Jefferson County, Illinois - Chapter 15, 1883

FOR some years after the trappers, fishers and pioneers began to skirt with sparse cabins the Ohio River, Fort Massac was the only point within reach where these people could resort for the little trading iu those essential supplies of ammunition, etc., that they were compelled to have. For a long time, too, this place was a landing point for all those pioneers from the Southern States that came down or crossed the Ohio River on their way to the Illinois settlements. At first this was a route for nearly all the immigration into Southern Illinois, much of which came down the Ohio River on batteaus, pirogues, canoes and skiffs, while some crossed the river at Shawneetown, but the larger number (in the earlier years of immigration) at Fort Massac. But by the time settlements had begun in Jefferson County and the country immediately coutig uous thereto, Shawneetown was the gateway into the territory. Nearly seventy years have passed since the first settlement by white people in what is now Jeflferson County. There is a tradition, however, not well authenticated, that several years prior to this a man had settled in Moore's Prairie, the facts of which have been given in preceding chapters of this work.

Few people of Southern Illinois know the history of its possession by their own race. In the early part of the eighteenth century there were white men passing up and down the Ohio River, and the governments that at different times had possessions, had erected Forts Massac, Wilkinson and Jefferson, and at these forts were stationed soldiers. These, however, were merely guard-posts of armed men for the purpose of keeping the possession and retaining the ownership of the country. Often the Indians would gather in great force and besiege the place, and bloody battles would ensue, and then for years the place would be untenanted. The tenure of these places was frail and uncertain, as they were often the j^rizes of unprincipled white men as well as of the native savages. But much of this preliminary history is given iu other chapters of this work. In this chapter our attention and that of the reader is directed to a single division of the county.

Grand Prairie Township is situated in the extreme northwest corner of Jefferson County. It has Washington County on the west, Marion County on the north, Rome Township on the east, Casner Township on the south and in the Government survey it is known as Township 1 soutli, and Range 1 east of the Third Principal Meridian. Perhaps as much of this township is prairie as any one township in the county. It fakes its name from the preponderance of prairie land in it. The surface is generally level or slightly rolling and undulating, and drains well without artificial means. The timber is the same as in other portions of the county. The principal streams are a branch of the Big Muddy and Rayse Creek, with a few smaller brooks and branches, which drain the land well and aiford an abundance of stock water. Grand Prairie is a fine farming and stock-raising region, and can boast of some of the best farms and some of the most prosperous farmers in the county.

Among the early settlers of what is now Grand Prairie Township were Abtam Casey, James Ray, the Baldridges, William Fulton, the Breezes, Stephen Cameron, James French, John Roberts, J. A. Taylor, Green Depriest, Peter Bingaman, Alfred Woods, Isaac Reilley, John C. Boston, Clark Casey and others. Abram Casey is considered the lirst white settler in this township, which, however, was not settled up as early as some other portions of the county. Casey settled, previous to coming here, near ]N[ount Vernon. He was a brother of Gov. Casey, and moved about a great deal, finally moving to Missouri, where he died in 1841-42. James Ray bought him out in the township. On Christmas mornmg, 1828, Mr. Ray accidental Uy shot and killed his uncle, Elijah Joliflf, near Mount Vernon. The circumstance is related in another chapter of this work, and need not bo repeated here. The Baldridges were from North Carolina and came previous to 1827. Daniel and William came with their families and still have descendants living here. Fulton came from the East somewhere about 1826, and settled in the north part of the township. The Breezes came from Orange County, Ind., l)ut the family was originally from Pennsylvania. Robert Breeze used to boat down the river. He once went down the Lower Mississippi with a boat, and when he sold out he came back to St. Louis and walked from Kaskaskia across the State to Vincennes, where there was not a house on the trail lying between the two places. He and John Breeze came here about 1826 or 1827, and their descendants are still numerous in the county. Cameron was also from Orange County, Ind., and has descendants still living. French and Roberts came from the same neighborhood. Roberts was French's son-in-law, and they both had large families when they came to the country. Taylor settled in the southeast portion of the township.

Green Depriest, who settled originally in the vicinity of Mount Vernon, came here about 1832. He finally went to Missouri. In 1828, Peter Bingaman settled where Richard Breeze now lives. Alfred Woods settled here in 1829 on Section 22. He engaged in making sugar, and also devoted much time to hunting bee trees. He once cut down a bee tree, and in its fall a limb struck him, killing him instantly. Isaac Reilly settled afterward on the place occupied by Woods. Boston came about 1831. and had an early mill. Clark Casey also settled in the township about 1830, on Section 28. The people were now coming in rapidly, and the fine country of Grand Prai - rie was soon all occupied.

The pole cabins, the homely fare of wild game and hominy and ash cake of grated or pounded meal, the old wooden mold board plows, and other rude pioneer tools, implements and hardships were common here, as in other newly settled portions of the State. The people lived hard; their comforts were few and their luxuries fewer still. They had to struggle hard to keep the wolf from the door, both figuratively and litei-ally. The wolves were plenty in the forests and prai- ries, and the wolf hunger, often stalked abroad by day as well as by night. But we are told that " time, patience and perseverance will accomplish all things;" so they did in this, and with the passing years came peace and plenty.

The mortar and pestle as a means of procuring meal finally gave way to an os ti'eadmill, put up by D. Baldridge, on the place now owned by his son, James Baldridge. Joseph Baldridge afterward bought it and moved it to another locality, but continued the OS ^tread-wheel power as the means of running it. John C. Poston put up a horse mill soon after he came in 1S31, near where Richard Breeze lives. Jacob and Owen Breeze operated a circular saw mill near Big Muddy, which was run by horse-power, but it proved a poor investment, and they retired from the business some time before the war.

The first road that ever passed through Grand Prairie Township was the old Vincennes and Kaskaskia trace, which touched the north part of the township. It was improved, as the country settled up, and made a road. In 1827, this was the only road except the Mount Vernon road. The township has as good roads now and as many of them as any portion of the county. The fii-st death which occurred in this section, or the first one recalled, was Joseph Baldridge, Sr., but the date is not now remembered. One of the first marriages was Clark Casey to Polly Bingaman, and the ceremony was performed by Gov. Casey. The first birth is lost among the multitude of events that have transpired.

For the fii-st few years after settlements were made here, the people voted in Mount Vernon, but afterward a precinct was formed including Grand Prairie, and the voting place was at Poston' s mill. Since

Town Clerks. - Samuel Copple, 1872; Samuel Copple, 1873; J. M. Grasamore, 1874; A. J. Hartly, 1875; W. A. Hartly, who took a mortgage on the place, and has held fast to it from 1876 to the present (1883) wi'iting.

Grand Prairie Township, as we have said, is a fine section of country, and has many fine farms. In addition to raising large quantities of corn, wheat, oats, grass, etc., etc., much attention is paid to stock-raising. Here we may see in all their glory and beauty some of the finest specimens of the Norman horse. Jacob Breeze and Eli (Jopple imported three of these animals, the first ever brought to this township. Atuch attention is now given to the breeding of these magnificent draft horses. Considerable fruit is also raised in the township. In the north part, Mr. Galbraith and Ira G. Carpenter make a specialty of strawberries, and raise and ship large quantities aunually. Richard and Jacob Breeze have a very fine sugar camp, which is worked every year. There are several other " camps" in the township, and hence a good deal of maple sugar and molasses are made; sugar cane is also raised to some extent, This diversity of crops and farming is seen in the thrift and prosperity of the farmers over those in sections wherean entire neighborhood is devoted to a single crop, as wheat, for instance, which every year is becoming more and more uncertain in this latitiide.

The following incident was related to us, which we give as we heard it, and without any comment. Somewhere about 1840, one John Switzer came here and settled the farm now owned by R. Breeze, Here he lived until some time during the war, perhaps about 1863. One night three masked men came to his house and claimed, to be looking for refugees. There was a man named Timmons at his house who was'a deserter, or supposed to be, from the Confederate army. This man the maskers took away with them, but soon two of them came back and robbed Switzer of all the money he had about the house or all that the rogues could find. So far as we could learn, no clew to the perpetrators was ever unearthed. Switzer soon after sold out and left the neighborhood.

The first school, or one of the first, was taught by a man owning the uncoumion name of Smith. He boarded with B. Breeze, but ran away before his school was finished without even remunerating Mr. Breeze for his board. The first schoolhouse built was on the Boston farm, and was a log cabin sixteen feet square, with slab seats, a puncheon floor and stick chimney. The township now has six good, comfortable schoolhouses, located in Sections 2,7, 9, 13, 26 and 29, in which first-class schools ai'e taught each year.

The first religious meetings were held at the people's houses, and were attended by everybody in reach. The organization of the first church society was at the Widow Gaston's. Rev. Samuel Walker, a pioneer Methodist minister, was the organizer of it, and among the first members were the Gaston family, Clark Casey and family, and others of the early settlers of the neighborhood. The first church was built as a schoolhouse on the farm now owned by Mr. Hails, and was a log cabin. It was used both for school and church jiurposes. Mrs. Gaston's house was finally burned, and as the church had been organized at her house, this old church and schoolhouse was now given her as a residence. The first building put up for a church exclusively was a Methodist Church called Pisgah. It was a frame edifice, and was built about 1852. It is still standing, but has been purchased by the township and converted into a schoolhouse.

Gilead Methodist Episcopal Church on Section 5, in the north part of the township, is the only church building, but several of the Bchoolhoiises are used more or less as places of worship. A good Sunday school is kept up in the township, at the voting place near the center, under the superintendence of Mr. E. S. Noloman.

^however, do not need towns, as they have a number in close proximity on the Illinois Central Railroad, which passes near them. Eichview and Ii'viugton are near by, and even Centralia is but a few miles distant, and thus they have town facilities without the exjiense of them in their own midst. At these neighboring towns they do their trading, shipping, and even get their mail at them, as there is not even a post olfice within the limits of the township.