but they soon jiassed away, leaving it solitary.

cast siile to the corporation limits of the C(Uinty seat. This was done through the influence of the farmers in this part of the county, to avoid the taxation which the extension of the city limits in that direction would involve. This does no injustice to Morris, as there is land remainin.;' in that precinct on which the county capital may expand into a very considerable town.

This precinct, abutting upon the south margin of the Illinois River, is probably the best timbered and most broken portion of Grundy (Jounty. Tiie high land approaches very close to tlie river bank, leaving not more than five hundred acres of bottom lands on the whole river front. The high, broken land iu the northwestern corner of Wauponsee extends into the eastern border of Norman, and forms in this precinct quite a picturesque hmdscape along the road that enters it from the nortlieast. A peculiar elevation on Bills' Run at this point is a striking ireak of nature, or, as some of its peculiarities suggest, an im- ])ortant relic of the Mound Builders. It is a circular mound, about seventy-flve feet high, and some two hundred feet diameter at the base. It stands at the head of a little bayou, isolated from the line of surrounding blufi^s, save for the connection of a narrow causeway, which by a gentle descent and ascent bridges the intervening valley. It is entirely bare of trees, save an oak which grows out of the side, half way toward the summit. No excavation has been attemjited in this mound, and it is doubtful wliether its peculiarities would warrant any considerable expenditure of time and money with the hope of making valuable discoveries, but the difiiculty of assigning a plausible theory lor its natural construction, has given rise to considerable speculation in regard to it. This is known as " Devil's Mound," and others of less note have a similar nomenclature, though with what appropriateness is'perhaps difflcult to determine, unless one accepts the statement of the young man who suggested, " because we wonder how the devil it came here."

The middle portion of the river front is less broken, though the ground rises to the final "bench" quite abruptly, until the western third of the river line, where is found the roughest country in the county. Bills' Run, rising near the southern line, in the eastern part, flows north through this precinct ai:d loses itself in the low ground which borders the river. Hog Run takes a westei-ly course from the center of Norman and flows into the Illinois; and further west Armstrong Eun, takino- its source near the southern line, flows nearly direct north, and empties into the Illinois a little west of Hog Run. These streams are little more than prairie water-courses that serve to carry oft' the surplus water of the surface, and are dry a large part of the year. Their names are suggestis'e of their own origin. The timber is oak, hackberry, walnut and maide. Tiie broken character of the country naturally protected the timber, and the early settlers found here a good field for " foraging," which was largely indulged in at an early date. The soil is largely tlie black prairie mold, free from bowlders, and rather low and wet in the central parts, with rather strong clay lands on the higli ground. The farmers are largely devoted to the exclusive cultivation of corn, and feed more of it to hogs than in other parts of the county. There is some stock-raising, Mr. E. E. James having given considerable attention to the breeding of horses.

The first settler in this precinct was David Buucli* on the southeast quarter of section 21. He was a native of !Xorth Carolina, but moved to Tennessee, and from thence came to Illinois, coming to Norman in the winter of 1834-5. It is probable that he was attracted thither by the fine timber here, which had been bought up by the speculators. There was a good market for logs or hewn timber at Ottawa and other points on the river, and as there was none to protect it, large quantities of it were stolen by early settlers, who felt justified in these depredations by the fact that tlieir holding this land prevented the settlement of the county. Mr. Bunch made the cutting and rafting of this timber to market his principal business, and for some yenvs made no eftbrt to make a home here. He afterward cleared up a good farm, on which he lived many years. 'In the same year Datus Kent joined him here and went into the timber business on the same basis. He had his cabin on the south fraction of section 15, and built the log hotel across the river, which is now referred to as Castle Danger. Kent was from the South, and a winter or two was enough to satisfy him that he was out of his element, and left for Arkansas in 1837, leaving no farm improvements. Henry Norman was another prominent settler, and came in about 1839. He came from Brown County, Ohio, from where he came first to Braceville, about 1836, but subsequently came to Norman and put up his cabin on the east half of the southeast quarter of section 25. Here he stayed until 1842, when he removed to Morris. His son, Thomas J. Norman, remained at the homestead, and was the first supervisor of the precinct under the action of the county in 1850. It is from him that the precinct takes its name. Dr. Timothy Ilorrora was an early settler here. He was one of that large class of persons who became infected by the speculative mania. He settled on section 20, and with a lai-ge family of boj'S began to make a home. He was a peculiar man; had a taste for whisky, which was not uncommon in that day, but which led him into a great many escapades, and gained for him quite a reputation in the county. His mania for speculation led him to found Horrom City, on the other side of the river, a paper me- tropolis, which passed throiigli tlie eoiuiiion experience. He finallj moved over to Eriemia, where he died about 1860. Joliii Sullivan, an Irisliinan, who was brou^dit here by the work on the canal, came into Norman about 1841. He came here with no capital but his liands and plenty of pluck, and settled on the southeast quarter of section 13, and has since improved a iine farm. In Jnly, 1847, E. B. James came in from Kendall County. He was a native of Ohio, and came to Kendall County a young man. Here he married, and a little later came to Norman and settled on section 25. In 1848, the canal being finished, the lands rapidly came into market, and Xorman shared in the tide of emigration which raj)- idly filled up the county.

In forming any conception of frontier life, one is apt to be influenced by some preconceived arbitrary standard. The pioneer of to-day goes not into an unknown and .unexplored wilderness. The enterprising newspaper has been before him; the soil, the climate, the mineral resources, the agricultural advantages - the whole situation has been exhaustively mapped out, while railroads carry him forward with speed and comfort to the scene of his frontier labors. Nor do the modern advantages cease here. Having fixed upon his field of operations, material ready framed to form his dwelling, improved machinery to till the soil, and a century's experience, unite to rob his experience of much of its difficulties, and to insure a speedily successful outcome of his venture. In ten years he has surrounded himself with more of the luxuries of civilization than the pioneers of Illinois possessed after twenty-five years of effort. And these rapid strides of progress, it should be remembered, have been principally made within the last twentj'-five j-cars. While the l)ioneer3 of Illinois profited by the momentum acquired in the advance of the previous century, it should not be forgotten that they have placed the weight of their expe rience and achievement with the forces that now accelerate the advance of the star of empire westward. The large purchases of timber lands by speculators in 1835 greatly retarded the settlement of this section of the State, and Grundy County was as undeveloped and bare of civilizing resources in 1847 as many parts of the State ten years earlier. AVIien Mr. James came to Noi - man, in thisj'ear, there wei'e but five families within its limits, and the general character of the country was that of an untamed wilderness. The completion of the canal, however, was the signal for a mighty change, and from tliat time forward the county took on a rapid change.

The early settlers brought nothing witli tliem but what the necessities of the situation demanded. One wagon generally sufficed to bring the fiimily, household furniture, farming implements, and frequently one or two months' supplies. It requires no great amount of consideration to believe that luxuries, or even comforts, could find no place in such an outfit, and so the pioneer, after constructing a shelter for his family, found his skill and ingenuity taxed to their utmost to supply this deficiency. It was necessary to manufacture tables, chairs and bedsteads before they could be used, and some of the most striking incidents of frontier cabin life are founded upon this universal deartli of ordinary comforts. The early years of a new settle- ment were occupied in 8U]>plying tliese wants and in subjecting tlie land to the payment of its annual tribute. This accomplished, the pioneer, ever mindful of the prosperity of his children and the conservation of society, summoned the church and school to his aid.

The Fox River settlement was early made a base of operations by the Methodist chnrch, and from a missionary plant established here, sent out its itinerants tlirougliout tlie settlements on the upper part of the Illinois River. The first church organization in Norman was a Protestant Methodist Church, which was built up under the administration of a Rev. Mr. Fowler. John Piatt and E. B. James, with three or four others, constituted the membership, which held its meetings in the different cabins about the neighborhood. About 1S54, a Methodist Episco]ial church was organized here, which gradually displaced the older society and held its meetings in a schoolhouse which had been erected in the meantime. The church subsequently held its meetings in the Baptist church building until 1S70, when it erected a place of worship on the southeast corner of section 35. This is a neat frame structure erected at a cost of about S2,S00, and reflects credit upon efforts of the church and the management, Eev. J. W. Odell and Mr. E. B. James, who were prominent in securing it.

The Baptist church was organized here about 1854, and found its main support in the families of Messrs. Haymond, Winters and Manley. This church used tlie one school-house in the precinct, alternating its services with those of the Protestant Methodist and the Methodist Episcopal churches, until about 1862. Mr. Thos. Haymond, Lewis Winters and the Eev. ]\Ir. Fosket, were jiroiiiinent in securing a church building at this time, and the fnaine building, thirty by fifty feet, situated on the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 26, is due to their labors. It was erected at a cost of about $2,700.

The first school-house was a log structure, built in 1853, at Bills' Point. The spot thus designated is a '' point of timber" near tlie center of section 25, the name of which, it is said, originated with Jacob Claypool. Mr. Ilaymond relates a characteristic story of those times to tiie effect, that going to Mr. Claypool's on business one day he was accompanied by a friend fi'om tiie East wlio was here on a visit. His friend naturally wore his " store clothes," and a linen shirt and collar. This was a remarkable innovatinn upon the custom of Grundy County at that time and made a decided impression upon Mr. Claypool's mind. Business took the three persons to Bills' Run, when, Mr. Haymond being a new comer to Norman, inquired the origin of the name of the run. His reply was, that some years before a Mr. Bills who liad been there, created such a sensation by his civilized attire, that his advent had been commemorated by giving his name to a ford, a stream, and this point of timber. In describing this hero, Mr. Claypool, pointing at Mr. Ilaymond's friend, said: "He wore a white shirt and collar, and was just such a dandy as he." It may therefore be accepted that the name of Bills' Run and Bills' Point is a frontier compliment to a white shirt and collar. It is certainly appropriate, if not signifi- cant, that the first school-honse was erected at this point. Here Miss Renitf tanglit tlie first scliool and was succeeded by Mrs. Stouteiii3-er. Tliis primitive building liar, been succeeded by a modern structure and the number multiplied, so that whether through tiie increase of education or the breaking down of frontier isolation, white shirts and collars are now by no means a rarity in Xoraian Precinct.

TOWNSHIP 32 nortli, range 7 east, is situated as near as uiay be, in the center of Grundy County. Its name, Mazon, was derived from the stream which bears this designation, a branch of whicli crosses a corner of the township. The Indian signification of the word is nettle, and finds its appropriateness as a name for the township in tlie fact that this plant was found inconsiderable numbers on the rich timber bottoms of this section. The Indians and early settlers turned this plant to a useful account, taking its fibre, in the absence of hemp, for twine and a coarse thread. The general surface is very level, with hardly variation enough to afford drainage for the surplus water. The soil is good, strong, black muck, and will prove, when properly drained and cultivated, as good land as there is in the county, but it is readily affected by moisture, which it seems to hold for a lon^ time. This characteristic is the bane of travelers and road-makers, and often causes the farmer expensive delays. The general drainage is toward the northeast, the township being marked by six watercourses running about a mile apart, in a generally parallel course. The principal ones are the Waupecan Creek, Johnny Run, Murray Sluice, and the West Fork of the Mazon. These are all insignificant streams now, generally drying up in the hot months of the summer and assuming a short-lived importance in the spring or on the occasion of a freshet. Their early history, however, was not quite so tame, when from various causes, the water passed oft' less readily, and swollen with the spring freshet, these streams overflowed their low banks, uniting their waters and giving a large part of the township the appearance of a lake from six inches to two feet deep. The timber was originally'' found along these streams, , the ])rincipal bodies being known as Wauponsee Grove, Johnny Grove, and Owen's Spring, on section 24. The farmers give the most of their attention to raising corn, though this is alternated largely with stockraisinf, as the corn market proves more or less profitable. There is a gradual increase in the amount of corn fed from year to year, and many of the best farmers believe this to be the most profitable disposition to make of the corn crop. Dairying is bec(tming a more marked feature here also, the creamery established in Mazon giving quite an im])etus to this branch of farming industry. The first settlement of the township was begun in 1833 by A. K. Owen, who, in company with Dr. L. S. Tlobbins, John Hogoboora and others, came into the present territory of Grundy County on a prospecting expedition. To this party of explorers the southern portion of the county is jtrineipall}' indebted for its early settlement, and it will doubtless be found interesting to learn sometiiingof tlio bistory of the leader of this party and at tiio same time gain some knowledge of the contemporaneous history of the northern part of the State.

Mr. Owen has left an autobiography from which the following is taken: "My first visit to Illinois was in tlie summer of 1819. I made my way from Syracuse, N. Y., which then contained a population of one family engaged in public entertainment. The next town of any note was liutfalo, which was then being rebuilt after the burning by tlie Indians and Canadians during the war of 1812-15. The next town was Cleveland, composed of one store, tiiree or four mechanical shops and eight or ten families; next was Columbus, Oiiio, containing 300 inhabitants. The first mill was then being built on the Scioto River. The next town was Dayton, composed of about a dozen families; next Eaton, of six or eight families; Conersville, of one family; then two days' journey to Terre Haute, through a wilderness, guided by a blazed trail, but where no wagon had ever passed. The population of Terre Haute consisted of about a dozen families, and here two flatboats had been launched and loaded with goods for trade lower down on the river. From Terre Haute the route lay to Edwardsville, 111., where a population of 250 or 300 was found. Here I attended a trial for murder - People v. Edwards - for the killing of Daniel D. Smith, the U. S. land agent. After a three days' trial, in which the accused was ably defended by Felix Grundy, of Tennessee, Edwards was acquitted, and Grundy, mounting his horse,

" North and west from Edwardsvillo there were no settlements whatever. My object had been to hunt up two quarter sections of land u]ion the bounty tract, but tlie land agent having been killed and his place not yet supplied, all I could do was to take on a full cargo of fever and ague and return to New York.

" My next visit to Illinois was in the sjiring of 1827 or 1828. I journeyed from Ilazlegreen, Alabama, on horseback to Qiiincy, 111. It was a very wet season, and I had creeks to swim more or less every day, carrying my saddle baijs on my shoulders. I ferried the Mississippi at Golcondee, six miles from the mouth of the Illinois, there being veiT little settlement thereabouts. The whole of the military tract was then included in Pike County. Some fifteen or twenty miles above the mouth of the Illinois, under the Mississippi bluff, was a little town called Atlas, settled by two Poss faujilies. From there to Quincy were two families, Harrison and Thomas. At Quincy were also two families, Woods and Keys, and one single man, H. II. Snow. The first county election took place a few days after my arrival. Snow was elected circuit and county clerk, recorder and justice of the peace; Wood and Keys held the balance of the offices with the exception of sheriff' and constable, which were bestowed upon me. In August of the same year I accompanied the first wagon from Quincy to Galena. The Sac and Fox Indians inhabited Ilock Island with two military companies on the island. There were no other whites on the route.

At Galena there were two small trading posts, a few miners, but not a white woman above Qiiincy. In August of the next year I was again in company with the first wagon from Galena to Chicago, crossing Rock River above Ilockford. The population of Chicago was tlien about 900, with two companies of troops at Fort Dearborn.

" In 1829, we obtained permission to organize a county. At a meeting held for this purpose the name of Daviess was suggested for the new county, but it was objected that there was then a county by that name in the State. At this, John Armstrong jumped np and suggested Jo Daviess, which was accepted. I remained at Galena until the fall of 1830, when I took what was cal!ed " tiie sucker shoot;" went down the river to winter, which was a very common thing with the miners. I put up for winter quarters on Fancy Creek, eight miles north of Springfield, which then contained just four families and a tread-mill for grinding corn.

" In the S])ring of 1831, I found myself the wealthy owner of two horses and harness, but no wagon, so I cut a couple of poles for thills, put cross pieces behind the horse, set on ray clothes trunk, hitclied my other horse in front, and then, whip and single line in hand, set my face northward to seek my fortune. The first good fortune I met was in the person of Chloe, only daughter of Ezekiel Stacey, living on Oxbow prairie. Just there and then we made a life-long contract, got consent of her parents, and next morning I proceeded on my northward journey to locate and prepare a home. That night I reached the cabin of a Mr. Long, three miles south of Ottawa on Coville Creek. Mrs. Long was very low with dyspepsia and had to be fed every half hour, ller liusband being exhausted by his unremitting attention, I volunteered to care for her through the night and did so, and the next morning while harnesiing my horses, George "Walker, the first sheriff of La Salle County, summoned me to appear forthwith to serve on the grand jury, it being the first session of the circuit court of this county. Of course I pleaded non-residence, but the sherift' informed me that he had summoned every eligible man in the county and still lacked one, and I must serve. So I went to Ottawa and was appointed foreman of the jury. For want of a better place we held our deliberations undjr two maple trees on the bank of the river, situated about ten vards apart. Our constable was Moses Booth, and he was ke])t busy running from one tree to the other to keep the hogs out of hearing distance of our deliberations. Tlie only complaint before the jury was for breach of promise, but the jury brought in no bill. On presentation of this report, the judge complimented the good people of the county as a law-abiding community, from the feet that they had nothing for the grand jury to do. At dinner time we sent the constable to David Walker's, the only cabin in the place, to engage our dinners, and got answer that lie had but two rooms, one for the court ami one for the kitchen, and that the judge and attorneys had monopolized these accommodations. We got some crackers and clieese, however, at a little trading j)ost kept bv George Walker, and was allowed to enjoy this frugal meal only through tlie indefatigable energy of our constable who kept the hogs at bay. On being dismissed from the grand jury, I retnnied to Mr. Long's, and at liis oiirnest solicitation bonglit his claim, giving liim one of my horses and two months' work.

"On the 17th of July, 1S31, I borrowed a horse and six dollars in cash fro'n Mr. Long, and went to Oxbow ]iriiirie and redeemed my vow; then returned and ])aid my two months' work due on my claim, and on the first of October following, went after my wife. I borrowed a yoke of oxen and wagon of Mrs. Armstrong, living near the month of Coville Creek, attached a rope to the born of the ' near ox,' and went to Oxbow prairie, returning soon after with my wife and little lionselio'.d effects, and set np housekeeping on Coville Creek. The next spring the Black Hawk War broke out, and at its close, I sold my claim, and in the following spring came on an exploring expedition to Sulphur Springs." This party made their Jieadquarters at Johnny's Grove, and claims were made in what are now the townships of Vienna, Braceville and Mazon. Owen was the only one who settled in Mazon, choosing a site on the West Fork of the Mazon Creek, a little below old Mnzon Village. This was in the spring or summer of 1833. By tlie help of one man he succeeded in erecting a log cabin fourteen feet square, into which be moved the following May, and began housekeeping without door, window or floor. For a short time his most accessible neighbors were one family at Ottawa, one at Pontiac, and one at Joliet, each from twenty-six to thirty miles away. But this state of affairs continued but a short time. In this year quite a number of settlers came into Wauponsee and other townships of the county. None came to Mazon until the following spring, when James McCarty moved from ()ltawa and took up his abode upiiu Wauponsee's little corn patch of three or four acres on section five. . He was a baclielor, had served in the campaign against Black Hawk, and found no trouble in cam])ing out while he put in his fir.st crop of corn. This he did with a hoe, and in the fall tiie stalks furnished him the matei'ial with which be built his winter quarters. In June of 1S35, he bought his land at the " land sale " and lived here until IS-IS, when he died and was buried in the Claypool burying ground, the first one to occupy it. FoUowins: IMcCarty late in tlic fall came Jesse Newport, troin Belmont County, Ohio. He settled on the southwest corner of section six, secured his land at the ]mblic sale in 1835, and improved his place until 1839, when he rented it t(j Mr. JJewey, an English innnigrant, and went to Hennepin where he died in 181:0. In the same fall, James C. Spores built a cabin on the east half of the southwest quarter of section five, and improved his claim here for three or four j'ears when he sold out to John L. Pickering, and moved to the " far West."

James P. Ewing came to Mazon in the spring of 1835, building his cabin on the west half of the northeast quarter of section six. The land here was very wet, and greatly discouraged his cflbrts at making a home. lie lived here two or tliree years, followintr at times his trade of shoemaker. He finall}' sold out to Jesse Newport, tliough not before he had lost a child by the ravages of the miasmatic climate. Pickering, who bought out Spores, was of Quaker extraction, and came from Belmont

County, Oliio. lie was one of tlie early county officers and lived here for many years, but subsequently moved to Blooniinwton in this State. Tae niarriauje of his daughter Sarali to Gales ^Vustin, by Jacob Claypool, J. P., was probably the first wedding in the township.

About tlie same time witli Ewing came John Ridgway, who bought land on the northwest quarter of section five, and built his cabin tliei-e. He improved this place until about 1837, when he sold out to Nicholas Summers and went to Indiana. David Spencer became a settler here about this time also, built his cabin just above Pickering, and subsequently married a daughter of Mr. Summers and went to Indiana. In the fall of 1835. Augustus H. Owen, a lawyer, came from New York and tiiok u|) his residence in the Ilogoboom cabin. This was the first lawyer in Grundy County, but he soon discovered that he was considerably in advance of his age, and finding no demand for his legal abilities, he moved in 1S36 to Ottawa, where he followed his ])n>fession for a year or two and was subsequently drowned in liock River.

In the summer of 1835, J. C. Murray came to Mazon from Oswego County, New York. He was a brother-in-law of A. Iv. Owen, and being desirous of getting more land where his growing family could find opportunity of securing homes for themselves, he was induced to come to Mazon on the representations of Mr. Owen. He came with his famil}' by the lakes to Chicago, and was just forty-nine days on the water. He brought with his liousehold effects two new wagons, but of course, no teams, and leaving his family at Chicago he came to Owen's on foot. The latter at once returned to Chicago with his brotherin-law, taking his own team and liiring another to bring the Murray family to their new home. Owen went to Ilennejiin subsequently, and Murray rented the farm for awhile, in tiie meantime looking up an eligible site for a permanent home. He then bought land on the old Chicago and Bloomington trail near the Murray sluice on section 33. ITis cabin was called the " Half Way House," it being situated about an equal distance - sixty-eight miles - from either terminus of the road. This cabin was one of tiie earliest in the township to be built out on tb.e ))rairie. The family was moved in before completed, and a blanket ibr some time served to close the doorway. There was no floor save the earth, and the oidy board to be got was finally sawed and spliced so as to furnish a suitable do(n-.

Mr. Murray was drowned in Johnny Run in June of ISi-t, an aci-ident which aftords a striking incident in the life of the early times. Mr. Murray was then on the grand jury, which was in session at Morris, and was a guest of Mr. Armstrong, the pioneer hotel keeper of that place. There had been quite a freshet, and from various causes the landlord found himself out of meat for the morning meal. Murray, who liad several pieces of smoked meat at home, volunteered to go in the night and get them to supply the deficiency. He started out on horseback and got home safely, but on his way back to Morris, he missed the ford and was drowned.

ident of this township. He first moved to the mouth of the An Sable, thence to the old -' Kankakee city," and later to the old Clover Place near the through trail. Here he kept hotel for awhile, when about 184(1, he located on section 23, near the old village of Mazon. llirain Fuller, a relative of A. K. Owen, came from New York about 1839 and settled in Mazon. In 1840 or 41, the Gibson family came to Mazon from Wauponsee township ; the family consisting of Robert and Silas, and two sisters, Ann and Bathsheba, came to Norman township about 1837 or 8. The boys were coopers by trade and found the quality and quantity of speculators' timber a profitable source of sujiply. The sisters married and Silas died belbre Ilobert came into Mazon. He first settled in Wauponsee Grove, but subsequently bought land in sections 10 and 11, on Johnny Hun, where he improved a large farm.

Of the early experiences of this settlement there is nothing peculiar to this township to be noted. The nearest post-office was at Ottawa, then Dresden, and later at Morris. The nearest mills were those at Dayton, Wilmington, and Milford, or Millington. In some respects the community in Mazon were less favorably situated than some others in the county. The number of streams across the surface of the township indicates the slow natural drainage, and it was no unusual occurrence for these to join by overflowing their banks. Under these circumstances all traveling was out of the question. Mr. A. O. Murray relates, on such an occasion, his father's family found themselves with a very slender supply of provisions in the house. A man had been engaged to go to mill at Dayton, but the sudden rise of water had cut ofl' his return. The neighbors who were accessible were in nearly as bad a plight, and there was no resort save to take account of stock and wait for the subsidence of the waters. They found their whole stock consisted of some beans and salt, and on these, of which there was no great supply, the family prepared to subsist for an indefinite time. Fortunately they had a new-milch heifer which supplied the family with milk and butter, the latter serving to render more palatable the slippery elm bark which was fried to eke out the meager store. A sharp freeze which rendered a passage through the submerged territory more diflicult, protracted this experience for three weeks. This diflSculty in getting to mill was felt to be a serious drawback in this section for years, and was not obviated until the county was formed, and bridges built across the principal streams. Mr. Charles Huston relates a tedious experience of this sort as late as 1845. The community in the southern part of the township had been travel-bound for some time, and while each farmer had plenty of wheat and corn, their families were using boiled wheat or grated corn as a substitute for flour. Huston, a newcomer, had neither, and proposed to earn some flour by taking a load to mill fur the community. His wagon was soon filled with wheat, and he set out on his journey. He found but little difficulty in getting across streams by ferry or ford, but the frequent sloughs tiiat blocked his way were not so easily surmounted. Four times each way he was obliged to unload his wagon and carry its contents around, while his team used their utmost powers to drag the empty wagon through the quagmires. On

There was but little stock in the tnwiislii]) save the hoi'ses and oxen which served as teams to the farmers. Ji few cows and liou's were kept, but there was little market :or them, and agood cow could be bought for tix or eight dollars. The ai)undauee of irame relieved the settler of the necessity of buying meat or of using such animals as they had, save for a change or steady supply. Deer, prairie chickens, and wolves were found in great numbers. The latter sometimes proved troublesome to young stock, but the price which the county paid for their scalps more than com])ensated for their depredations.

The through trail wliich passed along the southeastern corner of tliis township gave this section some prestige. A Sjreat deal of teamino: was done on this trail from as far south as Springfield, while considerable stock was driven alonw this route to Chicago. The teamsters as a rule were a rough class. They slejit under their wagons at night, brouglit their own provisions and did their own cooking. Tlieir teams were generally turned into the nearest corn-patch, a liberty which settlers learned not to resent. Tiie corn was of but little value, and unless the owner was of a muscular build and willing to take liis pay " out of the hide " of the offender there was little chance of redress. Thns the professional teamster, though he got compai-- atively very little pay, continued to make his trip to Chicago from the south with wheat, and return loaded with salt and

Mr. Huston relates a trip to Chicago, which illustrates a common experience of the time. Some drovers had found it necessai-y to slaughter some bogs which were nnable to travel further, and engaged Mr. Huston to take a load to Chicago for twelve dolhirs. It was in January, and in com- ])any with iinother team he started on his trip by way of Morris. As they crossed the ice on the river at tliis place, the rain began to tall with the temperature. The roads gradually became heavier, and little more than half way to the city it was found necessary to leave a part of each load, buried in a haj' stack, to prevent the pork from thawing out, and proceed to the city with half a load, wliich was accomplished Old}' after almost superhuman exertion. On discharging their load, the teams were obliged to get the remainder, and deliver it in Cliicago. In the meanwhile the mud of the roads was gradually getting deeper until the last trip was made with the wheels sinking to the hub most of the way. The return trip Mr. Huston utilized by bringing a thousand feet of pine lumber for his buildinn- then up at Mazon. As fre- (juently occurs in an open winter, the weather changed to a cooler temperature as suddenlv as it had warmed to a thaw, and the return trip was made tlirough mud, gradually stiffening with the cold, which greatly retarded the progress homeward. On arriving at Morris, the river was found banks full and impassable, and to save time the wagons were loaded with coal from Goold Ilidge, and taken to Kendall County where it was disposed of to blacksmiths. On their return the river was found still impassable. Ice iiad formed in the center of the river, but at eitlier margin was a S])ace of running water which defied passage. After waiting some time and becoming impatient with delay, Mr. Huston conceived a plan to cross the stream. Using his lumber to bridge the margins on either side and after testing the strength of the ice by pushing his wagon on it by hand, and subsequently leading a liorse on, he proceeded to cross. Hitching one horse on the end of the tongue of the wagon, and leading the other in the rear, the weight was so distributed as to promise a safe passage. Unfortunately the bridge on the south margin proved defective, and wagon and horses were precipitated into the freezing water. The leading horse proved true, and swam out, bringing tiie waaron on to solid ground. The led horse, however, refused to swim, and it was only with great exertion and the strength of the other animal, that he was brought to shore. In tiie meanwhile Mr. Huston had spent an hour or two, waist deep in water getting his team in shape and saving his hard earned lumber. The latter he piled up in a safe place on the bank and reached home nearly frozen after just three weeks' absence.

The early traffic on the Bloomington and Chicago road was very large and seemed to warrant tiie belief that tlie canal would not greatlj' interfere witli it. Mr. Cliarles Huston who had come from Syracuse, N. Y., in 184:5, had kept hotel there and doubtless could see no good reason with such advantage as the trail atforded, why a city should not grow up here as readily as elsewhere. At any rate in 1848, urged by a Mr. Hall of Ottawa, who agreed to

The store was started but subsequently was sold out to Wm. B. Royal. As the country develojicd all enterprises based on the permanency of trail traffic failed. The railroad and canal put an end to teaming and '' droving," and the store here languished. A co-operative store was inaugurated, but this finally failed, passing into private hands and being eventually closed out by fire about 1854. Some years later a temperance society put up a building, renting the under part for a store, but the railroad put a finishing stroke to the declining prosperity of the town and the metropolis was transferred to the " center." The building of the Pekin, St. Louis & Chicago railroad gave a new impetus to the village growth of the township, but transferred it to the location of the depot. A store was begun here about 1875, by McAfee, who was succeeded by Giftord and later by M. Isham. A church, a school-house, a half dozen stores two grain elevators, and a cluster of rather new looking wooden buildings, represent a village of some 500 inhabitants, which is known by the post-office and railroad authorities as Mazon, but is popularly designated by the addition of " New town" in parenthesis, to distinguish it from old Mazon.

An enterprise which does much to build up the village is a creamery which was established at the Miller cheese factory in 1880. In the following winter it was brought to the village and now occupies a building devoted exclusively to its purposes. The project was conceived and put in force by T. Rankin, who found it impos- sible to profitably handle farmer's butter, which he bought in the course of his l)usiness. In starting the creamery he revolutionized the cheese business which luid a fair start iiere, and greafly extended the business of his general store. Nine teams are maintained, each of which makes a daily circuit of twenty-tiveor thirty railes, skimming tlie milk of patrons and bringing in the cream to the factory, at the same time taking orders and delivering goods from his store to any who may desire them. The cream is bought by the inch; the milk being placed in cans of a foot in diameter, the thickness of the cream is xioted through a graduated glass inserted in the side of the can. An inch of cream is calculated to make a pound of butter, and varies in the price paid the general changes of the butter market. The capacity of the factory is 1,100 pounds of butter per day, and at certain seasons of the year is crowded to its full capacity, in. volving an annual outlay of from $25,000 to $35,000 for cream alone.

The Methodist church was the earliest religious organization to gain a foothold in this conmi unity. Missionary agents of the Congregational society were early in the township, especially in the southern part, but for various reasons their efforts did not result in any marked permanent ac'iievement. In "William and Charles Koyal, who came into Mazon about 18-17, the Methodist organization had zealous workers, and a society was formed which erected a place of worship at Old Mazon, about 1851. When the new town sprung up, this building was sold, and now serves as a granary, not far from its former site. The ])resent neat, wooden structure at Mazon,

The Wauponsee Grove Congregational Church is a society in the northwestern corner of the township. This church was organized Ma}' 6, lS6i, with seventeen members, among whom were II. B. Goodrich, William llotchkiss, F. T. Benton, Abbott Barker, John Sample, and their wives. Ilev. James Longhead, of Morris, had been holding Sabbath services here before this, and continued to supply this point and another neighborhood with alternate services. In ISGS, a resident pastor was secured, the church holding its services in the school-hoKse in the meanwhile. May 27, 18(i9, a site was selected, and one acre of land donated for the erection of a church building, and being the jubilee year, the effort to secure a church home was greatly assisted by the enthusiasm evinced by the Congregational membei-ship at large. Memorial offerings were received from various persons and churches abroad, to which was added the enthusiasm of the ladies of the society here, who pledged a thousand dollars toward its erection. The building was erected, dedicated June 3, 1871, and in March of the following 3'ear, the church voted itself self-sustaining, having received aid from the American Home Missionai'y Society since its organization. Ithasnow a membership of some sixtytwo members, and a Sunday school of about 106 attendants.

The earliest school-house was probably on section 2i, and was built in 1837. In its time it was the finest cabin in the settlement. It was a square structure, built of logs, with windows made of six panes of glass placed in a single horizontal line in an enlarged crack between the lo^s. Against the log just below this window, supported by pegs driven into tlie side of the structure, was a rough puncheon which bv courtesy was called the desk. Before this, on rude slab benches, the scholars sat and faced about as they cojjied the ejiigranimatic wisdom which adorned the top line of the copy-books of a quarter century ago. This cabin had a floor of riven ])lanks, trimmed to lay reasonably still when trod upon, and was the admiration ot the community. Mr. Axtell was the first wielder of the birchen scepter.

No trace of these primitive times now greet the eye; the men and women of that early day, with all their toil and privations, have gone and made no sign; they labored, and the present generation has entered into their labors; the present stands upon the shoulders of the past; and, if manfully meeting the duties of the present hour, we lift the world higher by the full stature of a man, the pioneers of this land will not have toiled in vain.

IN following the arbitrary distinctions of township lines, the liistorian of the early settlement finds himself placed in an unnatural position. The events to which this connty was indebted for its first inhabitants, recognized no such limitations. The broad expanse of prairie, radiant witli the beauty of the early summer's flowers, or brown with the ripened food for a thousand herds, was unmarked to the pioneer, save by distant groves that indicated the water-courses. The adventurous settler, attracted by the flattering report of friends, or lured on by his love of frontier life and adventure, placed his family and goods in a wagon, and casting ofi' his moorings, became a wanderer, knowing no home but the canvas that served him as shelter by night. His choice of land was dictated by caprice, and generally resulted in an unfortunate selection, though it often took years of sickness, and even bereavement bv death itself to convince him of his error. The points of timber were generally chosen, or some spring of water, both of which, experience has proven to be the most insalubrious locations open to choice. But here, patiently enduring toil and privation, tJie pioneer surmounted the difliculties of his situation, and has left an enduring monument to his memory in these fruitful fields and thriving towns. There seem to have been few indications in that early day as to the points to which subsequent growth would accrue with the greatest advantage. Choice was determined by the most frivolous chance; expectation was at a dead level. This situation was not inconsistent with an almost feverish excitement over the effect which the construction of the canal was expected to have on this whole region. The great consideration which "puzzled the will," was where the " bonanza's " liffhtnins would strike. It is not strange, therefore, that the early settlement of this county, molded by such motives and influences, should be characterized by no definable method. But the later growth of society has long since modified these early traditions. Years of association in the capacity of a political precinct have given rise to a community of interests, out of which have sprung policies and practices plainly apparent even to the stranger, and township lines now bind tiie country population with as strong a tie as national boundaries.

Vienna lies just west of Mazon, and in its topography and early history is closely related. It is rather of a higher elevation, parts of it being considerably broken and all of it somewhat rolling. It is traversed diagonally in a northeasterly direction, by five unimportant streams, Hog and Bills'

Runs flowing into Norman, the Waupecan and a nameless stream passing into Mazon, and Thunder Creek joining Jolinny Rini in tlie hitter township. The cliariicter ol' tliese water-courses, of the soil and tiniher is similar to those noted in Mazon. The jitirsnitot" the farmers is similar, save that ^Ii-. Harford, who has given considerable attention to cattle raising, is now turnini^ liis effort to breeding horses of the jS'ornian blood.

The first claim made in this township was in 1S33. In that year Edwin Shaw and Slieldon Bartholomew came to this section with A. K. Owen, who settled in Mazon. These men selected farms at the point now known as " Parer's Grove," but beyond naming the place " Spring Grove" from a large spring found at one end or it, no attempt was made by them to take permanent possession of it. Not long after the visit of these persons an English family by the name of Grove, took up a claim on sec^tion 4 at Hog's Point. Here they built a cabin and cultivated tliei ground until the tail of 1836, when Jonah C. Newport, a native of Belmont County, Ohio, bought them out. About 1S3-1, or perhaj)S a year earlier, Gejrge W. Armstrong settled on the northwest quarter of section 6, where he resided two years. He then moved to Wauponsee, from whence he subsequently returned, and bought the northeast quarter of section 1, township 33, range 5 (now in La Salle County), where he built a cabin and where his modern residence now is. About the same season, Charles Parer, from Ottawa, came to this region, made a claim near the present residence of Mr. Harford at " Spring Grove."

He cut considerable hay for his stock, and built his cabin, but unfortunately the fire caught in the dry prairie grass and consumed the hay, cabin and fixtures. It is not clear how this accident occurred. It is said, however, that the whole family had gone to Ottawa and in their absence the confiagi-ation took place. On Mr. Parer's return, finding nothing left but blackened ruins, he abandoned the place, his family never coming back to the township. This was the extent of the population in this community until the coming of John Dewey in 1841.

Mr. Dewey was an English mechanic, and attracted by the reports from friends who lived at Vermillion, sent his wife and two children to his American relatives, to spy out the land while he kept his situation. Thev came in 1837, and sent back so favorable a report, that he came in the following year and decided to cast in his fortunes with this new prairie country. He catne to Jesse Newport's in Wauponsee that 3'ear and rented the place, bringing his family forward the year folhjwing Here he stayed until 1S41, when he came to Vienna and rented the farm of Jonalj Newport at Hog Point. Three years later he came to " Parer's Grove." About the same time with Dewey, came John B. Moore, and settled on the southeast corner of section 5. He came from Philadelphia with a young family, made a home liere but moved away some years since. About 1845, Henry Hyslop settled on section 22, and his was the pioneer cabin on the praiirie. He was soon followed by the "VVilks, Curtis and Antis families. The canal also made its contribution to this set-

It will be noticed that that part of rrrnndy County not lying contiguous to the canal, settled very slowly during the first ten years. This is to be accounted for, not so much because of its less desirable character as of the action of speculators. Most of the earliest claims were made on the margin of the river, and the claimants were on the ground to purchase their land at the public sale in 1S30. After this sale, speculators bought large tracts in the interior of the county, especially the timbered portion. The price was at once raised above government prices and of course found but little sale. There were here and there sections which were supposed to be less desirable or had been overlooked by general land buyers, and tliese were gradually picked up. As soon as the settlement grew large enough (and the legal requirements were not severe) a township or precinct organization was effected and after the five years of release, taxes were laid as to force non-resident land owners to pay at least their full share. Their timber was considered free plunder and so little sympathy was felt in any settlement for this class of property holders, that it became unpopular for any one to assist in locating lands for them. This policy, maintained for several years, soon convinced capitalists that the land was not a good investment, and becoming tired of paying comparatively exorbitant taxes, and getting very little protection for what they did pay, they were glad to put the land in the market, getting merely enough to reimburse them for their outlay, and not always getting ofi" so well as that. The result was that up to about 1850, the county was only sparsely settled, but subsequently filled up with remarkable rapidity.

Another feature of the settlement here in contrast with the experience of pioneers of Ohio and the Middle States, may be noted: there seems to have been far less demand here for that invention which is the offspring of necessity. Machinery for mills, though transported over long distances, could be secured; in the older States they were rudely manufactured on the spot. Here the larger ])art of personal apparel was purchased at stores twenty or thirty miles distant; there everything, from the hat to the shoe, was manufactured at home. Here, though timber was scarce and the country sparsely settled, glass windows were the rule, house hardware not difiicult to obtain, and "frame" dwellings early appeared; there these things were the mark of wealth and distinction, and ajipeared only after the settlement had considerably grown. But history, in early settlements, does not exactly repeat itself. Experience must be taken into the account, and what one generation achieves must accrue to the advantage of its successor. The pioneer experience of the Pilgrims was unique and could not be reproduced in a later day; that of the Middle States modified the early settlement of this western land, and the far AVest of to-day i-esembles more the " royal road to fortune " than the " hard road to travel," which the pioneers of other generations found.

But with all this modification of the stern experience of pioneer life, the trials of the first settlers were anything but eas}' to be borne. The community settled here found the only accessible mills at Verm 11- lionville, AYilinington and Dayton. Here the soil was found to yield fine crops of winter wheat, and flour was not so great a luxury. Fruit did finely, espccialU' peaches, and tliere was uo dearth of orchards, though apples, taking longer to mature, did not yield early, and the cliange of late years has never made apples so prominent in the county. The severe winter of 1853 or 1854: killed the larger part of the peach trees, and fruit interests have languished here ever since. The ready tact of the pioneer housewives and the uupainpered tastes of that early day found a good substitute for fruit in the pumpkin. When frozen they were prepared and stewed down to a syrup, which furnished the sweetening for most of the culinary purposes of the cabin, and mixed with fresh stewed pumpkin formed the coveted sweetmeat. They were planted in large numbers and stored in a vault constructed underneath the hay-stacks to be fed to tlie cattle during the winter. Well may this "fruit loved of boyhood," be apostrophized by the poet and be honorably placed in a State's coatof-arms. There was but little weaving done by the women of this township, not a single loom to be funnd here and only one field of flax. Mrs. Dewey did try to raise silk-worms, and succeeded in securing some return for her efforts, but it was pursued more as a pastime than a means of profit and was soon abandoned. In her early eflbrts to assist her husband she learned, in Vermillionville, the tailor's trade, and became quite noted in a small circle. In tliis way she acquired considerable stock. Cattle were cheap, and when a settler was able to have Sunday clothes he was glad to trade off a heifer or yearling for the making of a coat. The other parts of the suit could be made at home, but the outer garment required more skill, and Mrs. Dewc}' turned iier ability to good account.

Game was found here in the usual abundance. Deer passing from one point to another have been counted travelincf in single file to the number of one or two hundred, while lynxes and wolves, especially the latter, were " too numerous to mention." An incident is related of the latter animal which, though it occurred outside of the limits of this township, is vouched for by present residents as having happened "just across the river." A country dance had called a knight of the bow some distance from his home and detained him till the early hours of the morning. On his return he heard the hungry howling of the wolves, which seemed to be following on his trail and coming unpleasantly nearer him. Soon convinced that he was in danger, he scrambled, fiddle box in hand, into a tree which stood near by, and was soon surrounded by those miscreants of the prairie. Safe, but annoyed at his detention, the weary musician whiled away the time and " soothed the savage breast" with strains that had served a pleasanter occasion earlier in the night. The dawn released him. If this be true, it is not less strongly authenticated that this was the only case of sucli boldness on the part of the prairie wolves of this region. They were found troublesome in the destruction of young stock, but otherwise quite harmless. Prairie chickens were found in great abundance, and furnished rare sport as well as a generous supply for the larder. But these, with the deer, have pretty i^-enerally disappeared. Many believe the latter left the country about 1845, when it is said vast herds migrated across the Mississippi.

Vienna was rather out of the principal line of through travel, and had little in the circnnistaiices of her business activity or location to encourage the growth of a village, but the mania for founding cities seized a Mr. Bullock, and in 1836 he laid out Illinois City, north of tlie Waupecan, with a great public square, and streets enough to satisfy a very thriving village. Its only remains is the worn-out plat in records of the county. Verona was an outgrowth of the Pekin, Chicago and St. Louis railroad. It was laid out near the center of section 26, by Martin Finch and Ambrose Kinley. The ground was platted in February, 1877, and in about a year grew to its present dignity. There is really no demand for a large village here, and even now lias the appearance of being overgrown. Tliree or four stores are now doing more or less business, which, with the usual blacksmith and wagon shop, two churches, and some liundred dwelling houses, constitute the village of Verona. Its name may have found its BU!.'gestion in the title of the play, as its founders may not inappropriately now be called the " two gentlemen of Verona."

Schools played an early part in this township. Mrs. Dewey was a woman of considerable education, and anxious to turn her various accomplisliments to a money account in aid of her husband, began teaciiing school during her temporary stay at Vermillionville. On coming into Vienna, she opened up in her cabin the first boarding school in the county. She had but a few pupils, and proposed only to teach the rudiments, but children were then so few that they came from live miles away. They stayed during the week, going home Saturday to stay over the Sun(l:iv and holiday. This school was not long maintained. Tiie first school-honse was soon built near Hog Run, and the pioneer school taught by A. Warnock.

The effbrts of the church on the frontier were genei'ally almost as early as tiie first pioneer. The Methodist church had a station on the Fox River, and no sooner were two or three families gathered in each other's vicinity than a missionary itinerant discovered and preached to them. The size of the audience did not seem to detract from the interest of tlie occasion, and many an effective sermon has been delivered in a little cabin before two or tliree auditors. Tlie earliest of these preachers were many times quite illiterate, and others, though scarcely less so, were remarkably successful. The Mormons were here early, but found the people possessed of an independent judgment which was not to be swayed by a latter day revelation. The earliest organization efl:ected, however, was by the Baptist denomination, in 1850. The Fellingham family were among the settlers of this time, and were earnest members of this church. Mr. W. M. Fellingliam was a minister, and served the Ebenezer Baptist Society in this capacity until his death, his brothers, George and John, acting as deacons. Until about 1862, services were held in the school-house, but at this time a modest frame building was erected on the northwest corner of section 25, at a cost of about eight hnudred dollars. The membership does not now exceed ten members, and services are held only once a month.

The Presbyterian Church of Vienna was organized February 27, 1858, by tlie Rev. S. IT. Loss, a missionary agent of this church, with some fourteen members. For some years they lield their services in a school-liouse, but in 1870 a good frame building was erected as a place of worsiiip. Tiie edifice cost about $3,300, and was placed on the northwest corner of section 36. In 1877, when the town of Verona sprang up, the building was removed to the village, where it now stands. The church

The only other church in Vienna is the ]\Iethodist Episcopal. This was organized in 1S7(), and in the following year erected their present place of worship at a cost of about $2,800. The leading s])irits of this ciiurch were I. C. Tilden, M. Dix, and J. Kendall. Its membership now reaches about fifty.

BRACEYILLE lies just east of Mazou township, and continuiug the gradual rise of land in the eastern part of that precinct, becomes quite broken and picturesque along the branch of tlie Mazon creek. East of this stream the land gradually subsides to a generally level character, and stretches out along the eastern part in an expanse of wild prairie. The trend of the water-courses indicates an elevation in the central part, though it is but slight, and of the character of a plateau. The Mazon Creek enters from the south, a little east of the middle line of the township, and, circling to the west and north, follows the general direction of the western boundary, passing into Mazon and between Wauponsee and Felix at the northwest corner. The soil along the river is good farming land, but in the interior and eastern parts the liglit covering of sod rests upon a nearly pure, sandy soil, which is protitably available for little more than grazing. The eastern portion, however, is richly underlaid with coal, which more than compensates for the meager productiveness of the surface. This deposit, extending into the adjoining counties of Will and Kankakee, has given rise to considerable business activity in this vicinity, and a number of brisk mining villages have sprung up within some six miles of each other.

The earliest development of coal was made in the counties east of Grnndy, but about 1858 some miners opened a co-operative shaft on land belonging to N. Cotton. Water proved a great hindrance and expense here, and the project was about to fail, when some others were induced to give the enterprise assistance. They brouglit to the work more enthusiasm than capital, however, and tlie effort was about to prove an entire failure, when Mr. Meiian was enlisted in the work and the shaft pushed down to the coal. At this point Mr. Boyer bought the shaft, and did some mining. Some four or live years later, Mr. Augustine put down a sliaft on his land, but the business, crippled by the lack of capital, languished until about 1880, when foreign capital took up the matter and has made this part of the county a busy, thriving section. The principal coal lands are owned and worked by large corporations, of which the Wilmington Coal Mining & Manufacturing Company and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company are the leading ones. The Chicago Tribune last year gave an interesting sketch of these coal-fields in December of 1881, from which the following extract is taken:

" The finest and richest of these coalfields are now being worked with all the most improved facilities which unrestricted capital can supply. Strange as it may appear, the best veins lie nearest the surtace, in marked contrast with the vaunted coalfields of Eiighmd, where none of the mines are less than 500 feet, and some as low as 3,800 feet below the surftice. The coal here is in veins of three feet tliiekness, much of it not over fifty feet below the surface, and of unexcelled quality; in many i-espects, excepting for gas and coke ])urposes, perhaps, excelling the famous Pittsburgh bituminous coal. Here the mineral is found free of clinkers, sulphur and iron, making a charming grate_coal, and, forbhicksmitliing purj)oses, without equal.

" I began my inspection with the Fairbanks mine in Essex township, of Kankakee County. This mine is twenty miles west of Kankakee, four miles southeast of Gardner, and five miles south of I5raceville. At Fairbanks, I found a ]iarty of surveyors engaged in running out a line for a railroad from Buckingham to Uraidwood, a distance of fifteen miles. At Buckingham this road will connect with the Southwestern Branch of the Illinois Centi'al Eailroad, thence crossing the Indiana, Illinois & Iowa Railway, the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific, the Kankakee & Seneca, and the Chicago, Alton »!c St. Louis, making three direct lines to Chicago, and three east and west. The name of the new road is the Wilmington Coalfields Pailroad, with which it is designed to form a belt around the coal-fields. It is the intention of the managers of the enterprise to construct this road in a firstclass manner, and when it is comy)leted, to transport coal, farm products and passengers.

"The lands owned by the Wilmington Coal-iields Conipanj' comprise some 2,600 acres in Grundy and Kankakee Counties. At the invitation of the mining boss I descended into the mine. The surface soil this year yielded a corn crop averaging from forty -five to sixty bushels to the acre, and the grass lands over two tons of hay. The shaft is six by fourteen and a half feet, divided into two compartments of six feet each, two foet and a half being utilized as an air shaft, and a double cage kept running. It is down ninety-five feet. For fifty -six feet two inches, it is built of timbers solidl}' spiked together, and below that it is made of two by four inches scantling, placed on edge and spiked together, forming the wall casing. This was built in twenty-eight days, and is sufficient for hoisting 1,000 tons of coal per day.

" At the bt)ttom I found no water. The roof was as dry as the interior of a house. The ordy water which was in sight, and that was very little, was that which came down from the top of the shaft. Below was laid a double track for the cars, which are used in hauling out the coal. There were four rooms being worked, and the weird appearance of the miners digging at the solid coal was a sight to be remembered. The mine ceilings are held in place by timbers, twelve inches square. There is ten feet of solid timber from the lip of the shaft out each way, three feet from the center and two feet space between each. The roof overhead is formed of two-inch planks. All the digging is done with picks, the coal being undermined and dropping down of its own weight, thus obviating the use of gunpowder. The roofing overlying the coal is what miners term ' soapstone,' but is really shale clay, and is impervious to water. Below the coal is a bed of fire clay, which would doubtless make good fire brick.

" flavins looked tlirouKli the new mines, I started over tiie country to Braceville. This little town is on the Ciiicago and Alton railroad, and is inhabited by about 1,000 people. Last summer, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Hallway Company purchased the old Bruce mine, which it is now working. It also bought of James AYhitton, 1,680 acres of coal land, paying $1(18,000 in cash. This land is underlaid with coal of a quality not nearly equal to that of Fairbank. The Milwaukee and St. Paul company is now getting out from 275 to 300 tons of coal per da^' from the old shaft, which is about the measure of its capacity. The company has a second shaft down now, aiid is working twentv-tive rooms in it. But water is found very troublesome here, and often prevents working the mine to its full cajjacity. When I was there, No. 2 shaft was working but six rooms out of the twenty-tive, and these were not entirely dry. They employ seventy-live miners, but only eighteen of them could work because of water. At present there are four pumps at work in this shaft getting out the water, and they have not succeeded in clearing it out. They run three, four and five-inch pipes to the surface, and the volume of water that is raised can scarcely be computed. In No. 3 shaft, when the company was sinking it, an accident occurred to the pump, and the mine was literally drowned out. The shaft is 117 feet deep, and the water rose to within thirty -live feet of the surface. In this section water overlaps the coal at every point, and streams of it run through the mineral at a number of places.

running, and miners told me that there were few dry places there. The standard price paid for mining is $1.05 per ton in winter and 95 cents in summer, but at Godley they are obliged to paj' from $1.25 to $1.30, which is from ten to twenty-five cents above the ruling price on the prairie, simply on account of vpater. The depth of the old Bruce shaft costs the company working it to pay as high as $1.50 per ton for mining in some spots."

The shafts opened along the western border of this township are all of this character, but notwithstanding this drawback, mining in this vicinity is being pushed with renewed vigor of late years. At Coal City, and the Diamond, in tiie northeast corner, are larger coal interests, and riding along the central part of the township one may imagine the lake not far away, and the distant columns of smoke rising at pretty regular intervals on the eastern horizon to indicate the passage of a fleet of steamers. Many experts believe the coal to be found west of the Mazon will prove a finer quality and much more cheaply mined than at the present scene of operations.

The first settlement of this township was closel}' allied to that of Mazon, Dr. L. S. Bobbins, one of the Owen party of 1833, coming to Sulphur Springs in 1834-, and building his cabin on the land he had secured hy claim the year before. In the following year the Eslinger family settled north of the Mazon, below the Chicago and Alton railroad. The head of this family was a Methodist preacher, and had a large fiimily of boys. They stayed here some three or four years, made some improvements, but for some reason left for other p:irts. Soon after, the place was burned over and tlie bniUlinj^s and fences destroyed. About 1836 tlie " West Colony " settled on tiie Mazon Creek, toward the soutiieast Corner of the township. But little more than this is known of this settlement. AVliiit the origin of the enteriirise, or name was, is not known, and of their existence but few persons have any renieinbrunce. It is certain, however, that several cabins were built here, and considerable improven)ent made, but the scheme, for some reason, proved a failure, and tlie place entirely abandoned after a short time.

In the winter of ISSi-o John Crafff came to Braceville and settled on section 19, where he remaitied nntil his death. Cragg was a pattern maker by trade and a fine workman. He was following his trade at Patterson, N. J., when he heard the flattering stories of the Illinois country. But the long journey and the nnknown experience to be expected on a frontier farm made him hesitate to come alone. He talked tiie matter over with his friends and associates, Edward Holland and a Mr. Gates, and with them made a compact to go to the West and settle near each other, agreeing that each should forfeit fifty dollars should he tail to carrvout his part of the accreeinent. Crai-owas married and had his wife with him. The others were less fortunate, for wiiile married, their wives were j-et in the old country. It was arranged that Cragg and his wife sliould come on and make a claim for himself and Holland, while Gates returned across the ocean for his own and Holland's wife. Gates fonnd his task a more difficult one to accomplish than was anticipated. His own wife and Mrs. Holland, urged by their family friends, refused to face the perils and privations of the frontier, and Gates, choosing the less of two disoppointments, remained at his old home, while Holland, after waiting for his wife in vain for a time, acting on the same principle perlia|)s, came to Illinois and settled just over the line in Mazon, and set up a blacksmith shop. He was never joined by his wife, and afterward solaced his lacerated feelings with another less afraid of tVontier life.

On his journey West, Cragg came by way of St. Louis, where he stayed some time. Here he met a family who liad left the vicinity of Ottawa during the Indian troubles of IBS'?, and who ofTered him the use of half of a double log cabin they had there. This famil}' was about to return to their claim overland, while Cragg and his family came by the river. It was agreed that when the overland party reached the vicinity of their cabin they should sound a horn, when Mrs. Cragg was to reply with a similar signal. The latter family had been ensconced in their new quarters several days when the expected blast was heard, and had experienced just enough of the isolation of their position to learn of the arrival of companions with no little satisfaction. Mr. Cragg had busied himself in proS])ccting the country about for a location, and soon fixed upon his place on the ]\Iazon, and after building his cabin moved into it. The log cabin which is still standing was situated near the trail which was principally followed by the travel toward Chicago from the south. In this small building, hardly large enough for the family, they dispensed the courtesies and com torts of a frontier inn. The euests were not less rough than squeamish, and

Ill 184:6, came John Kerns from JSew York and settled in the southern, and E. R. Booth, who settled in the soiitliwestern part. In ISiS came D. R. Dowd, from Trumbull Count}', Ohio, and settled on the western line of the township near Mr. Booth. He was the first supervisor and gave the name of his Ohio home to this new townshi]). In 1849 came Thomas Martin and Robert Huston. The latter was a weaver by trade, and came from New York by the Erie Canal, the lakes and the Michigan and Illinois Central to Morris. He was from May 1st to 21st in getting to Morris. During the trij) the weather had been propitious, but no sooner had he set foot on Illinois soil when a discouraging rain set in. A team was hired to take his goods and family to their destination near where the ^ illage of Braceville is located. The rain came down rapidly and they just succeeded in fording the Jolmny Run before it became impassable. They reached a deserted cabin near their place that night, though they were obliged to travel much of the way in water from a few inches to two feet deep. Here the team was blockaded, and was forced to wait three weeks before it could return. This sort of an introduction to the new country brought on the usual attack of the fever and ague, and for nine months Mr. Huston was not able to do anything toward putting up a house of his own. In the meantime he located his soldier's warrant, which he had purchased at a cost of $165, and began to invest the balance of his money in getting him a house. After getting a team he made trips to Chicago, teaming for others and bringing a load of lumber back for his house which he erected on the prairie. This was perhaps the first frame building in the towur ship. Other early families were those of B. A. Crisler and H. Cassingham, who settled on the western side of the Mazon.

The larger ]iart of this township was originally prairie land, and enough of it still remains in its natural condition to give one a fair idea of what the whole country once was. The wild gi-ass of these lands made excellent pasture and liav. With the range the early settlers had, their cattle would put on more flesh and in less time than on any other pasture. The sedge which grew along the sloughs was the first to start in -the spi-ing, and furnished the earliest pasture. The bent or blue-joint, which was principally found along the sides of the sloughs, or, in the vernacular of the pioneer, " between the dry and wet land," was preferred by stock to all other varieties, especially when mixed with the wild pea vine. This made the best hay, and as its yield was very large, was generallj' selected for this purpose. But tlie combined ravages of stock and scythe rapidly exterminated it, so that in many cases the gronnd where it grew became almost bare of vegetation. The stock and the farmer then i-esorted to the upland grasses, but before the settlers multiplied so as to limit the range of the stock, the older and more experienced of the herd would go long distances to find their favorite pasture, necessitating on the part of the pioueer a hunt of several da\'s to recover them.

diseases so lonc^ as they could find plenty of wild hay or grass to feed upon. Horses raised upon tiie prairie were said never to be afflicted with the heaves, while horses brought here, suffering with this malady, -were speedily cured by simply feeding on the native grasses. This advantage, however, was somewhat offeet by the colic which this rank feeding frequently produced in horses with fatal effect. The introduction of tame grasses has largely* remedied this evil, and most fanners are now able to supply their stock with a mixture of the two kinds. But the wild grass of the present is not found in all its virgin purity. The pea vine is almost if not entirely' extinct, while the grass itself is very inuch modified, and is not valued in the markets equal to good timothy.

found here. Braceville village was laid out in 1861 by N. Cotton, who did the work liimself, using a sixteen foot pole. It may be imagined that as the village grew it was sometimes rather difficult to adjust conflicting claims with the claims of the plat, but that lias been regulated, and a village of 1,800 inhabitants is now found here. The recent increased activity among the mines in this vicinity has added a considerable number to tiie population in the past year. But the large number of cheap, poorly constructed dwellings does not betoken solid prosperity, especially when this is taken in connection with the large number of vacant stores, and lack of public improvement. The Diamond, in the extreme northeast corner, and Coal City, located a little south and west of Diamond, are similar towns but of smaller size.