Johnson County, Illinois - The whole text, 1925 (part 2 of 12)

The county was well supplied with roads which had been laid out in a comparatively short time. The lack of good roads has long been a menace to our county as well as to the rest of the state. Our citizens began to take an interest in the hard road question only a few years ago. Our commissioners began putting in permanent bridges and culverts about 1900. An enthusiastic meeting was held in Vienna in the fall of 1913, especially planned in the interest of the "Logan and Lee" highway. A number from adjoining counties and Kentucky attended and it looked like, the road was almost here. The result of this convention remains in the red, white and blue stripes on the telephone poles through the county, marking the proposed great highway. This, of course, is something but not what was expected. This remaining sign and the successful meeting was due mostly to the efforts of Noel Whitehead, who was at that time mayor of Vienna. The state road which is being built from the $60,000,000 bond issue was surveyed in 1921. It enters the county from the northeast, just south of Stone Fort, passes through Burnside Township to the southwest, passes through Tunnel Hill Township, a little east of the railroad and directly through Guy Beauman's farm and Bloomfield in the same general direction. It crosses the Big Four railroad above the little village of Bloomfield, cutting directly through the farm of T. J. Clayton and entering the limits of Vienna on the northeast corner thence through the eastern section of the town. It crosses the Big Four rail road two miles directly south of Vienna. This road is a part of route one and connects Chicago and Metropolis. It is called the "Wonder Land Route." In 1918, 1730 votes were cast in this county for the $60-000,000 bond issue to build state roads and only 260 against. The public roads of the county are much better than ten years ago and, no doubt will improve continuously. Fourteen miles of the above road is now open to traffic, 1924.

One would think ferries a rather queer subject for the history of a county so far inland as Johnson County is at present, but it must not be forgotten that in our former greatness as a territorial county, we bordered on two rivers.

All families coming here from the south had to cross the river to reach the desired haven which necessitated a ferry, and many coming from the east floated down the Ohio on rafts. They might be taken into the farther side by the current and needed a ferry to land them on the right side. Perhaps it would be interesting to know how many of our later settlers reached this section by way of the rivers. They built rafts which were logs pinned together, put the lumber they wanted to use in building their houses on them, and shoved them into the river; loaded the family, the stock, and all their belongings onto them and floated away. There was usually a small inclosure in the center to shelter the family. The cow was staked out to one side, the chickens, pigs and other domestic animals were coralled in an inclosure; they cooked, ate, milked and churned, fed the stock and lived at home on this mininature farm without soil until they reached their destination. The father guided this frail bark into Hull's or Mile's Landing, Fort Massac or Mound City.

Many people emigrating to Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and other parts of the state further north and west came to the Kentucky shore and crossed at Lusks Ferry. Fort Massac was a favorite landing place for emigrants since the first one came. And the Mississippi River must have been almost lined with ferries judging from the number given in our first courts as applying for permission to establish them.

At the second term of Johnson County court, held in 1813, "on motion of Henry Earthman to have his ferry on the Mississippi, formerly known by the name of Waller's Ferry established." It was so ordered by the court. This is the first mention of a ferry on our records and the following rates were established for the government of this ferry, to-wit: for crossing a wagon and team, $3.00; a carriage of pleasure with four wheels, $4.00; two wheels of the same description, $2.00; a cart $1.00; a man and horse 62V2C, pack horse 62%, single man or horse 25c, neat cattle 20c, sheep, hogs or goats 10c, for all kinds of pack mules, oxen and horses, the same rate as a horse.

At the September court, 1814, William Simpson and John Robinson were given leave to establish a ferry on the Mississippi below the mouth of Apple Creek. Later, in 1815 Charles Bradley entered a ferry on the Mississippi opposite Cape Girardeau and the same rates were to govern as had been allowed for the others. In 1816 Smiley had a warehouse and ferry on the Mississippi. Green operated a ferry on the same river in 1814. In 1815 John Earthman had leave to operate the ferry established by Simpson and Robinson the year before in the name of John Hay, John and Henry Earthman and William Garner. The ferries on the Mississippi in 1816 were Tweesday's, William Smith's, Thomas Green's, Samuel Penrod's Charles Bradley's, Reuben Glover's, Lewis Crane's, Power's and Smiley's. Obidiah Russell had a ferry on Cache. All these ferries paid taxes into the Johnson County treasury for 1816.

Furguson's ferry was on the Ohio opposite the mouth of the Cumberland River. Mile's Trace began at Elizabethtown, and Mile's ferry must have been located there. Reynold's says it was a few miles above Hull's landing. Lusk's ferry was on the Ohio, opposite the present site of Golconda. Established 1799. Hull's landing was a few miles above Golconda 1780.

In 1821 Issac D. Wilcox was given leave to establish a ferry on his land on the Ohio River at his warehouse now being erected in section 7, township 15, range 3 east of the third principal meridan. The following rates were charged, being much less than those established in 1813 ; wagon arid team of four horses, $1.50; a carriage, two wheels and team, 75c; a single man and horse 37% ; at high water for horned cattle 12 V2 ; for low water 18% ; at high water hogs, sheep or goats 6c each ; at low water 8c each. He was also licensed to keep tavern at this place. This ferry was later operated by James Copeland, and was called Copeland's landing, His widow married Captain Williamson. It was then known as Wiliamson's landing, and later as Sharp's landing. It lies between the old John Copeland place, now owned by Mrs. Riley, and the old Sharp farm, and not far from the present Massac and Pulaski line.

Samuel Copeland owned a ferry where Joppa is now located, after the civil war, which was operated by his sons, Perry, Richard, James and Clinton.

In March 1824, James H. G. Wilcox, having made application to establish a ferry on his land about one mile below Massac, section 11, township 16, range 4 east; the court ordered his petition granted and the same rates were allowed that had been established for lssac D. Wilcox' ferry in 1821. This was in the present limits of the city of Metropolis which was laid laid out about eighteen or twenty years later, and the ferry was located about where the present Metropolis ferry now operates.

In 1816 the Territorial Legislature passed a law granting free ferriage to ministers of the gospel but repealed it in December 1817. Imagine, if you can, the number of preacher crossing the river while this law was in force.

The taxes on these ferries were $8 and $3. The capacity of the craft had, no doubt, something to do with the difference in the rate of tax. When the counties bordering on the rivers were organized, our control of and the revenue from these ferries ceased.

The first mills of this county were doubtless hollowed out stones or stumps with pestles for the grinding and muscle for the power. Wheat was not produced to a very great extent in the very first years of the county's history.

The first mill we have any knowledge of in this county was owned by John Whiteker and located somewhere between Elvira and the Mississippi river. This is not very definite, but we know that he paid taxes on this mill in the year 1816.

Brazel had a mill somewhere west of Vienna sometime in the 20's. Price had one on McCorcle Creek in 1823. Huse operated a mill on Cache on the new road from Vienna to Jonesboro in 1828. William Lawrence had a mill on Cache in 1816 and was taxed 60 cents on it that year.

Samuel J. Chapman had a mill on Cache near the James Arnett farm, now owned by Marvin Smith, in 1845. Laughlin, father of R. W., worked a mill on Big Bay in 1839, which was first run by water power. This mill was sold to Whiteside, and later to Adair who added an engine. Many people from Vienna went to this mill for their bread stuff. Major A. J. Kuykendall, future congressman from this district, was often seen there as a patron when a small boy. A mill begun by William Price about where the Golconda road crosses the McCorcle Creek, was finished by Walter Scott in 1857. This was among the first steam mills of the county.

These are some of the primitive mills of the county, the larger mills will be listed among the assests of the town in which they are located. Boggs says, "Minute regulations were established by the territorial laws for mills as well as ferries. Mills were required to use a prescribed measure and to grind for prescribed toll. The toll for a horse mill being higher than a water mill, unless the owner of the grain furnished the horse." An act of 1799 made the toll for grinding and bolting wheat and rye into flour one eighth of the quantity, if only ground, one tenth. Penalties were imposed for excessive tolls and millers were made accountable for all grain received. It required two hours to grind one bushel of corn on a horse mill. The early settlers had to go miles to mill and sometimes wait all day for their grinding, as the rule of "first come first served" prevailed. "In the southern settlements the people procured their grinding at New Design, Leven's or Kaskaskia." (Reynolds)

Early Mails

The first post office established in the county was at Fort Massac, 1803. It was given as 870 miles from Washington. Fort Massac has not belonged to this county since 1843, but no doubt, many who lived in our present limits have gone there to hear from their old Virginia, N. Carolina or Tennessee relatives and friends. Johnson Court House was the post office at Elvira established in 1817 with James Finny as postmaster. It was the first one established in our present boundaries and is given as 888 miles from Washington. There was a post office at Big Bay established

1815 and kept by James Whiteside which became a part of Pope County when it was organized. Bloomfield post office is given on the Postmaster General's report in 1819 with S. J. Chapman as Postmaster. There is a tradition that Samuel J. Chapman tried to make Bloomfield the county seat instead of Vienna when the county capitol was moved from Elvira. The fact that he was postmaster there at the above date would make the story very plausible. Cache Clap Post Office was kept by J. B. Murry, 1819 to 1821. The exact location is not known. Many people do not know what a country post office was like. The mail was carried on horse back from the river towns or landings across the country to the post office which was kept in a private house or a country store. The mail was delivered once a week, sometimes twice, and when the people wanted their mail they were obliged to go to the office for it. The old mail route leading from Vienna to Shawneetown passed through what is now New Burnside, Reynoldsburg and by William Mounce's and the Dr. LaRue farm. When the mail carrier arrived in hearing distance of the house where he was to have his noon meal he blew a horn so that dinner might be on the table and the horses fed and ready to travel in order that no time would be lost. This was the fast mail of that day and time.

The first mail route in Johnson County was from Kaskaskia to Johnson Court House at Elvira in 1817. Levi Hughes carried the mail twice a month from Cape Girardeau to Elvira later routes as advertised. "The mail from Vienna to Golconda via Wool, leaves Monday and Wednesday, arrives Tuesdays and Thursdays. Vienna to Golconda via Rock, leaves Friday arrives Saturday/' Another of the early routes was from Golconda to Vienna then on to Dongola. Samuel Copeland had the contract for this route in the 50's. Samuel Jackson, Sr., was one of the early mail riders, as they were called, and Fred Burnett was another. S. D. Poor rode the mail from Vienna to Caledonia for $6 a month. The man taking the contract usually employed boys to ride the mail. Milton Ladd is given as the postmaster at Vienna in 1821, and S. J. Chapman in 1825. Rey- noldsburg Post Office, Johnson County was established July 6, 1860. Wesley Reynolds was the first postmaster. Cedar Bluff was established April 25, 1856, David H. Mead was the first postmaster. Gray's Mill was established January 6, 1857, Nathan 0. Gray was the postmaster. Cedar Bluff was a country post office near Goreville. Gray's Mill was situated between Cypress and Belknap.

When the population would justify the mail routes were shortened and the mail was delivered oftener. When the roads would permit the mail was carried by stage, which also carried passengers. This was a great convenience before the days of railroads. These routes have been shortened till they only include the county and lengthened till they reach every citizen's door. Rural delivery was established in this county in 1904 and every farmer of the county has his mail put in his special box once each day. We are not only able to have the morning paper delivered at our door but we may call up by telephone any one in the county any day and as many times a day as we like, if the line is not busy, and talk about the current events of the neighborhood and family affairs to the delight of all the other people on the toll line. A business man can sit in his office and transact business in Chicago, St. Louis or New York. It is a stride from the country post office to the daily mail, the telegraph, telephone and radio.

The first telephone in our county was a private one installed by P. T. Chapman, in 1890. It extended from his office in the First National Bank to the Big Four Railroad station and later to the Blomfield stock farm. J. B. Kuykendall had the second line extending from his mill to his residence. In 1898 Robert Thacker, Charles Gray, Ed Boyt, D. W. Whittenberg and L. 0. Whitnel as incorporators put in the county the Interior telephone system. It was patronized liberally and was a most decided convenience. Private phones were installed for the small sum of $1.00 per month. This system was extended into several adjoining counties. After the death of Mr. Thacker the stock changed hands at different times and the system was finally sold in 1915 to the Murphysboro Telephone System for $50,000.00 which exemplifies its necessity. A Mutual Telephone System was established in the county in 1909, A. J. Kuykendall and William George being the promoters. This system was also sold to the Murphysboro Corporation in 1920 and they now control all the lines in the county except the Terry lines of Goreville Township which are owned and operated by W. A. Terry and the Simpson System which is owned by J. W. Reynolds.

The Cairo and Viencennes Railroad Company, whose president was General Burnside of Civil War fame, began the plans to construct a road through our county in 1867. The county realizing the great need of this facility was ready to assist in getting this enterprise started as heretofore we had no means of transportation other than coach, wagon, or horseback. The people readily agreed to take $100,000.00 worth of stock in this company to help finance the construction and equip the road. The company sold this stock to the county for $95,000.00 in bonds. The bonds were issued in 1872 and were due in 1892, drawing 8 per cent interest. For some reason the county undertook to fight the payment of these bonds and failed to pay the interest on them for several years. By 1885, $40,000 interest had accured and the county was threatened with a suit for this amount. The county commissioners employed Judge Duff, of Carbondale, 111., to look into the case and paid him $1,000.00 for his opinion, which was that the bonds were legal. In order to be more certain the county then employed Judge Duff, A. G. Damron, and P. T. Chapman to bring a test case, which they did for a fee of $500.00. The court also decided the bonds were legal and that the county would have to pay them, with the accrued interest. After being sued for the interest and incurring the above extra expense, the commissioners finally levied a tax to meet the interest and a part of the bonds each year. P. T. Chapman was made financial agent and bought up the bonds as fast as the money accrued. The last of these bonds was paid about 1906.

This railroad enters the county in the northeast corner and runs almost diagonally across the county to the southwest. The construction was begun in 1871 and finished in 1872. The following is a part of a letter published in the Vienna Artery, August 2, 1871. "Harrisburg, Illinois, July 31, 1871. Mr. N. Pearce, Vienna, 111., Dear Sir: While I was in New York on Thursday last, Gen. Burnside directed Dodge, Lord & Co., to commerce work on the Cario and Vincennes Railroad, in the counties of White and Saline, which they did last week. It is the expectation to commence work in the other counties without unnecessary delay." The remainder of the letter is in regard to procuring the right of way by gift, if possible- and signed by Green B. Raum.

Green R. Casey says the first railroad iron that was laid in the county was hauled to Tunnel Hill in a wagon, twelve in number, February 14, 1872, and late in the fall of this same year the first freight was hauled into the county over the Big Four, consisting of bailed hay. It was unloaded one mile north of Tunnel Hill and hauled on wagons to that place to feed the teams of William Douglas, a railroad contractor.

While this road has given us poor shipping facilities and the shabbiest rolling stock possible, yet we were compelled to be loyal to it for it was all we had for several years. It was later merged into the Big Four system and is known by that name, which is a part of the New York Central lines.

The St. Louis, Alton and Terre Haute was chartered in 1887 and built through our county in 1888 and 1889. George W. Parker was president of the company. Its beginning is St. Louis and it runs across the eastern part of the county from north to south, bearing slightly to the east crossing the Big Four at Parker and running into Metropolis, Massac County, and then on to Paduch. The nearest station on this road to Vienna is Grantsburg, about eight miles away. This road was later extended from Reeveville, this county to Golconda, Pope County. It was some years afterwards acquired by the Illinois Central System, and they extended the line into Hardin County as far as Rosa Clare.

This still left one section of the county without a railroad till 1899, when the route of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois was surveyed on the western side running from north to south almost parallel with the western county line. Work on this division was begun in April 1900, and was pushed through to completion extending the road from Marion, Williamson County, to Thebes in Alexander County and giving the western portion of our county a direct

The Burlington, which uses the Chicago and Eastern Illinois lines, through the county to West Vienna and leaves them just below the station, crosses the county a short distance in an easterly direction. It also crosses the Big Four railroad at Foreman and leaves the county just beyond this crossing. The Burlington was begun in 1907 and the first train was sent over it in 1910. This makes four railroads in the county.

Public Buildings

The first court for Johnson County was held in the dwelling house of John Bradshaw at or near Elvira, it having been appointed by the Governor. The next knowledge of a court house is that James P^inny is ordered to procure the following repairs to be made on the house now used as a court house. This order was made in ^September 1813. They evidently had used some other building than Bradshaw's dwelling during the summer, but now that winter was coming on they must repair it as follows towit: "A floor laid in the same with puncheons, a chimney of wood, a common door of boards and the house to be chincked and daubed (puncheons were logs split and hewed off as smoothly as possible, a chimney of wood was built up something like a pen with small sticks and lined with clay, boards were riven from length of logs three and four feet long ; chincked and daubed meant that small sticks were placed in the cracks between the logs in the wall of the house and mud made from clay and water, was filled in over these sticks and when it dried it made a pretty solid wall) seats for the jurors, a small half cabin to be built adjoining the same to be chincked and daubed, with a partition of logs for the purpose of a jury room; provided the repair must not exceed $18.00." Januray 1814, the court proceeded to let the contract for the building of a court house to the lowest bidder. The sheriff reported that William Simpson was the lowest bidder and had bid it off at $260. To be paid in three installments. The first on the 15th day of November, 1814 and yearly afterwards. "The court house is to be built agreeably to a plan now on exhibit and will be more fully set forth in the bond to be given." To complete this contract William Simpson gave a bond of $525.00 with

Daniel and Lewis Simpson as bondsmen. After the completion of the Court House its acceptance was left to the following committe: Hezekiah West, Andrew Cochran and George Evans. William Simpson received only $175.75 for the building. It was a large hewed log house, thirty or forty feet long, with a fire place in each end. It stood one quarter of a mile from the present road, north of the home of Charles Robertson. The exact location is on a little rise and can be determined by the foundation of rocks of the chimneys which are now slightly covered as the field has been cultivated for years. The old road bed that ran by the court house can be plainly seen and the spring under the hill is still in use. One of these old stone chimneys is partially standing in another place on the farm where it later served another building. Daniel Chapman, Chapter D. A. R. has the plans complete to mark the site of our first court house. (1924)

The following is not a story of a building but of a proposed seat of justice which would have contained our second court house had it ever materialized. The territorial law called for the court house to be located in the center of the county. It is probable that Elvira was not the exact geographical center but the nearest settlement to the center when designated as the county seat, so that on January 14, 1814, Owen Evans, James A. Whiteside, and Jonas Hibbs were ordered to fix a seat of justice and this is their report, "We the undersigned appointed by the general assembly of this territory for the purpose of fixing the seat of justice in the county of Johnson having met on Monday the 19th day of January, 1814, at the house of John Bradshaw, within the said county did then and there proceed to ascertain the center of said county agreeably to the several laws of the Territory, enacted by the General Assembly thereof for fixing the place of holding the court in the several counties and after mature deliberation have finally fixed and determined on the following place as the most proper, convenient and desirable for the same towit : at on near a certain spring on Lick Creek about a mile above the wagon ford, on said creek, where the road leading to Furguson's ferry crosses the said creek and which said spring is within fifth section of township 12, range 2 east of the meridian line and in the southwest corner of said section.,, Given under our hand and seal this 21st day of January, 1814. John B.

This report was not approved till December, 1816, the judges then agreed to meet in March, 1817, to lay off the town and the surveyor, John Hargrave was ordered to meet them at that time. At the October court, 1817, John Hargrave was allowed $79.25 for surveying and laying off the 50 acre donation for the use as a seat of justice to be known as Lanesville, there being 681 lots. At this same court there was an order as follows: "The court adjourn to meet at Lanesville, the seat of justice lately fixed upon for this county, that the clerk and sheriff do move their several offices to that place by then." This is the only record of Lanesville.

The commissioners met the fourth Monday in May, 1818, and one order of the court was to let the building of a court house at the new seat of justice (later known as Vienna) to the lowest bidder. "To be built of logs of good size to be hewn down outside and in, 24 feet in length and 18 inches in width, with two doors and three windows. The sheriff is further authorized to let the building of a log house 24 by 14 feet with a partition for the purpose of jury rooms both to be paid for by installments in whatever way may be agreed upon by the trustees for the sale of lots in said town. These buildings were to be paid for from this sale. At the July court, 1818, the sheriff reported that he had let the building of the court house and the one for the use of the jurors to the lowest bidder, George Brazel. The sale of lots was ordered advertised in the "Emigrant" which was published at Shawneetown. The sale to take place the third Monday in September, 1818. The sheriff was to offer for sale beginning with lot number 1 leaving out every other one except number 37, 38, 55 and 56.

The naming of the county seat is given under Vienna. At a special term of court, held August 15, 1818, with James Bain, Andrew Cochran, T. C. Patterson and John Copeland justices, the report was made that the court house and buildings for the use of the jurors were complete. They were received by the court, and the officers of the county were ordered to move their offices to the new buildings in the town of Vienna. From the best information that can be obtained these buildings stood in the northwest corner of the court square. At a court held June 1819, a payment was ordered to be made to George Brazel for the building of the court house and jury rooms. Irvin Morris as sheriff was ordered "to have some fit person to lay a floor with plank to be nailed or pinned down." Randolph Casey was allowed $18.00 for flooring the court house, 1819. Caleb Irwin repaired the court house in 1821 at a cost to the county of $48.70. An order was issued by the court, July, 1823 forbidding anyone to occupy the court house or any of the jury rooms as a dwelling, from that time they were to be kept by the sheriff as the law directs. In 1827, Samuel Copeland as sheriff was ordered to let the building of a court house. Possibly the courts had out grown the buildings since the circuit court had been ordered held in the house of Ivy Reynolds, formerly occupied by Joseph Mc- Corcle, September, 1827. This new court house might have been especially for the circuit court as Vienna was one of the three places for holding the district courts for this section of the state.

There are no other records regarding the building of a court house until 1839 when there was an order by the court similar to the one of 1827 but where, by whom or if built at all is not known. There was however a two story brick court house here in 1848. standing about where the present one stands. The offices were on the first floor with the court room above, just when it was built or its cost is not left on record. It was repaired in 1853 by Frank Hayward. Some of the bricks, after it was razed, were used in the construction of the Christian Church which stands on N. Sixth street in Vienna. The contract for building the present court house was let the 5th of August, 1868, between Joseph K. Frick, of Cairo, party of the first part, and Jason B. Smith, county judge of Johnson County with Mark Whiteaker associate justice, party of the second part. A. J. Henry of Vienna was superintendent of the work and the contract called for $38,000 to be paid for the building. The bonds drew 10 per cent interest. In September, 1869 Frick sold his contract to Charles J. Ham and Issac N. Pearce through A. J. Kuykendall, Frick's attorney. The contract was bought for one dollar paid to Frick, but the contract with the court remained the same. The final payments were made on this building in 1881, it costing, with interest over

$80,000.00. The officers of the county were assigned their respective offices in the building January 19, 1871. This is a brick building of a good style of architecture and porportion, well built and in the original plan the court room was one of the most attractive ones in any of the neighboring counties. It was well lighted and ventilated. A beautiful Walnut stairway that could not be replaced, at this time, except at an enormous cost led up to this room, a jury room was also on this second floor while the officers were all located on the first floor. In 1908 or about then the county commisioners rearranged the interior of the building built fire proof vaults a much needed improvement, put in a heating plant and added a local water supply system which improved the convenience of building, but destroyed the comfort and beauty of the court room.

A bronze tablet was replaced in the corridor of the court house by the county board, J. C. Carter, John L. Thornton and H. O. Cavitt in 1919 at an expense of $700.00 in honor of the World War soldiers of this county, which contains the names of every man who served from this county.

The court house grounds have been a menace to the public eye since they were first laid off as the building of a stray pound of heavy oak timber was one of the first ornaments located in it. It was originally full of gullies and for years had no shade or grass. Charles Burnett, father of Fred, did the first filling in this yard using his own teams, M. T. VanCleve did quite a bit more when he built the Central Hotel on the south side of the square. In October, 1916, the Daniel Chapman Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution set a day for work on the court house yard. They had previously solicited teams and the help of men and school boys to whom they furnished dinner. Their request was generously accedded to and quite a little more filling was done. Trees were set out a good many years ago, the first ones by John Harvick, a son of Mrs. James Harvick Slack, (better known as aunt Mary Slack) and a grandson of Jacob Harvick the pioneer. Bain & Jackson, Dr. G. W. Elkins, J. B. Kuykendall, Chapman & Wiley, C. B. Hester and others contributed to the setting out of more trees and the beautiful trees and pleasant shade that we now enjoy in our court square is the result of others' planting." During the year 1916 the Daniel Chapman Chapter

D. A. R. of Vienna tried to interest the schols of the county in building a wall or coping around the court square; several schools responded ana the name of the school together with the name of the teacher for that term can be found on the concrete wall. The prophecy has been made that if the history of these teachers was followed, they will be found among the progressive citizens of the community in which they live. B. F. McGee, a business man of New York City, who is a native of this county also contributed generously. With these amounts and the promise of the county board, which was composed at that time of J. C. Carter, John L. Thornton and H. 0. Cavit that they would meet the remaining cost for a wall on the east half of the yard,* the chapter made a contract and thought that the wall was to be built immediately but for some reason the contractor delayed from time to time until the World War came on; labor and material went skyward and the work was obliged to wait a season or two. Finally in 1918 this part of the wall was built and in 1920 the entire work of inclosing the court yard, was completed by the county commissioners, to the satisfaction of every progressive and loyal citizen of Johnson County. The fall of 1921. William Nobles, N. J. Mozley, J. W. Rushing as commissioners had the cement walks laid in the yard. With a little planting the court square will be a very atractive spot. The posts and chain around the court square had been a veritable annoyance for many years. The hitching of horses around the square was unsanitary, creating dirt and flies ; on a hot damp day the stench was almost unbearable, not to mention the health of the people that had to work near it every day. The excuse offered for not creating better conditions was always that the farmers had to have a hitching place which was most true and the business men of the town should have provided a suitable one long ago. The farmers did not want the people to put up with this condition all the time that they might have a hitching place a few hours at a time once or twice a week. Dave Whitnell as care taker of the court house and grounds did much toward making and keeping the court yard fit. Mr. Estes the present one is very efficient.

The cannon in the northwest corner of the court yard was one used during the Civil War and was secured from the government about 1906 by P. T. Chapman, during his term of office as Congressman from this district. The boulder and tablet in the northeast corner was placed by the Daniel Chapman Chapter D. A. R. of Vienna as their contribution to the Centennial celebration of the admission of Illinois as a state into the Union. It should have been erected in 1918, but on account of unavoidable delay it was not unveiled till July 4, 1919. Those raising the flag at this exercise were children, most of the sixth generation, who decended from the Revolutionary soldiers buried in this county and in whose honor this tablet was erected. They were Harrison M. Harvick, Evelyn and Gladys Beggs, Lois and Beatrice Veach, Pauline Duncan and Frances Pickens.

The contract for building the first jail was let some time in 1814 to Marvin Fuller; the jail to cost $500.00 and the bond fixed at $1,000.00 with Jacob Jones as security. At the December court, 16 lbs of iron and $5.00 were ordered delivered to Hezekiah West to have the jail repaired at Elvira. The sheriff was ordered to sell the old jail at Elvira, April, 1823. The sheriff was ordered to let the contract for building a jail at Vienna, September, 1819, also to ascertain the plans of the jails at Golconda, County Seat of Pope; Jonesboro, County Seat of Union and Brownsville, at that time County Seat of Jackson. The following order is found on the record, dated October 9, 1819: "Ordered that a stray pound be built on the public square, 32 feet square, of good oak timber." There must have been much need of these Estray pounds as there was another ordered built in 1827 at a cost of $11.00. This was more than a hundred years ago and we had not grown entirely away from the desecration of the public square in 1922, but there has been much improvement as above stated in the last two years. The contract for the building of a jail was let in 1819 to John S. Graves, with Irvin Morris, Milton Ladd, Alfred Bridges and James Crunk as bondsmen; the amount of the bond was $1,000.00. The jail was to be of logs, two stories, with an outside stairway and platform. For some reason the jail was not built until 1820, and Ivy Reynolds was the contractor with Irvin Morris, Milton Ladd Squire Choat and William Hendry as security at a cost to the county of $849.00. It can not be stated whether this is the same jail or not, but there was a log jail that stood in a low place, between where the library stands and the court house, in 1851. It was still standing some years later as .Mrs. Fanny Jackson as a little girl remembers a man by the name of Tice, who was a prisoner, setting it on fire. The jail that did duty for the county before the present one was built, stood near the corner of fourth and Locust streets .and not a great distance from the site of the present one. It was built of logs, had two stories and an outside stairway, similar, no doubt, to the first one. This county was without a jail for some time and prisoners were kept in adjoining county jails. The present brick jail was erected in 1887, at a cost of $5,000.00. There is also a dwelling adjoining it in which the jailor lives.

Part Iii

When civilized or semi-civilized man set foot in a new country, he brought with him ax, dog and gun. These weapons meant food, and safety. In the early day when one entered a home, somewhere he saw a gun rack, usually over the door, and there were just as many guns as male members of the family who were large enough to handle them. In those pioneer days hotels were few and far between, and many times the traveler was forced to take shelter in an isolated farmhouse. The story is told of a traveler stopping at a farm house for the night ; about dusk a stalwart young man came into the room and stacked his gun. Soon another and another came until there were five or six. The traveler was paralyzed with fright thinking he had fallen among a den of murders, but knew not how to escape. When bedtime came the father took up the Book read a chapter and all kneeled in prayer. The travelers fears vanished and he slept as peacefully as if in his mother's trundle bed. This incident may not have happened in Johnson County but it could have.

Just as the head of the house brought his tools of warfare to a new country the housewife brought hers. The spinning wheel, the cards, and loom. The looms were larger and more cumbersome than those now in use, but were very much on the same order. Home manufacture of cloths has long since been discarded, but coverlets of wool and rag rugs are still woven in the county. Everyone does not know the process of putting in cloth in a hand-loom but if they should be obliged to separate warp a thread at a time and hand it to someone on the other side of the gear of a loom, they would possibly appreciate more fully the debt we owe the pioneer. Please don't think that the cards the frontier mother brought, were the little pasteboards decorated with colored spots that are now so necesary to the overworked housewife to divert her mind from the cares of her large family. The cards the pioneer woman had were thin pieces of wood about six by twelve inches with small steel pins on one side and were used for carding wool and cotton. They had a flat handle about the middle of the card so that one could hold a card in each hand. The cotton or wool was put on these little sharp pins one held firmly while the other was rubbed across until the material was all smoothed out. Then it was gently folded together into a lovely soft roll. This was attached to the spindle of the spinning wheel and was pulled out into a thread with one hand while the other one buzzed the big wheel and twisted the thread. This process was continued and soon a large broach of fine or coarse thread for kniting or weaving was ready. The spinning wheel had a body, a large and small wheel, a head, a gear, and a spindle.

The body was raised on legs to a height convenient for one to walk on the floor since it required a great deal of walking turning the big wheel and pulling out the roll, all at the same time, and strict attention to your work, to make the thread the size one desired. There was no button to press or lever to raise to regulate the hand manufacture. The coloring and dyeing were also done at home and in some instances the indigo for coloring the blues was raised in the garden. Indigo blue, madder, cochineal red, and copperas were the principal colors. The following incident related by an elderly lady of the county will corroborate the statement about, at least one of the home dyes. She said she was married the summer of 1853 and moved into a new neighborhood. The following Sunday, she and her husband went to church. The services were held in a brush arbor, made by putting leafy branches of trees on a large frame of forked poles for supports, and straight poles laid across them. This shielded the people from the sun and used because there were no church houses. The minister this day wore trousers made from home woven cotton cloth, colored with copperas and was barefoot.

The thrifty housewife was not content to bring the mere necessities to the new country, but brought seed, both garden and flower, also scions of roses, fruits and herbs, which she divided with her neighbors. Instead of looking over the multitude of catalogues that flood the farm house in early spring and late winter at the present, the women folks visited each other and took home plants, seeds and shrubs for the early planting. Mrs. Harrell who came here with her family from Kentucky about 1820, was one of these pioneer mothers who brought supplies from her yard and garden of her native state. She was the mother of the late Mrs. Minnie Bain, long a resident of this county and she is the authority for this story of thrift. The old fashion garden and its walk through the middle with marigold, larkspur, flowering almond, and fortune grass, camomile, bachelor buttons, garden pinks and all the old fashion flowers on either side, and the long weedless rows of vegetables beyond the flowers was the pride of the home maker of that time, and no neighborly visit was complete during the growing season till one had been down the garden walk, admired the many varieties of kind and color, and carried away a huge bouquet.

While these pioneer mothers were adepts in the textile art, they not only made the cloth but designed and built their own gowns, tailored their husband's and sons' dress suits, and had ever at hand snowy linens for the tables and beds which were the fruits of their labor. Quilts, blankets, linens and feather beds for the daughter's wedding dower which was in lieu of the hope chest of the present. The following will ilustrate the resourcefulness of the pioneer women of this county. An early historian of this state says, "John Grammar was elected to the first Legislature of the Territory from Johnson County. It is said after his election he and family gathered a large quantity of hickory nuts, took them to the salt mines and traded them for blue strouding, like the Indians wore for breech cloths. The neighbor women gathered in to make up the cloth. It was discovered that he had not purchased quite enough cloth to make a full suit, and after measuring and counseling for a time, they decided to make a bob-tail coat and a long pair of leggings. Dressed in these he appeared at the seat of government, continuing to wear his primitive suit during the greater part of the session."

Other trades beside the manufacture of cloth were required of the pioneers. The first settler tanned the leather, made their own shoes, saddles, bridles and harness. Joseph McCorcle owned a tan yard on the east side of town in 1821. A description of an old road says that it was where the road crossed the street leading south from town. The remains of this old yard could be seen there as late as 1875. It was operated in later years by Duke Smith. G.

The law allowing imprisonment for debt was practically abolished in the United States by the beginning of the ninteenth century, but Johnson County kept up the practice much later. If one should visit Edinburg, Scotland, he would be shown the debtor's line, which Sir Walter Scott raced, many times, madly to cioss to escape the debtor's prison, while he was writing the Waverly Novels. Johnson County had no such line, but we find Peter Prow and Catherine Crice confined for debt as late as 1816. The following is a description of the plot of the prison grounds as they stood in old Elvira at that time, "Beginning at a large poplar in Judge Finney's lot, running north 46 degrees, east 20 poles, to a high black gum stump, in Issac Worley's lot, north 38 degrees, west 80 poles to a large sweet gum just below the spring, then south 50 degrees and west 22 poles to a large white oak, then 342 degrees east 81 poles to the beginning. Elvira, Johnson County. Illinois, 1816." Judging from papers served in the court proceedings, Prow was imprisoned at the suit of Weir and Campbell. Catherine Crice's suit was brought by parties from Kentucky.

This was not the only law enforced in this county for the benefit of the merchant. The estate of J. W. Gore paid two dollars interest on nine dollars and seventy cents to W. E. Morris for merchandise as late as 1853. There is no especial spite harbored against our ancestors that their mistakes should be arrayed in print, but one would scarcely think that they trafficked in human flesh. Such, however, is the case. We have only to turn to the records made in the courts to find our early residents bought and sold slaves up to 1814, although Congress in 1784 passed a law saying, "There shall be no more slavery nor involuntary servitude in any of the states made from the Northwest Territory."

As has been stated, this county, at its early settlement abounded in game and wild animals. In fact, all kinds of animals found in the Temperate Zone were here. The wolf was an enemy to the early settlers and a bounty for wolf scalps was paid by the county at the rate of fifty cents to two dollars. Since the gun was so necessary at that time, there must be amunition and powder must be made and one could not go out and buy shells ready to put in his gun.

Sometimes the ingredients for the powder was hard to get. Salt peter was necessary for the making of powder and great was the joy of the neighborhoods when a Mr. Mercer discovered salt peter in a cave in Cedar Bluff. This is the bluff where the Charles stone quarry is located. Salt peter was found in several other places in the county in small quantities. These first settlers manufactured their own bullets as well. Running bullets, as the process was called. Lead was melted and poured into molds made something like a nut cracker, that opened and shut on a hinge. The melted lead was let cool a minute- the molds were opened, the neck of the bullet cut off, and "there you are." Each one meant a vension steak, a baked turkey or some other delicious game for the coming meal.

The first merchants, possibly storekeepers would be a better name, as that was what they were called in those days, handled very little dry goods or shoes, as everyone made these things for themselves. Their stock consisted, principally of sugar, coffee, tea and liquor, some of the necessary articles not raised on the farm or manufactured in the home. One can scarcely realize how few things were necessities, when money was scarce and there were no markets for products. Real money wras not always at hand, in fact, salt, salt peter, cattle, hogs, furs, deer pelts, corn and other things of this kind were used in trade instead of money. In one instance, an early resident relates, he used pumpkins in trade with the Indians, getting two pounds of coffee for one Pumpkin, the coffee had been issued to the Indians by the government. Coon skins were also legal tender, for some time after our organization, as the following story will illustrate. The custom of selling whiskey, as has been mentioned, was engaged in by a great many of our citizens. One of our county officers had stocked up and was retailing at a quart for a coon skin. His store was the room in which he slept, and when he bought a skin, he threw it under the bed. There was a large crack between the logs of the outside wall and some practical joker brought in a coon skin and bought a quart of whiskey. Some one went outside, slipped the skin from under the bed and sold it to the officer again, not only once but a good many times during the day. He finally decided he had quite a number of skins and went to count them, much to his surprise there was only one skin.

The early stores were located at cross roads or some farmer would keep a stock of goods in a small house in the yard near his home, if the nearby settlers would justify. In time the peddler made his appearance. He would take his wares in a wagon or cart, travel through the country and exchange them for such things as the settlers had to trade and take the produce to some town or settlement on the river. The merchant with his pack on his back also invaded the country and tempted the house wife with his dress goods, laces and bright colored ribbons. Giles Stewart was the first person to take out retail license to vend mer chandise in this county in 1813, and Joshua Gross- the sec ond receiving his license in 1814.

This county was rather a long time in getting access to markets. Mrs. Mary E. Chapman who began housekeep ing in the early fifties, said she sold eggs at five cents per dozen and hens for two dollars per dozen regardless of weight. This was before railroads had reached us, but almost unbelievable, since the high prices which were paid for such things during the World War. Eggs sold for eighty-five cents per dozen and hens at thirty cents a pound in our home markets.

Tavern rates in 1828, which were regulated by law, were, meals twenty-five cents, lodging twelve and a half cents, half pint whiskey, six and a half cents, half pint brandy, twelve and a half cents, keeping a horse with feed, corn, hay or fodder, twenty-five cents, single feed for a horse, twelve and a half cents. These prices as against two and one half dollars for one half pint whiskey, from fifty to seventy-five cents per meal in the county, in 1924, show how prices have increased.

Much of our revenue was gained from the manufacture of liquor. All merchants and tavern keepers dealt in it, and home-brew was not unknown, as the court records will show. One William Conway is convicted of stealing two dollars worth of methiglon. This was an entirely new commodity and whether dry goods or groceries, was difficult to determine. Finally a person was found who explained that it was a beer made from persimmons. The name of the maker of the beer could not be deciphered. The penalty was to pay the owner four dollars and a four dollar fine to the court. From this it appears that the makers of hon e

A law of that time which is not now in force, and doubtless, made life hard for many orphans was the binding out of such children as had no parents, by the court. At a court held in September, 1816, Cyrus Butler, an orphan bcv about nine years old was bound to Thomas C. Paterson. lr» a court held the same year Cynthia Davis, a minor daughter of George Davis- deceased, was bound to Jacob Hunsaker Jr., until she arrives at the age of eighteen years, and the said Jacob gave bond and security in the sum of one hundred dollars. At the December session, the application of Mathew Sparks to have an orphan girl by the name of Nancy Collins bound to him, was granted, on condition that the said Sparks file a bond with security to be approved by the court, in the sum of one hundred dollars, to have the said Nancy, well and carefully treated, clothed and given one year's schooling. When she arrives at the age of eighteen years, to give her a bed worth thirty dollars, a good suit of clothes or a full dress fit to wear on Sunday or holidays, over and above her common wearing apparel. The said Nancy is supposed to be about eight years old. Another order is that Jeremiah Collins, an orphan boy of about 12 years old. be bound unto Giles Parmerly, until he arrives at the age of 21, and that the said Parmerly execute a bond of one hundred dollars for his well treating, clothing, and taking care of the said Jeremiah until he is of age, and that he will cause him within that time to be learned to read, write and cipher, as far as the rule of three. And when free that he will give him a good horse, saddle and bridle of a common good quality, which together with the horse shall be worth eighty dollars. The security for the performance of same to be approved by the court.

The first animal that was used to till the soil or save man from long tramps of distant journeys was the ox which served our pioneers in this as well as all other frontier countries. The wagons in which many of the first settlers came to this county were drawn by oxen. These wagons had long beds which scooped up at each end and were called schooners. They had long1 hoops fastened on the side board and extending over the top, which were covered with cloth. This protected the lamily and its possessions from the weather while traveling. Many immigrants to this new country did not even nave wagons but transpoited their housenold goods on their own oacks or that 01 a norse or cow or often in a two wheeled cart drawn by the family cow. Oxen were used to draw wagons, carts and plows but not often to lide. J. J. Simpson, a native of this county and nearing eighty-six yeais old tells the story of riding an ox. when a small boy irom his father's farm near Simpson to De Soto, Illinois, a aistance oi fifty miles. After the ox as a domestic animal, the horse came into use. He was more fleet of loot and lessened distances, when roads came into use the ox wagons and carts were succeeded by two horse wagons, hacks and buggies. Mr. George Elkins, born in this county in 1825, says he was twenty-one years old before he saw a wagon and team of horses. This team was owned by Stephen Hendricks, and the second one he remembeis was owned by Henry Mathis. Mathis hauled a load of shelled corn to Vienna for Mr. Elkins which he sold for ten cents per bushel.

One wonders in this time of rapid transit how people of that period made a journey of any length. The automobile enables one to go from place to piace in a few hours which formerly took a whole day or two. This machine has displaced most all other modes of local travel; also the horse for plowing and hauling to a great extent. One would scarcely think an ox would evolve into an automobile, but such appears to be the case. J. F. Farris, an implement dealer of Vienna owned the first automobile in the county, about 1907. It was an auto carriage and some what different from the models of 1924. The number of machines increased rapidly in the county till now, 1924, there are 666.

In this day of railroads, automobiles, and flying machines, one can scarcely realize the inconvenience and infrequency of travel to any distant point. Mrs. Fannie Jackson, daughter of John Bain, tells the story that on one occasion her father was going to Louisville* Kentucky, to buy goods and her mother was going along for the trip. All the neighbors came in to tell her good-bye, and the children from a nearby select school came. It was considered a wonderful journey at that time and many accidents might befall Mrs. Bain, while on the journey. Hence the solicitation of her friends. Another incident was related by an old citizen regarding one of our early merchants in connection with Louisville, which was, that this merchant went as usual to purchase his season's stock of goods. A salesman waiting on him asked him what per cent he calculated to make on his sales. He replied, he knew nothing about per cent but when he bought an article for one dollar, he sold it at home for two. Some of his decendants must have been doing business during the World War.

Farming in a primitive way, of course, was the occupation of the early settler. Corn was tne most generally grown grain in the beginning as it was cultivated with a hoe. The grains were dropped in hills or crosses made with a plow. The wheat was sown broadcast and cut with a sickle. One of the first wheat cradles used in this county was made by Ishmael Veach. He brought the scythe or cutting part from Kentusky and made the framework himself in 1825. This more easy method spread and continued to develop until the reaper was invented. Now the larmer hitches up his tractor to his wheat machine, drives around the field a few times and the thing is done. Originally the wheat was tramped or flailed out, but as population increased and markets became accessible the modern inventions were brought in. The Axley Brothers, Jack and Jim, as they were familiarly called, owned and operated one of the first threshing machines in the county, in the neighborhood of West Eden. These threshers were called ground hogs and the power was furnished by horses. The man who could "holler" the loudest was elected to drive, and one could tell where the thresher was located by the noise of the driver then, as you may now know by the whistle of the engine.

The raising of grain for his own use was all the early farmer undertook. There were no markets near and no transportation for any products. A few hogs and cattle, for home consumption, and to supply the local market, were all he needed, and the range was sufficient for the raising of these. The farmer fenced in his field then, to keep the stock out, and not his entire farm, as now, to keep the stock in, consequently not so much fencing was needed, which was fortunate as all fences were made of rails like Abraham Lincoln split and rail making was a very laborious job. The cattle and hogs ranged at will and had cuts on the ears, called marks. Each farmer had his own peculiar way of marking his stock. These were recorded in the County Clerk's office so as to make it easy to settle any dispute regarding ownership of live stock. The mark of S. J. Chapman recorded in 1820 was ''under half crop off of right ear and a slit in the left." In 1814, Benjamin Peters' mark, a half crop out of each ear and underneath a bit out of the corner of the right ear.

The making of sorghum for home use has been an industry of this county since long before the Civil War. To illustrate how customs and good things spread from community to community the story of the introduction of sorghum making in this county, will not, it is hoped, be amiss. Miss Mary Smith, a young lady of West Eden, made a visit to Judge Hugh McGee's in Pulaski County, from where she brought some stalks of sorghum cane, wnich she exhibited at a gathering in the neighborhood. Pleasant Axley of the same locality went over to the Judges the following spring, and secured some cane seed. That was before the halcyon days of government distribution of seed. That year he raised some cane but having no machinery, one of his neighbors, J. P. West, made a crusher to extract the juice from the cane and Uncle Pleas., as he was called by his neighbors* borrowed all the wash kettles in reach to boil it down. The molasses was not very satisfactory, being black from the iron kettles. He later procured the proper machinery and thus began the manufacture of the famous Johnson County sorghum.

Salt, although needed in small quantities, is a very necessary article in household economy. The salt mines at Equality was the nearest point where that article could be obtained by the residents of Southern Illinois. Since there was no other means of transportation, settlers had to go on horse back, in wagons or cart, and many times one person would bring enough for himself and other neighbors to last a year. Before wagons and wagon roads had come into use the salt was often carried in bags on horse back.

the day for fifty cents per day at the salt works, or at other times he would go to the river with other men and cut cord wood, which was used for fuel on boats at fifty cents a cord. They had to pay at that time, fifty cents per yard for calico and factory which is known now as domestic. He further says that when his father first settled here, they had to house their pigs, sheep and young calves to keep the wolves from killing them.

While the men were learning in the school of experience the women were not idle. Our first mothers manufactured their own light. The most primitive light was a lamp made by twisting soft cotton rags or thread into a wick, immersing it in a vessel filled with grease and leaving one end of this wick sticking up over the edge of the vessel, so that it would burn. Next the tallow candle was introduced as a much more convenient light. A candle mold was a part of the furnishings of every household. These molds were made of tin and large enough to hold six or a dozen candles. The wicks, like the grease lamps were of soft cotton, and were pulled through the molds and made tight at each end. Then, oh what a feat ! If mother would let you pour in the melted tallow, fill them full, let them stand till cool, clip the knots and out slips some firm, smooth candles, by which the family could read, sew or study. The candle was followed by the oil lamp, but now the Delco has out-classed them all, and with a little engine, hidden around somewhere and puffing a short time each day, the house, barn, and outhouses are made almost as light as day.

For many years all cooking was done by the open fire, often only one fireplace to a home, to heat the room and cook the meals. The families who could afford it had the cranes or pieces of iron, both long and short, with a hook on either end, one to hook over, the long iron rod, extending across the fireplace from jam to jam; the other to hang the pot or kettle on. The bread was cooked on a rock by the fire, in a skillet or oven, if these utensils could be had. The skillets and ovens were made of iron and had short legs, which raised them high enough to put hot coals under them. A heavy iron lid fitted over them which was also covered with hot coals. Sometimes the handy father would build a Dutch oven where bread and pastry were baked in large quantities. The cook stove finally made its appearance even in Johnson County, though not in its present form. In the first ones the back part was higher than the front and was called a step stove, others had the oven on the back part, with a door on one end and looked very much like an old fashioned wood heating stove set on the back of the cook stove. Owen Peterson, father-in-law of F. B. Thacker, living then in the southwest section of the county, owned, if not the first, at least one of the first cook stoves in the county. It was a great curosity and people came for miles to see it work.

Social

The most early social gatherings were doubtless, Muster days. An old lady born in North Carolina, 1809, and reared in Georgia has described these gatherings. She said Muster days were occasions of great gayety and good times, in the mother states. The people dressed in their best, turned out enmasse pleasure bent to the Militia drills. It was a holiday for the public almost as much as the "hangings" of that period. Instead of lemonade and peanut venders, ginger bread and cider were sold on the grounds. Since we had the Militia before we had county organization, this custom likely came with the settlers and they observed it in their usual manner. In 1827 the elections were ordered to be held, if no other place had been specified, at the places appointed for the Militia Musters. The first election held in the county was at the house of John Bradshaw in Elvira, October 8, 9 and 10, 1813, for the purpose of going into the second grade of territory. At a glance one would think three days was a long time to hold an election for so limited a population, but when one considers that the voters had to come from the Ohio River on the east, the Mississippi on the west, Cairo and Thebes on the south, the borders of Jackson, Williamson and Saline on the north, the time allotted was short enough. One would not consider ordinarily an election in the light of a social gathering, but imagine if you can. men meeting here perhaps for the first time, how eager they would be to gather all the news from each other's little sphere, as each settlement was almost a world within itself, with no roads, mails, railroads, newspapers, telegraph, or radio.

Public sales were also a common place for the scattered population to meet. Household utensils and farming implements were scarce in a new country and people came from far and near to buy anything that could be had of these conveniences. There was always plenty of free whisky furnished by the estate of the deceased, which may have had something to do with the number attending and the socialibility. Really it doesn't seem fair to make a man pay tor the treats after he is dead, however, we only have to look at the bills of the admmstrator to realize that such was the case in early times. The larger the sale, the more liquor furnished.

When the farms of the county were being cleared and the new comers were establishing their homes in the forests it called forth many gatherings. The neighbors not only lent their help in this warfare, but participated in the pleasures and pastimes of the period as well. A farmer would spend his time during the winter months cutting down trees, where he wanted." a .'field, making the smaller trees and large branches into firewood. - The boys of the family (and most of the people had boys in those days) would pile the small branches into heaps called brush piles to be burned. There would still be great giants .of the forest scattered thickly on the ground, which must be rolled into heaps, also to be burned. What a waste this seems to us at the present time, when the lack of timber is so keenly felt. The idea of conservation had not entered into the economic plan of the government at that time, not to mention those of the Johnson County farmer. The following is a part of an article copied from the Johnson County Journal of August 5, 1878: 'The writer came to this county in 1843. He says, "the first log rolling I ever had there were twenty or thirty hands, they came with out special invitation. From ten to fifteen acres was the average size of farms. The range, the dog and gun furnished the living. There were a few good farmers who had all necessities and some luxuries, but they were the exception and not the rule. Thirty-five years later the county is one continuous stretch of land under cultivation." He described a Sunday School Convention which he attended in earlier times, and estimated the crowd at two thousand. He also commented on the improvement in the conduct and morals of the citizens since those earlier times.

When planting time came near the neighbors all came in, the wives to help with the cooking and quilting, the men to roll the logs, and raise the new house or barn. Each man vied with the other to show his strength. It meant much in those days to be considered the strongest man of the neighborhood, as much so, as being on Walter Camp's All American football team does now. At meal time the table would groan with good things to eat, and after the work was done and the shades of evening began to gather, some one present, handy with the fiddle and the bow would 'tune up/ Turkey in the Straw, Arkansaw Traveler, or Money Musk would cause the feet to shuffle and partners for a quadrille would follow; circle all, grand trail back, everybody dance* right hand to partner, grand right and left. There was no bunny hug, Boston Dip, or shimmy; but clean wholesome dances marked that period.

Latter came the apple cuttings which was before the invention of the evaporator and apple peeler. The apples must be peeled, cut and dried by hand for market, and this must be done while the sun was hot, consequently all the young folks were asked in; the apples peeled and cut and the pies and cakes passed, then came the social hour, spent in playing snap, drop the handkerchief, blind mans buff, Rhoda Beck a Lina and other games. At present the apples are sold on the trees before they are well grown and we buy them back already dried.

In those olden days when a young man courted a girl he usually went horseback, when he took her to an apple cutting, quilting or to church she rode behind her suitor on his horse. Now a young man must have a Packard or a Rolls Royce, for the young ladies will not even deign to ride in a "tin Lizzie." The husking bee must not be forgotten, the main feature of which was, that each young man who found a red ear of corn was entitled to kiss the prettiest girl present and strange to say, the same girl did not receive all the kisses. In the social gatherings of the olden times the entertainment took the form of some favor or help to the hostess. The young man took his girl behind him on his prancing steed and galloped away to the neighbors where all the belles and beaus were gathered, not just "our crowd" but all the respectable, rich and poor of the community. Some other games beside those mentioned, were thimble, stagecoach, going to Jerusalem, and selling the forfeits, sometimes cider and gingerbread were served instead of the pie and cake, but the young people dispersed not knowing they had not had a perfectly splendid time. Now the hostess must furnish some form of entertainment, such as bridge, rook, rummy or Mah Jong, and she would not dare serve refreshments other than expensive cakes, creams, drinks and ices that cost a days hard work of preparation and a sum of money. Only our bunch is invited and the transportation is by auto. Such were some of the amusements of our ancestors and who shall say they were not just as interesting and refined as the present ones.

The infair was an old time custom now obsolete, a couple was usually married at home, a number of guests invited. A dinner was served and the couple spent the first night at the bride's, home. The next day was called the infair; the bride and groom went to the home of the groom's parents where all the neighbors were invited to spend the day, sometimes this was even a more elaborate affair than the wedding. Neighbors and friends accompanied the couple on the second day journey, usually on horseback, and sometimes it was a long procession which followed the newlyweds. No doubt, the popularity of the "wedding party" had much to do with its length. The bride usually wore gray, no matter whether it was becoming or not. The charivari, a barbarous custom of that time as well as this, was indulged in by the young folks of the neighborhood. In early times it was usually conducted by those not bid to the celebration. They went with horns, tin pans, and all the instruments for making a noise, that they could gather and kept up the "hullabaloo" till the groom came out and "treated." Now the bride and groom go away immediately after the ceremony, that is if they have not slipped away and been married a year or six months before the announcement. Their friends follow them to the station, pelt them with rice, placard their baggage and play all kinds of jokes on them. The young folks still reserve the right to charivari them, even if they should stay away a month. "A runaway" match as it was called, often occurred. The story of one is told in these words, copied from an old letter, written years latter (in 1901) "I stole my wife from the wash place, in 1875, dressed in her everyday clothes, when we got to Mr. D. C. Chapman's, Brother Hiram went in and asked Mrs. Chapman to dress my wife in her clothes, which she did, we went on to Missouri and

The church and Sunday School did not become factors in the newly settled Johnson County as early as the still and the jaiL but followed more slowly, and we trust with a more lasting influence. People would drive for miles to church and the families living near the church had the most company, if they were hospitably inclined. They invited those who lived at a distance until sometimes there were as many as fifty guests. The tables were laden with cold ham, baked or fried chicken, dressing, and huge slices of light bread baked the day before in the oven or near the fireplace, pies, cakes, jelly, preserves; well you can't imagine unless you have sometime been invited just how much and how good everything was. Old Johnson County residents and former ones know, and no one else will believe, therefore further description is unnecessary. Along this line are gatherings or homecomings observed at the close of so many of our rural schools, which, of course, have come about since the days of free schools. It is a delightful custom where all the former pupils are invited. The patrons furnish the dinner and the pupils the entertainment.

One great social with our people, perhaps not with the very first settlers, but a custom begun early and followed religiously until a few years ago, was the free barbecue. The cattle, sheep and hogs were furnished by the neighbors. These animals were dressed the day before. On the morning of the day of the feast, men versed in the art, began their work long before the dawn of day. The animals were roasted whole or in halves over a hot fire which was built in a vat or hole dug out in the ground. The animals were turned and basted with a dressing until by noon they were a delicious viand fit for a king. One very famous barbecue was held at Simpson, 1892. There were said to have been 10,000 people present. Long tables had been spread, under the heavy leaved branches in the grove, with bread, salad, pickles, cakes, pies, coffee and all the necessities for a good dinner, including an abundance of barbecued meat.

The most wonderful part of the story is that, this was all free. After these dinners and sometimes before the crowd was entertained by a good speaker, a minster, a candidate, or some friend of the candidate. Every body visited with every body else, meeting those who lived at a distance and making new friends. On the whole these were pleasant days. The last old time barbecue that was held in Vienna was during the Farmers Institute, 1903> when more than 1000 people were present.

At an old settlers reunion held in Vienna, 1905, more than two thousand were present. The oldest married couple was Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hood, who had been married fiftysix years. The oldest man was J. M. Benson, 82 years old. The oldest woman, Sarah Butler, 99 years, the oldest minister was A. W. Carlton, 72 years. The oldest citizen native of the county was George Elkins, born in 1825. The couple with the largest family was Mr. and Mrs. George Jennings who had twelve children.

The populace of this county were naturally a "social set," perhaps too much so to be a financial success. A picnic was at one time a favorite way of celebrating our nation's birthday. Large handbills, naming the place which was usually the county seat, advertising free ice water and good speakers, were sent out weeks before. On the morning of the Fourth, wagons, buggies, hacks and horse back riders would begin to gather from all parts of the county, at the place designated with well filled baskets and a disposition to enjoy themselves. They came to spend the day; visited and discussed the political situation as well as the current events. Many times games of different kinds, such as a sack race, a fat man's race, climbing a greasy pole, and other amusing sports were entered into, but there was always a good speaker and the declaration of independence was read The citizens felt it a duty they owed to the rising generation to show their patriotism and appreciation of what the spirit of '76 had accomplished for us. At the present time if we attempt to celebrate our national holiday, which is seldom done, the address is in the afternon and a few people come in their cars, spend a short time and rush back home missing the spirit of the occasion.

Sometimes, it seems, the reverence that was formerly given patriotic and memorial days is waning, but let us hope this is imagination. We still have what is known as picnics but they are small parties of people who take their sandwiches, salads and thermos bottles to some shady nook in the evening, eat their meal and return. They do not stay

One occasion that meant so much to our people in former times was the political campaign, especially in a presidential year. In various parts of the county the people had "Rallies" for their candidates and every one interested in this man would come out on the appointed day. They would form long processions, some horse back, in wagons and others in buggies which were decorated in the national colors, carrying banners with appropriate slogans. The year that President Harrison was the nominee of the republican party, George H. Huffman, who lived at Simpson ten miles away had a float in the procession consisting of a log cabin on an ox wagon with a real coon in the door way. At one demonstration the young men of the county who were to cast their first vote at the coming election dressed in blue trousers and red blouses and carried brooms. They formed one section of the parade and the idea was to make a "clean sweep" for their candidate. The glee club went from place to place wherever there was a political meeting of their party in a wagon built especially for them. During one campaign the ladies of the glee club wore blue dresses trimmed in gold braid, which added nothing to their music but much to their appearance. At night all the men and boys would march to band and song, carrying torchlights, having what was called a "torch-light procession." Then the other side would have a demonstration and thus the interest was kept up. A campaign of this sort would seem odd now and perhaps the quiet campaign is better but it is a question whether it is less expensive to the candidate, one could at least find out which side the voters were on, as they would rarely have the nerve to ride in both processions and could not bleed both candidates so easily.

The automobile makes it easy to compass distance and every body eats at home. In former times when there was an extra occasion in town all ones relation drove in to stay till after dinner. One, two, three and sometimes more wagons would arrive, some coming as late as eleven o'clock ; they did not telephone they were coming, either. You may have hurried around a little and did not serve the dinner in courses, but no one went away hungry and if the day had been a little strenuous for the housewife; it had been an outing and a pleasant day for the visitors.

The farm bureau picnic has come to be an annual affair of recent origin* which is very enjoyable and tends to instruction as well. The singing conventions were begun in 1915, are very popular, and are held at different places in the county through the spring and summer months. The Vaughn Quartette of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, are very beautiful singers, they never fail to attend and attract a crowd. There are several quartettes and singers of our own county, the Cypress Quartette, the Lauderdales' of New Burnside, the Underwoods of Ozark, the Lavender family, near Vienna, the Rushing Trio of Simpson, and the Buncombe Quartette of Buncombe are all faithful to attend and help the community singing.

A social custom prevails in this county in recent years of celebrating birthdays, especially those of the older people, which is a very pleasant thing to do. All neighbors bring baskets of cooked foods, and come in to spend the day in honor of the birthday of some person of the community. This brings everyone together and makes an occasion for a social gathering.

Saturday July 28, 1923, was a day to be remembered by Mrs. John Harper of Bloomfield and many of her friends. This being the seventy-seventh anniversary of her birth her good husband, children and neighbors had planned a wonderful dinner in her honor. The table was set in the yard under a wide spreading mulberry tree planted by Mr. Harper when they first settled there. There was food of all kinds and those fortunate enough to be guests can testify to its quality. Mr. and Mrs. Harper began house keeping at this place and have lived there all their married lives (fifty -three years) There were about seventy-five present. Mrs. Fanny Jackson, a cousin of Mrs. Harpers, Mrs. William Corbitt a granddaughter and Mr. and Mrs. P. T. Chapman, of Vienna. All her children and grandchildren, except one daughter and son and their families, who live at Centralia, Illinois. The children present were: Mr. and Mrs. Frank Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Taylor and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Clayton. This was a happy occasion for all present and the good wishes of every guest for many pleasant birth days for Mrs. Harper were heartily expressed.

and clubs: The Columbian Exposition held in Chicago called into being the Columbian Woman's Club, Miss Anna Dwyer was president and Mrs. Sarah Poor was secretary. The object was to collect the products of woman's labor of this county for display in the Woman's Building, at this exposition. The only things sent for exhibit from here, were jellies canned and preseved fruit. This wonderful celebration to honor our discovery and exhibit to the world the nation's progress was a Mecca for all the ends of the earth, and of course, Johnson County kept pace. Our first visitors were D. L. Chapman and W. B. Bain. There were all together from five to six hundred visitors from the little county of Johnson, some of them going several times.

The state of Illinois was admitted to the Union, 1818» 1918 being the anniversary of that event, each county of the state was supposed to celebrate it, sometime and in some way suitable to themselves. The citizens of this county prepared a program and set aside one day during the County Fair for one part of their celebration, also premiums were offered for displays of old pictures, relics, and exhibitions of occupations and customs of earlier times. Some very creditable displays were made in the Art hall. Miss Emma Rebman, county superintendent of schools at that time, appointed a committee of teachers to arrange a display from our county for the Centennial Exhibition at the state fair at Springfield.

The eighteenth federal amendment certainly has wrought a change in this county. The foundation was laid for it years ago. There was a Prohibition Club here in the seventies of which John Clymer, James Slack, M. A. Smith, Green Thacker and others were members. Mrs. Oglesby of Belknap organized Christian Temperance Union Societies in different parts of the county. She organized one in Vienna in 1890. The officers were Mrs. W. I. Dill president, Mrs. George Blanchfill, vice-president; Miss Nora Covington, secretary; Mrs. Betty Burnett, treasurer; Mrs. Emma Smith, corresponding secretary.

But one of the main things that helped to educate the people of this county along this line was the ardent support given the prohibition cause by M. A. Smith, editor of the Johnson County Journal for more than twenty years. The county was cleared of saloons in 1881. The last ones being at Simpson and Cypress, but their lives were short as we had as helpers at the time officers who were uncompromising in their enforcement of the law. Although we have had prohibition in the county for so many years, we have been continually menaced by the boot legger and the illicit salesman, but a drunken man on the streets is seldom seen in our community at the present time.

Most agricultural counties hold a Fair in the late summer or fall of the year. This usually includes racing as well as exhibits and necessitates grounds with a track, stalls, booths and pens for horses and stock together with a large inclosure for eating stands, side shows, merry-gorounds and various little money making devices. Also much space is used for the wagons, buggies and automobiles of the visitors. There is an ampitheater for the convenience of those who want to see the races, riding and displays of stock. There are suitable buildings for Art exhibits, poultry, farm and garden products. The object of this annual gathering is quite well understood and the fairs held in this county have, without doubt, been most advantageous in improving the grade of live stock, poultry and farm products. It is not known just when the first fair held in this county was organized but it was some time before or about 1861. The grounds included the present site of the Big Four station and the field on the left hand side of the road leading to the station. The promoters were, no doubt, the prominent business men and farmers of that time who likely were John Bain, Samuel Jackson, Hon. A. J. Kuykendall, Samuel J. Hess, Samuel S. Copeland, Josiah Throgmorton, S. J. Chapman, D. C. Chapman, Hiram Carson, John Wright, B. S. Smith, William Perkins, James Oliver , S. M. Glassford, Thos. Farris and others. Little is known of the result of this fair or how long it lasted as there are no records to be found at the present time. It is known for certain that A. J. Gray was the most graceful horseback rider at these fairs and that the grounds were used for a camping ground for the soldiers, who were entering the Federal army. They camped there from August until October. Another fact is from the "Vienna Artery" June 1871, "The Old Fair Grounds will be sold at sheriff's sale on the first day of July under excution in favor of Mesrs Sexton and Wright.

The second Fair Association was organized in 1883 or 1884. The promoters were W. C. Simpson, J. B. Kuykendall, T. B. Powell, J. N. Poor, P. T. and J. C. Chapman, Samuel M. Glassford and others. The officers for the year 1888 were S. M. Glassford, president; Thomas B. Powell, secretary; J. N. Poor, treasurer. The financial exhibit for that year was gate and entrance fees, $2,212.00, rents and permits, $310.70; sale of shares of stock, $2,475.00, other resources, $178.70. paid in premiums, $1,626.11 paid for real estate buildings and improvements, $3,519.84, balance in treasury, $31.15. The grounds where this exhibit was held were just across the drainage ditch south and east of Vienna on the left of the road leading to Belknap in what is now P. T. Chapman's field. Some of the men securing premiums for graceful horseback riding at this fair were J. K. Elkins, M. A. Hankins and Alfred Oliver, some of the ladies were Lenna Oliver, Fanny Throgmorton and Julia Bridges. This asociation soon fell so far behind financially that it was abandoned.

The third fair corporation was completed in 1905 with William More, J. B. Kuykendall, P. T. Chapman, N. J. Mozley, D. W. Whittenberg, W. M. Grisson, J. C. Carter Charles Marshall, C. H. Mason, M. L. Hight, Harry Beauman, J. K. and I. N. Elkins and others as stock holders. The grounds for holding this fair were leased from J. H. Carter, Jr., and lay on the left of the road leading from Vienna, north past the Fraternal Cemetery. They are conveniently located and well arranged with a good track, buildings, and booths. Annual exhibits and races have been held since its organization. It is not a money making institution, so far in its history, but the losses are small and they "carry on." The fair is a paying proposition even though it should not be a financial success. It undoubtedly, has inspired a desire for better live stock, finer fruit and the best in farm products. The year, 1907 was made memorable by the "Home Coming" which was held during the fair. It was a decided success and many former citizens coming from all parts of the United States met here, who had not seen each other for many years. The fair adds much to the social activities of the county, acquaintances and friends from this and neighboring counties meet and visit together at the fair that possibly do not meet at any other time.