Johnson County, Illinois - The whole text, 1925 (part 4 of 12)

Central M. E. Church is situated in the southeast part of the county. A class was formed about 1850, perhaps earlier. Jason B. Smith was one of the founders and church meetings were held at his house until the free school law was passed, when it was continued to be held in the Central school hoiise, till 1870, when a building was erected. It was dedicated by the Reverend Peter Cartwright. Zackariah W. Calhoun was associated with J. B. Smith in this early church work and was an earnest and faithful member, until his death, about 1865. Some other members were, C. A. Bain, J. J. Pierce, William Helm, Charles T. and W. L. Reed, William T. Cagle, J. A. Smith and W. H. Horner with members of their families. This is still a live church.

Benton M. E. Church was organized about the same time as the Central class and located in the same section of the county. The Marberrys, Fishers, Cummins, Culvers, Moses Comer, W. M. Helm and their families were some of the members forming this church, and many of the descendants of these families are carrying on the work at present. This church is known as "the home of the Cummins." A home coming was held in this church in 1917, under the management of Reverend C. A. Campbell, which lasted a week. It was a unique and pleasant gathering. This church has sent out seventeen ministers in thirty years and fourteen are still in the work. Johnson County has sent out more ministers than any other county of its population, in the United States. Mrs. A. E. Cummins, daughter of Jason B. Smith, was a member of this church and has five sons who are M. E. ministers. In 1886 there were thirty Cummins and nine Marberrys belonging to this church.

Mt. Pleasant M. E. Church is situated about five miles northeast of Vienna at the Taylor Cemetery. It was organized sometime before 1863. James Peterson was one of the first members. The Peterson, Taylor and Simpson families formed the larger quota of the membership there. It is a live church at the present and belongs to the Burnside circuit.

three quarters of a century in age. It is situated four and a half miles east of Vienna. Some of the first official members were M. B. Bain, J. M. Williams, P. W. McFatridge, William Thompson, William Murrie, and Louis Siebman. Regular services are not held here at the present time but it belongs to the Burnside circuit.

Chism was an appointment on record in 1865. The meetings were held in the Chism school house which took its name from William Chism, an old resident of the northern part of Tunnell Hill Township. Some of his descendants still reside there. This church has been abandoned for more than fifty years.

Grantsburg is another appointment given about the same time as Chism. The services were held in the school house of that locality, and J. L. Thomas, A. Franklin, J. and W. L. Young were given as official members. There is no record of a church building having been erected and this class has long since ceased to be.

Union Hill is given as an appointment on the Quarterly conference records, 1865, but no knowledge of its location or members can be found. Stewart school house appointment three miles north of Vienna was taken in 1868, also Whiteside school house appointment, the same year. Morgan school house was an appointment in 1869. No further knowledge of these classes could be obtained.

Some of the presiding elders for the early period of the M. E. Church were Reverends J. H. Hill, J. W. Lowe, G. W. Hughy, A. B. Morrison, W. J. Grant, C. D. Lingenfelter, James Harris, J. L. Wallar, J. W. Van Cleve and J. B. Ravenscroft.

Cross Roads does not appear later than 1865, as its name was changed to Reynoldsburg. Zion was just across the county line in Union and near Moscow. County Line was in the northen part of the county near the present site of Creal Springs. Richie Oliver was a local preacher belonging there. His family, John Oliver and family, and the McMahans were among the members of this church, which has been dormant many years. Hooker's appointment was located on what is known as Chestnut Hill Farm. It was discontinued in 1867. Sutliff, an M. E. appointment was located at or near the residence of H. B. Stuliff. He was a faithful and active member of this denomination throughout his life. Cave Creek M. E. Church must have been a short distance east of Vienna. All the definite information in regard to it is that Christopher T. Ellis and Issac Perry were two active members about 1863 to 1865. There has been no Methodist organization there for years and it was doubtless absorbed by the Cave Creek Baptist church, which is now an active society in that section.

Sugar Grove M. E. Church was somewhere in Elvira Township, and R. W. Brown and J. C. Bottom were the moving spirits in its beginning. This church asked permission to sell their building in 1871. This appointment was possibly transferred from Saratoga circuit in Union County. A new church house was erected a little south of the present site of Buncombe. R. W. and Reuben Brown, Oliver Ragsdale, Garner Pearce, John Nobles, J. B. Gillespie, J. W. Hacker, and George Boomer and their families, with possibly some others, constituted the membership of this church. It was called Salem, and did service for this congregation until the Chicago and Eastern Illinois. Railroad was built and the town of Buncombe began to grow. It was then moved to that village and became the Methodist Episcopal church of Buncombe. J. J. Robertson was a strong supporter and a faithful member of this church during his life. Some of the present members are Mrs. J. J. Robertson, C. C. and C. J. Walker, Douglas Rose, Mrs. Martha McCall, their families and Miss Lou Smith, and others just as faithful and earnest, whose names were not obtained. Buncombe belongs on the Cypress Circuit.

Bloomfield M. E. Church was organized 1874, and held in the school house. Dr. William Thompson was the founder. J. Williams and wife, James and Lucinda Powell are among the first members. The present church house was built about 1882. The best list of members to be obtained since 1886, are Casper Goddard, Nathan Westbrooks, F. S. Thompson, Samuel Williams, Adeline Bridges, Malinda Bain, Martha J. Waters, Flora Goddard, Alice Dunn, James and Betty A. Hood, A. S. and M. C. Dill, S. T. and F. Williams, John Crowder, Lida and Ella Davis, Charles and Martha Thacker, W. H. and Nancy Jobe, Susan Melton, Still later members are Mrs. George Mathis, Gussie and Mabel Mathis, Clarice (Pfleuger) Dunn, Viva Corbett, Newton Davis, Dr. R. A. and Mrs. Maude Hale, Alonzo

Sanburn M. E. Church was organized about 1870. E. M. Miller and family were among the first members, also W. H. Nipper and wife and W. E. Galeener and wife and Abraham Cover's family. Tunnel Hill church was organized about 1878, taking in the Sanburn organization. Some of the present members are Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Taylor, Mrs. Ada Fern, Mrs. Nora Gilliam, Mrs. Kate Cruse, Mrs. Niecy Cover and family and Misses Maybelle and Eva Verble.

Gorville M. E. Church was organized about 1900 by Reverend McCammon, and the church house was built with only five members, four of whom were ladies. Mesdames Lily McCormick, Mattie Gore, Jones and Bradley were charter members. Some of the present members are Mrs. Syble Williams, H. M. and Add Foster's families. Miss Gertrude Williams, Charles A. Walker and family, Mrs. William Hubbard, Mrs. Nola Maze, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Wiggins and Mrs. Essie Jobe and others making a membership of about fifty. Reverends Connett, Hammons, Morehead, and Bernieking are some of the ministers serving this charge in recent years.

Burnside M. E. Church - Reverend Charles Botarf came to Burnside, in 1872, and held a revival meeting. An M. E. class was formed of twelve person as follows: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Cook, Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Cross, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bradford, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Caldwell, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Ballance, Mrs. Alvira and Miss Anna Whiteaker. Most of these members belonged to a church north of New Burnside, known as Walnut Hill. All of these charter members are dead except T. J. Cook who is in his ninetieth year. They later built a church house which is still in use. Lewis Epperson and Samuel McNeil were the builders. John Dupont, a business man of Burnside donated as much as any other one person for its construction. Charles Bradford, T. J. Cook, J. H. Ballance, the three Whiteaker brothers and many others gave liberally. The pastors have been Rev. Charles Botarf, Charles Young, J. R. Reed, E. Root, A. Wright, Leech, J. S. Whittenberg, W. P. Hammons, A. B. and M. B. Holloway, W. J. Peterson, C. E. Parker, H. Hutchcraft, W. J. Hopper,

The Belknap M. E. Church was organized about 1875, most of its members coming from West Eden church. They were Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Martin, Mr. and Mrs. George Axley, Mr. and Mrs. John Shadrick, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kuykendall. After the founding of the church a new circuit was formed including Belknap, also West Eden, Cedar Grove, Mt. Pisgah, on the west side of Cache and Tucker's Chapel and Salem in Massac County. Reverend Bowers was appointed on this circuit with headquarters at Belknap, which was also the name of the circuit. For two years church services were held in a large cooper shop belonging to George Axley. Seats were made of rough lumber, a large box heating stove occupied the center of the room, and smoky coal oil lamps hung from brackets on the wall. The congregation usually filled the room, especially at the evening service. Many men from the logging camps and saw mills, (for this was a wooded section) attended the meetings, and all seemed to appreciate these services. Later W. L. Williams moved to Belknap and built a large flour mill. As soon as it was enclosed religious services were held in the second story of this building until the machinery was installed. The following year a new school house was built in Belknap and the church proceeded to occupy it for services. In the meantime a parsonage had been purchased and the membership had grown until they were able to erect a church house, which they did in 1883 under the pastorate of Reverend William Hammond. This is a neat and well arranged frame church, lighted from the private Delco plant of Mrs. 0. P. Martin and at her expense. She and the late Dr. Martin have been among the most interested members of this church for many years. Belknap and Karnak are served by the same pastor.

Two of the charter members were William Martin, Hazel (Brown) Edmonson. They have a neat frame church which was dedicated by Dr. John Harmon. Some of the present members are Samuel Horsely and family, Mrs. Willis Ragsdale, Mrs. Lowery, Mrs. Avis Brown, Jacob Mc- Coy and other faithful ones that go to make up a fine working church. They belong to Cypress circuit and maintain regular services.

There was a church house known as Old Concord Meeting house, situated on the west side of the county, near the line of Union, as early as 1814, and possibly earlier. The petition for a road designates the locality of the house, but nothing is known as to what denomination worshipped there. It is probable it was Methodist as Hezekiah West lived on that side of the county and was a pioneer minister of that faith. There is a cemetery called Concord about where the location of this meeting house was described, but whether it is the same place and took its name from the old church is not positively known. "Aunt" Nancy Madden, as she was known during her later years, was a native of Union County, born in 1818. She married Joshua Peterson and moved to Cypress at the age of fifteen years. She said the first church she ever attended was at Concord at or near Concord Cemetery. This was in 1833 and before Mt. Pisgah was built (from her daughter.)

H. C. Laybourn published in 1923 some information regarding the Sunday Schools of the county. He thinks the Reynoldsburg Sunday School dates back eighty-five years. There are several Sunday Schools more than fifty years old. Cedar Creek and Friendship, Baptist; Gillead and Concord, Presbyterians; Benton, Central, Casey Springs, West Eden and Vienna, Methodist. There are fifty three schools in the county at the present time. The denominations are divided about as follows: Methodist, 24; Baptist, 22; Presbyterian, 5; Christian, 5; Pentacostal, 2; Latter Day Saints, 1 ; Catholic, 2 ; colored Baptist, 1 ; total 162. Johnson County had a Sunday School organization as early as 1869. There were twelve living Sunday Schools in the county that year, with an average attendance of six hundred. There were six Methodist Sunday Schools in the county in 1868. The officers of the County Sunday School Association for 1881, were president, G. B. Bomer; Bun- combe; secretary, Louisa Copeland, Vienna; treasurer, P. T. Chapman, Vienna. The township presidents were Vienna, M. A. Smith, Grantsburg, W. L. Smith; Cache, 0. P. Hodges, Elvira, G. B. Gillespie ; Goreville, B. G. Mangum ; Burnside, F. M. McGee; Simpson, J. H. Morphis; Tunnel Hill, J. M. Benson; Bloomfield, W. A. Looney.

Methodist Ministers

Some Methodist Episcopal Ministers serving that denomination in this county were : Peter Cartwright who was a well known character visited Southern Illinois on at least two occasions ; one writer says of him, "there is no better type of pioneer preacher." He christened Nancy Spence (Madden) who was born in 1818. He again visited here in 1870 and was a guest of Mr. and Mrs. John Bain of Vienna. He dedicated the New Columbia church, and also Central church of this county.

T. C. Lopaz was an itinerant preacher in this section in 1830, continuing his work for the Master for more than forty years. He was an eccentric character, was very devout and did much valuable service in building up Methodism. He never married and had no home, but carried his wordly possessions in his saddle bags, also umbrella strapped behind his saddle. He always rode a good horse and saw that it was well treated.

William Standard and John Rentfro were two early local preachers. Moulton Carter, J. S. Whittenberg, James Harper, J. G. Hardy, D. Williams, J. L. Gillespie, James Scoot, R. Oliver, William Finley, Micajah Rose, James Burk, David Stewart, William Thompson and J. L. Thomas were ministers here before 1865. M. W. Russell, Richard Thatcher, Fred L. Thompson, C. T. Ellis, A. Jones, Ambrose Seay, H. S. Ausbrooks, Ed Brown and Joseph Edmonson in 1870. John W. Wright of Vienna and Issac D. Peterson of West Eden were licensed to preach in 1870.

The following were prominent laymen in the Methodist Episcopal Church between 1860-70; J. N. Benson and Charles Damron were among the early Methodist of the county and both were exhorters. They lived their religion and no neighbor ever wanted for attention when sick or in need if they knew it. If a man was sick and unable to harvest his crop, with the help of the neighbors they did it for him. Others were A. Franklin, Elijah Hood, G. H. Harwood, J. Oliver, William Harper, William Hoker, William Helm, Wesley White, Chas. N. Gutley, M. Bain, P. W. Mc- Fatridge and William Murray were appointed as a building committee for Cosey Springs, 1870. Jessie Hunter, Daniel Morris, Thos. J. Cook, C. W. McCoy, H. C. Frazier, Lewis Siebman, W. L. and D. T. Keid, C. W. Miller, H. B. Sutliff, Dr. N. M. Gray were prominent laymen. In 1866, a committee was appointed to look after a site for a church in Vienna, the committee was Dr. W. A. Lonney, Dr. D. T. Whitnel and Samuel Jackson, N. Jones, L. W. Marberry, J. J. Pearce, B. L. Phelps, William and B. L. Reid, William Chisom, W. 0. Stevenson, Frances Elkins, W. L. Young, J. M. Williams, B. S. Rude, John Caldwell, S. A. Cummins, O. L. Ridenhower, James M. Holt, Issac Perry, W. H. Culver, F A. Fisher, J. B. Smith, W. T. Cagle, J. D. Helm, C. T. Reid, H. Mercer, Linsfield Shadrick, F. M. McGee, J. P. West, W. K. Harvel, P. W. Axley, W. D. Deans, Joel DuBois, A. W. Carter, G. B. Hood, 0. G. Peterson, James McNealy, T. Chapman, W. E. Galeener, James A. Smith, Pleasant and Green Thacker, J. C. Green, James Daniels, J. B. Kuykendall, James Hacker, A. J. Kuykendall, James Slack, Wiliam and T. G. Peterson, H. R. Ragsdale, A. E. Francis, D. H. Rendleman, J. M. Ridenhower, M. A. Smith, J. R. Reaf, Hiram Chapman, I. N. Benson and many others did good church work in this county.

Tragedy

This county has had its share of crime and much to our shame one man executed by the law. Harrihon Burklow, a man belonging to an old respected family, while under the influence of liquor, shot and killed a man by the name of Wagner. Wagner tried to persuade him not to kill him, as Burklow had gone with that intent, to where Wagner was working, but crazed with liquor he would not listen to the pleadings and shot him outright. Burklow had served in the Civil War, and had many friends and relatives in the community, who would have assisted him, but the case was so aggravated, the death penalty was invoked, and he was hanged in the old jail yard just a little above where the present jail now stands ; in spite of the fact, that the hanging was private, as the gallows had been built in a large inclosure people filled the town to its limits. J. H. Carter was the sheriff and W. R. Wiley was the deputy who carried out the sentence of the law about 1877. Another crime occurring here before the Civil War, which was as useless as heinous, was the whipping of a negro to death on the streets of Vienna. Dr. Gerry kept a hotel on Third and East Main streets, where Issac Hook now lives. A traveler on horseback came to the hotel to spend the night. Some time while there he had three hundred dollars taken from his saddle bags. A colored boy who did the chores around the hotel, was accused of the theft. A company of citizens took him out, drove him from place to place, beating him with switches, hanging him up by the thumbs at intervals to make him tell where the money was. Although he would tell them the money was in different places to get a respite from the punishment, he stoutly denied it in the beginning. This continued until the negro finally dropped dead on the street, just south of where the library now stands. It is said the wife of Doctor Gerry later confessed to taking the money, establishing the innocence of the negro.

Franklin J. Chapman, son of Samuel the pioneer, was shot and killed at Old Foreman, while he was asleep in his room. The perpetrator of this deed or the reason for it was never known.

James Arnett, who lived west of Vienna, about four miles, near Cache River was tried three times in our courts for murder, but never convicted. He was shot from ambush about a mile west of Vienna, on his way home from the town by Burbe Stanley, a neighbor, who was convicted of insanity and committed to the Southern Illinois Hospital at Anna for a short time. William Arnett, a brother of James, also living on the west side of the county, while hauling a load of wheat to market was shot from ambush on the road near the present home of Roy Shelter. This murder occurred about 1876 and was committed by Powell Short, who was never apprehended.

about four miles east of Vienna, on the Metropolis Road. This murder was supposed to have been done by a man named Holt, but no certainty is attached to this and no arrest was ever made.

The killing of Young Elkins was a much talked of incident, and occurred sometime in the fifties in Vienna. There was a "clock-tinker," as they called them in those days, who came here with his wife from Jonesboro. His name was Merriman. John Bridge's young boys had been in the habit of going to his house and throwing rocks through the windows. One day he caught one of the boys and gave him a whipping. Young Elkins, was an uncle of these boys, and it seems, prided himself on his physical prowess, being full of liquor, went down in company with Ross Sanders, with rocks for weapons to give the old man a "licking," as he called it. Merriman ordered Elkins not to come in, but Elkins paid no attention to the old man's order. He shot Elkins with a gun which he had made some time before by cutting off a rifle. The old man had used this improvised shot gun in the peaceful occupation of killing birds. It is supposed that he had expected trouble after he whipped the boy, and had loaded the gun with buck shot to defend himself. The sheriff put the old man in jail to keep Elkin's friends from mobbing him, and afterwards turned him out and ordered him to leave the community, which he did.

John Maupin was killed near the Johnson Cemetery, three miles east of Vienna, about twenty-five years ago. His body was carried to the home of Charles Farris and left in front of his gate. Marcus Burnett, a brother-in-law of Maupin, was convicted of the crime. The cause was some family feud.

A. Franklin was a captain in the Civil War, serving from this county. He was a farmer and lived near Grantsburg. Some two or three years after the war, two strangers came along by Captain Franklin's about the noon hour, and wanted the Captain to trade horses with them. Franklin discussed the matter with them, but would not trade. The two men went on their way, as the Franklins thought, but shortly after the meal they found the stranger's horse in the barnyard and the horse belonging to Franklin gone. He immediately set out to find the man and horse, over- taking them a short distance beyond his home, and on demanding his horse the stranger shot and killed him. The community was soon aroused and went in search of the murderer, surrounded and captured him, not far from the present residence of Pleasant Rose, on the farm of James Rose. They took him to old Grantsburg, now Wartrace, and placed him under guard, in the office of Dr. W. J. Fern, a young physican, practising there at that time, while some one went to summon the sheriff. During the night a mob of fifty men or more gathered and overpowered the guards took the prisoner to a large group of walnut trees, about two hundred yards west of Wartrace, at the bend of the road and hung him. The tree on which he was hung was pointed out to the youth and strangers for many years, but has since died or been cut away. The prisoner gave the name of Patilo and his home as Kentucky.

Captain Franklin was a very popular man, especially among men who had served under him in the war, and it has been remarked that some of his men were instrumental in raising the mob but no trouble was ever taken to find out who they were.

J. W. Bayles was a bachelor and lived alone on his farm about three miles east of town. He was a native of Baltimore, Md., was well educated and must have belonged to a good family. He was supposed to have money, which was without doubt, the cause of his murder. Some parties went to his house at night, murdered him and left their masks. It is not known whether they secured any money or not. There were arrests made, but no one could be convicted of the crime.

Daniel Gage a peaceful and inoffensive citizen was shot by David Avery, apparently without any reason, and none was ever found, except it was thought Avery mistook him for another man. There was no jail in the county at this time and Avery, under arrest was being taken to the Cairo jail. He was sitting near a window in the Big Four station waiting for a train, when he was shot from the outside. It has never been known who committed the deed.

Charles Farris drove up in front of his sister's home, Mrs. Joshua Howell, who lives about a quarter of a mile east of Wartrace. Mr. Farris stopped and the family came out to visit with him, when his nephew, Duff Howell, raised his gun. It was discharged accidently and shot his uncle through the head, killing him instantly. No motive could be found as no unpleasantness existed between the parties. This accident occurred about 1910, and was no doubt a sudden and unrealized action of the moment.

About the year 1845 there was a gang of horse thieves and counterfeiters carrying on business in the outlying district of Massac County bordering Johnson. The citizens of Massac had been annoyed by this lawlessness until they felt compelled to protect themselves, officers of the law were unable to cope with the situation. They divided into two factions, one called Flatheads the other Regulators. While the majority of the crimes were committed in Massac and the headquarters were in that county the lawless warfare extended into our borders to the extent that some of our best citizens living near the boundary line arrayed themselves on the side of the Regulators and went out to help their neighbors rid themselves of the undesirables. The following is a letter by Dr. W. J. Gibbs, who was a resident of Vienna and had served in the Legislature in 1840-41.

Sir: It has been represented to me, that a number of the people of the counties of Massac, Johnson and Pope, in this State; and of the adjoining county in Kentucky, have united themselves into a band of regulators to drive off a band of horse theives and counterfeiters, alledged to exist in the County of Massac, that a number of other good citizens deeming such a course to be unlawful and unnecessary, have opposed the regulators; that the regulators now threaten to drive them off with the horse theives, and have ordered several of them to leave the county, under penalty of death. It is also represented that the Grand Jury of Massac County, have found indictments against several of the regulators, for violent conduct that the regulators refuse to be arrested or tried by law ; and threaten to drive off or kill members of the grand jury, and the witnesses, upon whose evidence the indictments were found; and threaten to drive off or kill the sheriff and several other persons, and civil officers of the county, who have shown

I therefore, hereby authorize you, to inquire into the truth of the above representations and others that may be made to you ; and if in your opinion a Militia force shall be necessary in said county, you are hereby authorized to call in the Colonels commanding the Militia in the Counties of Gallatin, Johnson, Pulaski, Alexander and Union, who, are hereby commanded to call out such force as may be demanded; and they will then act according to the following orders.

1st. It is not my design that such Militia force should be used for the protection of horse thieves, counterfeiters or other notorous rogues, whose presence for a long time past in that part of the country has enraged the minds of a great many honest people.

Such Militia force will be used, to protect the Sheriff and his deputies, and all Magistrates and Constables together with the members of the grand jury and the witnesses before them, unless such witnesses be rouges, and also such Militia force will be used for the protection of all honest, well meaning people, who have merely disapproed of the conduct of the regulators; who lecture that they have carried matters too far; and have opposed them on that account, and who are, or may be threatened therefore.

The Militia force hereby ordered, will not be required to aid in driving off anyone, nor to prevent any notorious rogue from being driven off.

Thomas Ford

There were some rough men in this county in its early settlement and even many years afterward. They did not respect the law and many cared little for human life. Horse stealing was a common occurrence and some times the thieves were dealt with severly out side the law but this form of dishonesty is about extinct in this county. In former times a few hogs and cattle would occasionally, somehow, get the other man's mark when stock ran at Large on the range, but since the days of barbed wire and stock law, men have become more honest. The most noted piece of burglary ever committed in this county was the theft of a saw mill, said to be by one William Lizenbeck. The mill was taken up, moved a considerable distance and operated for some time without the knowledge of the owner.

The noted Carterville trial was brought here from Williamson County in 1899. It was a long drawn out affair and involved much time and money. A part of a company of National Guards was kept at Vienna during the trial which grew out of the shooting into a railroad coach at Lawler, Williamson County and killing at least one colored woman. The trouble arose from the objection of the miners to the employment of negro labor in the mines. There were fifteen men on trial and resulted in the acquital of the defendants. Some very prominent legal talent was employed in the case; Ex-Governor Charles P. Johnston, of Missouri, R. R. Fowler, W. W. Clemens, Edward Spiller, W. W. Duncan and Geo.' W. Pillow of Marion, 111. F. M. Youngblood and W. W. Barr, of Carbondale 111., S. H. Reed, of DuQuoin, 111., G. H. Henshaw, J. L. Gallimore, R. B. Morton, Carterville, 111., W. A. Spann, P. T. Chapman, G. B. Gillespie, and L. 0. Whitnel of Vienna.

Part Iv

Long ago, so long ago no man knows when, a colony of stone grave people came into Southern Illinois, they probably came from the valley of the Cumberland and spread over the county between the rivers as far north as Monroe County, where they crossed into Missouri. They left behind their unmistakable sign of burying their dead in graves lined and covered with rough flag stone. Where they vanished no one knows. There can be no doubt but that Indians inhabited Johnson County long before the advent of the white settlers. They have left their trails in the forests. Older people have told those now living about the Indians here when they came and the roving bands of them passing through the county for years afterward; one story is told of the wife of an early resident of Vienna Samuel J. Chapman who came to the county about 1816, how she baked bread under a brush arbor and sold it to the Indians. Uncle George Elkins, born in 1825, still living, says he sold pumpkins to them when they were passing through the county. However, there seems to be no tradition or history naming the tribes, except Reynolds, an early historian of Illinois speaks frequently of the Kickapoos being around Kaskaskia and Goshen, but that they lived just here one can not definitely say.

There is no dispute about the Shawnees living around Shawneetown, but it is not certain that they came as far west as Johnson. Some historians claim they lived here in the eighteenth century. Their signs were coffin shaped graves formed of flat stones without cement ; pottery, finely wrought shell and copper ornaments are found in them. Blanchard's maps locate the Pinkeshaws and Miamis in this county in 1765. He also locates Kickapoos here in 1812. The Indians ceded all lands in this section to the United States by a treaty signed at Edwardsville, 111., 1819.

The remains of a race before ours and probably before the tribe of Indians of which George, who lived on Georges Creek in the eastern part of the county, was the chief, has been found. In this county there is a picture of a buffalo painted on the rocks of a bluff near Ozark, which is supposed to have been done by Indians or some other former inhabitants. There is no history or legend of its origin remaining with the present settlers. Many Indian graves have been found in the county. Stone implements, such as Tomahawks, arrow heads, and pottery have been found in various parts of the county, a collection of which may be seen in the Carneigie Library in the exhibit of the Daniel Chapman Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. There is also some fossil foot-prints in the sand stone formation in the community of Berea in the southeast section of the county. The foot is twelve inches long, has but four toes and shaped something like a man's foot.

SETTLERS The early settlers who did not come direct from Virginia or the Carolinas, came from Kentucky and Tennessee. Emigrated from some of the colonies, lived awhile in the latter states and pressed on farther west.

Virginia was, for many years in the seventeenth century, the refuge of those who were in turn prominent, impoverished, endangered, or exiled in the civil wars of Cromwell's time. According as Puritan or Cavalier triumphed at home, so changed the complexion of the emigration of the old Dominion. The Carolinas were peopled by the Cavaliers, who expected to find sudden wealth in the new country, to set up the customs of the court and propigate the gay and chivalrous blood of the Knight. Between these and the French Huguenots who sought to find here religious liberty, there could but be sharp lines of social distinction. Those who came for adventure and gain were soon undeceived; those who sought freedom were made to feel the heavy hand of law and unjust taxes.

Then came the great leveler war. From the descendants of this people who were tried, tested, melted and remolded in the fires of the struggle for independence, came the purified Anglo Saxon; that sturdy pioneer to whom civilization owes an undischargeable debt. Of this stock were our ancestors and thus began our early settlements. A few families at a time, occasionally a New Yorker, a New Englander or a Canadian, would sift into this steady stream of searchers for a new home. All the colors blended make "Lablanc," what else could follow but that Pilgrim. Cavalier, Huguenot and Yankee blended should make the most perfect type of citizen.

A great many of our pioneers had lost their possessions in the Revolution and sought to rebuild their fortunes on new soil. Some of them brought slaves, old silver, pewter plate, native shrubs and flowers but each brought the characteristics peculiar to their section of the country. The hospitable, easy-going, genial traits of the southerner have prevailed in this county,

Fordham, an early historian of our state, divides the inhabitants of Southern Illinois into four classes, as follows: "First Hunters; second, first settlers; third, doctors, lawyers, store-kepers, furriers, mechanics, those who trade and speculate in land, who found towns, those who put too much reliance in physical prowess; fourth, old settlers, rich, independent, well informed. Johnson County must have had some residents belonging to some of these classes but whether she could aspire to having any in the fourth class or not, one could not undertake to say.

The first settler in the original Johnson County, that we have a real knowledge of, was Daniel Flannery, who came to this section of the country in 1777 and took up a claim twenty-five or thirty miles above the mouth of the Ohio River and on or near the Mississippi. " Flannerys and McElmunnys erected a station or block-house in Alexander County about 1783 in township sixteen oposite island number twenty-twro in the Mississippi River. These settlers left the country and none of them were here in 1800." - Reynolds. He also says, "The Indians seemed to be especially hostile toward the American settlers from 1783 to 1789 ; but they did not molest the French." "It was the policy of the French, to conciliate the natives, whom they invariably treated with kindness and consideration never <*hown to that unhappy race by other Europeans with whom they preserved a faith unbroken on either side." - Ford.

Reynolds states that James Flannery was killed by the Indians in 1783, which would explain the Flannerys leaving the country for a time. They later returned, at least, Daniel Flannery did, and established his claim as a settler before the land office commission in 1809 at Kaskaskia. Issac and Jacob Flannery entered land in Randolph County in 1811, most likely in the same locality where Daniel lived. The name of Flannery continues to appear on our court records as late as 1841. Other given names of this family were Samuel, Elijah, Jacob, Abram and Thomas. Reynolds says, "There was not a settler on the trace from Hull's landing, on the Ohio River to Kaskaskia in 1800." Boggs states there were 650 settlers along the Ohio River in 1801, from the census taken by Congress. Many of these families, no doubt, settled in the original bounds of this county, and while our present territory did not lie directly on the river some reckless adventurer, no doubt, found good game farther in the interior, set his stakes and built his little cabin in the present limits of Johnson County.

John and Joseph Worley are given as residents of Illinois in 1785. Joseph Worley is given as an American resident of Cahokia in 1789, and James Finny's name also appears as an American citizen of Illinois in 1780. This was taken from the Cahokia records. That these are the men whose names appear on Johnson County's early records, there can be little if any doubt.

The Ray family settled in the northeast part of the county in 1803 in the vicinity of Stonefort, but they are not further indentified with our history through records.

William Lawrence lived somewhere in the county originally set off in 1812 and called Johnson, but just where or how early has not been revealed. He was licensed to keep tavern," where he now lives in 1813." A road was ordered built by his house in 1814. He paid taxes on a still in 1816 and lived on Cache. Old receipts in his estate papers show he paid bills in Mulenberg, Kentucky, which would indicate he came from that state. Another old paper of his would lead one to believe he may have lived here as early as 1803. (See old Papers.)

Samuel Worthington was another pioneer of that time and connected with the Lawrences by marriage. There are some decendants of Worthingtons living in Pulaski County, but it is not known if they are of this family.

The next resident is William Simpson, who lived in Johnson County proper. While it is certain there were settlers here before him, there is no record of them. Tradition says he came here in 1805 from Kentucky by way of Shawneetown, making his own road part of the way. His name appears on the Randolph County records as early as 1808, and he must have lived here some time before as he brought suit against Hampton Pankey for $300 damage in the above year. He settled near what is known as Double Bridges in Simpson Township, built a double log house and opened as far as is known the first tavern in the county. There is a school house and cemetery located at the present time where his original house and farm building stood. It is about two miles north of Simpson and three from the county line of Pope.

James Finney was a resident of Randolph, tradition says coming from Virginia, in 1806, as he was appointed judge of the court of Common Pleas for that county that year. If his residence was in this section of the county at that time he was also an early settler, since it is certain that he lived in the present limits of Johnson County later. He would have had to live here at least a short time before his appointment. The fact that Reynolds does not speak of him as a first resident of Kaskaskia would make it plausible that he lived in this section. James Bain moved here from Kentucky in 1807, or the early part of the following year, as there is a record of a child of Mr. Bain's being born here in 1808. He settled what is known as the Vickers Farm, now owned by Levi J. Smith. The house stood about one half mile north of the present limits of Vienna. Mrs. Eliza Dwyer who came to this county from Ohio in 1857 and is now ninety-four years old says she knew Mr. and Mrs. James Bain quite well, and they were very old when she made their acquaintance. They told her they lived here a long time before they had any neighbors, but the Indians, who occupied the hills south of town where the farms of John B. Jackson, Joshua Arnold, and Ed. Harvick are now located. Mrs. Dwyer also says evidence such as arrow heads, stone implements, and graves, of the Indians having lived here were still found after she came to Vienna.

The second settler who came to Vienna neighborhood was Mathew Mathis, who opened the Loeney Farm. It is quite plain he lived in the neighborhood as he and his son carried the chain when the town of Vienna was laid off, although his land was not entered until 1832. The next neighbor that can be traced directly is Francis Jordan who entered his land December 1814, the first land entered at

Shawneetown land office, that lays in this county proper. This is known as the Oliver Farm, about two miles west of Vienna, just off the West Vienna road and is now owned by J. C. Chapman and G. B. Gillespie. John Oliver another first settler occupied part of this farm. Henry Beggs was another early neighbor in this county. He entered the Ausbrooks farm just north west of Vienna, now owned by F. R. Johnston, 1831. Land entries, tradition from Steward Sutliff, grand son of James Bain; and the statements of Mrs. Dwyer are the authority for these early settlers.

Isaac Wilcox was another very early resident here. His name appears on the Randolph County records in 1802. He was a merchant or trader and the court records show he had many cases on the docket.

"A family of Quarkers of North Carolina named Stokes settled several miles east of Jonesboro in 1808." - Reynolds. This was the founding of the Stokes family living in Union County and the western part of our county at the present time.

John Bradshaw and John Phelps lived on the west side of the county at or near Elvira, but it was Randolph when they were appointed Justices of the Peace in 1809.

Jesse Griggs, who was one of the first judges for Johnson County and Nathan Davis whose name also appears on our early court records lived in that part of the county that was cut off to make Jackson, at least, they with James Hall were the Commissioners of that county when Brownsville was established as the county seat.

Reynolds makes the statement that the families of Chilton, Brazel Lorton, More, Downing, Lemom, Copeland, Lacy Vanhoozer, Rattent, Stublefield, Hewitt, and Jones were attached to the eastern Goshen settlement, which was in Madison County, southeast of Edwardsville. It is not known whether Reynolds considered this section of country in Goshen settlement or whether some of these families settled there and moved here later, but the names of Brazel Copeland, Lacy, Hewitt, Stublefield and Jones are names of early settlers of this section.

Reynolds is also authority for the following: "Whitesides and their numerous connections were from North Carolina, (family tradition says, Virginia.) They first came to Kentucky, then to Illinois in 1793. The patriarch and head of the family was William Whiteside. He erected a fort or blockhouse on the road from Cahokia to Kaskaskia, which became famous as Whiteside's Station. He was prominent as an Indian fighter, had a large family of sons who were also prominent in the warfare against the Indians and in the War of 1812/' The Whitesides of this and Pope Counties are a branch of this pioneer family. The founder in this section settled on Big Bay about 1804 or 1805.

John Elkins who also came from North Carolina in 1809 settled on the west side of the county. He later moved to Arkansas but left four children who have descendants living in this county, especially in the western part.

Hamlet Furguson was a resident of this county in 1810 and was among the first judges holding court here. Hamletsburg, in Pope County, was named in his honor.

Levi Casey settled in Bloomfield Township, 1808. Hezkiah West came to this county from South Carolina between 1808 and 1810, and settled in the southwest part in the section known as West Eden. The locality took its name from him. His descendants are numerous and hosts of them still reside in the county. Jacob Harvick was another pioneer. The year of his coming is not definite but his son was a militia officer here in 1812. William McFatridge was the founder of the large family of that name coming here from North Carolina about 1810. His son John was also the head of a family here very early in the county history. They settled on Mack Creek which was named in their honor. Samuel Westbrooks came to this county in 1812, but moved to Equality in 1826. John and Isaac Worley lived at Elvira 1814, ancestors of the Worley family of this county. William Shelby lived on the east side of the county. William Parker lived near the Ohio River in 1827. William

McKee father to Green B. and a large family of that name settled in what is now Simpson Township in 1819. Samuel McGowan entered land here in 1818, now owned by Ernest Cooper near Walter Sharps. The Beggs Wiggs and Gurley families were very early residents on the western side of the county and in Union. Marvin Fuller was a resident of Randolph County in 1810. He is connected with the very earliest courts and no doubt, lived in this section at that date. Elias Harrell, was a settler in 1819, and Joel Thacker settled here about 1820. Green B. Veach, a pioneer, from North Carolina, came here very early. He settled in the eastern section of th county but the date is not known. He served in the Black Hawk War from this county. I. Weaver lived in Center Township in 1813. Some of his descendants live in Pulaski at the present time. The Borin family also lived in that section of Johnson in 1812, coming from Tennessee. John Byers who was appointed to take the census of 1820 lived in the northwest section of Johnson, that made Jackson, in 1812. Thomas Furguson lived on the eastern side of the county near Big Bay in 1812. He operated a ferry in 1814 at Golconda, paying taxes into the county treasury for that year. Vance Lusk and James Whiteside resided on the eastern side of the county in 1816. Their neighborhood later became Pope County.

John Whitiker located in the western section of the county that was made into Union or Alexander when they were organized. He paid taxes on his still in this county in 1816. Joseph McCorcle was a settler of 1818. William Fisher came across the border from Indiana to this county in 1810. John S. Graves was another early settler. John Copeland came in 1815 or 1816. Samuel J. Chapman came from New York state about 1816, settling first in what is now Bloomfield. His father, Daniel, came from the same state two or three years later, settling on a farm, near the present Bloomfield and Simpson Township line. Now occupied by W. P. Emmerson.

Milton Ladd, Ivy Reynolds, Jesse Canady, Alfred and D. Y. Bridges, and many others whose names appear on the court records are fully identified with the first settling of the county. Mrs. Sarah Howerton a pioneer mother of Johnson County deserves mention. She was the daughter of Randolph Casey and was born in this county in 1823. She was married and moved to the Howerton Farm near what is now New Burnside, in 1842, where she spent the remainder of her life, seventy-three years, as wife and mother. The dwelling was a double log house so familiar in the early days of this county. Many Indians passed her home and dangerous wild animals were numerous. Often when her husband was called away from home and she was left alone over night with the little ones she would build a fire outside the house to frighten the wild beasts away. She married at the age of 19 and raised eight children. Although a pioneer of a later day she was a founder just as truly as those coming from other states.

People who settled on land without entering it were called squatters; most of the people were squatters in this county, as there was no land office nearer that Kaskaskia, and it was not established till 1804. Shawneetown land office was established in 1812. Captain Cunningham, father of Mrs. Mary A. Logan was the agent there about the fifties. It was considered a sort of crime to enter land from under a squatter. In 1856 there was a special rate of twelve and one-half cents per acre, made to the settlers. This was called the Bit Act. There was a great scramble to get to the land office at this time. Men rode horse back, walked, pooled their horses and wagons to make a conveyance, in fact, any way to get to Shawneetown. Sometimes it would take ten days to make the journey, and wait your turn, since they stood in line as one would at a White House reception. Many people who had the money entered all the land they could for speculation.

The people of this section had to go to the old capitol, Kaskaskia, to enter land or for any legal business, to serve on juries or appear before them. The first deed recorded in Johnson County was not, of course, within the present limits, but appears on our records; it is from Robert Reynolds to Charles Davis, made in 1805 witnessed by Moses Oliver. This land is on the Mississippi River. Another deed was from John McElmuny to David McElmuny also on the Mississippi. It was made July 3, 1810. Frequent mention is made of McElmuny's Station in the description of land in the old Kaskaskia records. A station was a block house with a second story extending out over the lower one. The upper one was used as the living quarters so that the approach of the enemy could be easily seen, while the lower one was used to corral the live stock of the settlers.

The following is a list and the date of entry of those first entering land at Shawneetown in Johnson county proper or as it is now outlined; William McFatridge, May 23, 1815; John Elkins, Nov. 13, 1815; James Bain, Feb. 13, 1816; Hardy Johnson, June 26, 1817; Squire Choat, March 1818; Walton Gore, Oct. 5. 1818; John W. Gore, Oct. 10, 1818; Jacob Harvick, Nov. 15, 1818; Richard Marcer, July 10, 1818; Hezekiah West, Jan. 2, 1818; Andrew McGowan, Jan, 2, 1818; Elias Harrell, Sept. 25, 1820; Henry Beggs, 1831 ; Joel Thacker, 1839; Adam Harvick, 1818; James Finny, 1817; Martin Harvick, 1818; Joel Johnson, 1818; David Shearer, 1818; Thomas Dunsworth, 1819; David Elms, 1817; Abram Hendry, 1818; Benjamin McGinnis, 1817; Richard McGinnis, 1815; Emmet Elkins, 1818; Jeremiah Lissenby, 1818; John Plumer, 1819; (John Plummer entered quite a lot of land no doubt for speculation) ; E. J. J. Freeman, 1818; Daniel Delaney, 1818; Sidwell, Paxton and Chambers, 1818; (they also entered several tracks,) Henry Croswait and Richard Murry, 1818; Samuel Langdon, 1817; John McFatridge, 1832; Sallie Finney, 1837; Mathew Mathis, 1832; Richard Elliot, 1818; Joel S. Thacker, 1839 ; Francis Gehon, 1819 ; Adam and Martin Harvick ; 1818; Louis J. Simpson and Millington Smith, 1817; J. O. Russell, 1816; Rix Carter and Pleasant Axley, 1818; N. Longworth, 1818; (ancestor of the present Nicholas Longworth, Republican leader in Congress from Ohio, and the son-in-law of the world famous Theodore Roosevelt.)

John Worley, heir of Samuel Worley granted 100 acres of land for military duty by authority of Congress, 1791 - Kaskaskia records. Deed; Shaffer to Lawrence N. W. Quarter Sec. 32 township 13, S. Range 1 east, 1815. An early transfer in this county proper was Mathew Mathis sold to William Mathis S. W. quarter of S. E. quarter of section 30, township 12, S. range 3 east; another early transfer Thomas Gore ownership of property to John Gore, recorded in 1816. John Bain bought land here 1830, E. half of N. E. quarter, Sec. 4 township 12 S. range 3 east; Benjamin McGee sold to John S. Copeland W. half of the

Peck's Gazzeteer published in 1837 states the following in regard to Johnson County as it was at that time. "Cache River empties into the Ohio River about six miles above its mouth at Trinity, a town of one hotel and one store, founded about 1817 and was at one time a rival of Cairo. Elvira settlement on Lick Creek, branch, of Cache, contains about 35 or 40 families. George's Creek empties into Cache, a settlement by this name of about 25 or 30 families." "Tradition says this creek was named for an Indian Chief, George, whose home was on this stream and who was a resident here long after the white settlers came. "West Settlement in Johnson County on the west side of Cache, fine fertile tracks of land, 30 families. The McFatridge settlement eight miles northeast of Vienna, on old road from Golconda to Kaskaskia, on Cedar Creek, 60 or 70 families. Bridges settlement ten miles west of Vienna, good land, 60 families."

Colored People

There must have been negroes here very early in the settlement of this county, since there are records of their sale and lawsuits concerning them found in the very first of our history. There were colored people brought by Renault to work mines in this section 1719. Some historians say there were remains of these mines found in Johnson county but if in the present territory no one living now has any knowledge or tradition concerning them. The following is an extract from the court record of 1813. "On motion of Thomas Green one of the executors of the estate of Nathanial Green, it is ordered that the said Thomas and Parrish Green executors as aforesaid do hire out to the highest bidder a certain negro girl named Hannah left as a special legacy to Nancy Green, the daughter of Nathanial Green for the term of one year from the time of hiring and no longer and to take security for the return of said girl at the expiration of the term and payment of hire." Some of the families owning slaves were Greens, Wilcox, Eubanks, Copeland, Borin, Whiteside and Cox. There were no doubt others but no record is found of them. Several colored slaves were taken up by the authorities, served out their terms by the law were advertised and freed. This being so near the South there may have been an under ground station in this county. If there was there were so many sympathisers with slavery in this section that it was never known who kept them. The following shows the course pursued to recapture a runaway slave, "$150 REWARD! RAN AWAY from the subscriber a negro man named Patrick. He left on the 21 of July last, a dark copper color and will weight a hundred eighty or one hundred ninety pounds, about thirty-four or thirty-five years old, five feet and seven inches tall, round shoulders and heavy made. He has a few marks on his right side near the shoulder, caused by a whip from patroles. He has a down look when spoken to, a high forehead and a small bald place on his head, very. polite, he is extremely fond of liquor and can read print a little, make coarse shoes and can cooper very well, a good basket maker and can bottom chairs very well. Also a handy fellow with tools about a farm. He was raised in Bedford County, Tennessee by Robert Elison and was sold to me by Little and Thompson in February last. He and his wife. He has very short hair and close to his head and had on heavy whiskers when he left home. Since he left home I learned that he has been an old runaway and no doubt but what he will be hard to get hold of. When last heard from he was in the state of Illinois, Saline County inquiring for a free negro by the name of Jackson. He was in four miles of Jackson's. The settlement is called South America in consequence of the free negroes in it. If taken and well ironed in jail so that I can get hold of him I will pay the above reward and all necessary expenses by addressing me at Bahalie office, Marshall County, Mississippi, November 23, 1850, D. B. Linsey." The above notice which was printed in poster form on November 23, 1850, and sent to sheriffs over the country, has been kept in the Gray family for seventy-four years. It was received by B. S. Gray who was sheriff of Johnson County at that time and the father of our fellow townsman, A. J. Gray. James Gray, a grandson loaned the above article.

An old lady long since passed on told this story of one of the early slaves of this county named Nathe. His master regularly gave him to each of his children, when married as a wedding present, but he was so incorrigible except by his old master that they were glad to return him to the

The negroes took their masters name. There are descendants of these early slaves named Copeland, living near Belleville and in Mound City. There are also some of the colored Whiteside family who live in Pope County. There are several colored families living in the county at the present time, some of them very good farmers.

We have only a few colored people who were born in slavery, none natives of this county, and while they are all getting on in years, they are independent and self-supporting. These few are Lee, and Aunt Dolly Smith, Jennie Hessee, Tobe, Richard and Julia Thomas, Aunt Huldy Cole, and Aunt Ann Worrells. As a whole the colored population of this county is above the average. The Aliens who live on the west side of the county, S. T. Oliver, William Lathem, R. Thomas and a number of others have proved themselves substantial citizens.

The Wheeler family, colored, came here from the south soon after the Civil War. The father was born in slavery, and was said to have sold at one time for $1,000, owing to his strength and reliability as a man. He raised a family that any father could be proud of. One son, Green Wheeler is a minister living in Vienna, a reliable and well respected citizen. Another son, John, graduated from a medical college at Nashville, Tennessee and is now a successful physician in Chester, Tennessee. Another son, Henry, is principal of the colored school of Fredertown, Missouri and Winnie, the only daughter is married and living in Mayfield, Kentucky.

The Murrell family, colored, came here from the south several years after the war. The mother and father were born in slavery, and possibly two of the older children. Aunt Ann Murrell, as every one knew her was kind hearted as any woman that ever lived in this neighborhood. There was no case of poverty or sickness where Aunt Ann would not assist to the very best of her ability, and in many cases she would go to their relief when others hesitated on account of conditions. Aunt Ann and Uncle Pen raised a respectable family all of whom are doing well. One son deserves special mention as he has educated himself, com- pleting the High School in Vienna, taking a course at the University of Illinois, and finishing at a Theological School. He is now a prominent minister of the colored Baptist Church and located at Quincy. He served several months in France as a Y. M. C. A. worker during the World War.

There were twenty-four slaves and free born colored people in this county when the state was admitted to the Union. Bogg's says, "slavery was not entirely eradicated from Illinois till 1848." When the vote was taken in 1824 as to whether Illinois should be free or slave Johnson County was a tie vote, 74 for and 74 against. Buck, a historian of Illinois, speaking of the first constitutional convention, 1818, says, "In Johnson County the only known candidate who was not elected was a slave holder and an active advocate of slavery in Illinois. He was said to have been beaten by only a few votes. His name was John Copeland."

We have had very few colored people in the county for a number of years until 1923, when many have come from the south to assist in the new industry of cotton raising.

There have been so many prominent lawyers of Southern Illinois who practiced in our courts, that it seems fit that their names and residence be given as far as possible. Under the first judiciary system, territorial judges held courts throughout the Illinois territory. The prosecuting attorneys for the people were appointed and traveled the circuits just as the judges did until 1872 when the new constitution was adopted and the office of States Attorney established. Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Belleville seem a long way to come to practice in the courts of Johnson County, especially when the fees in some cases were only two dollars and a half, but Vienna was one of the principal courts of the territory.

The first lawyer on record was William Russell, who began to practice here in 1813 and continued until 1833. His residence is not known, but he probably lived in Kentucky. Russell E. Heacock began about the same time, Moses, an historian of Illinois says he came to St. Clair County in 1800. He later moved to Jonesboro, married in that vicinity and practiced law in that section for several years. He moved then to New York City and later to Chicago. Another historian says, Heacock had a law office in the village of Chicago in 1833.

Elias K. Kane whose name appears frequently in the first courts was a resident of Kaskaskia. He served as Secretary of State, Member of the General Assembly, was twice elected to the United States Senate and died in Washington, D. C, during his last term of office.

Benjamin T. Hall, Adolphus T. Hubbard and Robert McLaughlin frequented this court as lawyers from 1813 till 1817. William Mears was our District Attorney in 1813. He continued to practice here till 1839 and resided at Cahokia, moving to Belleville when the county seat was changed to that place in 1814. Davis, McHenry and Delaney were lawyers here as early as 1814 and 1815.

Thomas C. Brown settled in Shawneetown in 1812. He held our court in 1813, served in the Territorial Legislature also as District Attorney. "He was allowed ten dollars for his services as prosecuting attorney for the year 1816, agreeable to law/' for Johnson County. He was elected one of the first associate judges and served in that capacity thirty years. Joseph Conway was another who attended the courts here at that time; he resided in Kaskaskia in 1812 and served in that State Legislature as a senator. About 1819 the name of Henry Eddy of Shawneetown is first found on our records. His name continues until 1848. He edited "The Illinois Emmigrant," published at Shawneetown, the second paper published in the state. He served in the war of 1812, also in the State Legislature, was made circuit judge in 1835 and was a Whig in politics. A. P. Field lived at Jonesboro and practiced in Vienna courts in 1823. He served three terms in the General Assembly, also as Secretary of State in 1828. Thomas Reynolds was another attorney of this time, as was also Nathaniel Pope. He was the first Secretary of the Territory and acted as governor until the arrival of Ninian Edwards. He also represented the territory in Congress and was appointed United States Judge for Illinois after her admission as a state. Pope County was named in his honor.

Browner and Jason Chamberlain were contemporaries of Daniel P. Cook, who served as judge of the western circuit of Illinois, also as Attorney General of the state, and was elected to Congress several times, practiced here about 1825-26. Cook County took its name from Daniel P. Cook. Samuel McRoberts and Johnathan Ramsey of Hardin County, procured licenses to practice law in our courts in 1818. William Sprigg among the first territorial judges, held court here in 1815 and many times afterwards. Richard M. Young was a resident of Kaskaskia who held this court in 1825 and was also a district attorney. Jeptha Hardin was an early resident of Shawneetown and was made a circuit judge. He held our courts and attended them as an attorney about twenty years, beginning in 1819. John Mc- Lean was another of Shawneetown's famous citizens. He began practice here in 1821. McLean was elected to Congress one term and served many years in the State Legislature, most always as Speaker in the General Assembly. Dunn's name appears in 1823 and continues on the records about twelve years. James Hall, who served in the legislature was a jurist and author. He began the practice of law at Shawneetown in 1820 and moved later to Vandalia. He had cases here in 1823-24. David J. Baker, who lived at Alton, began practicing in our courts in 1824 and was present at almost every term for about twenty-five years. He was the father of Judge David J. Baker, Jr., of Cairo, who practiced in and held our courts as circuit judge until 1878, when he was elected to the Supreme bench.

Sidney Breese's name first appears on the court records here in 1825. He began his work as a lawyer with Elias K. Kane at Kaskaskia, and reached a very high place in the annals of our state. Thomas Hoyne, his biographer, says that he compiled the first volume of law reports for the state and this was the first book printed in the state. He filled the office of circuit attorney for the third judicial district, was a member of the General Assembly, United States Senator, Circuit Judge, Supreme Judge and twice Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois. His "Early History of Illinois" is considered one of the most valuable of its period. He was a frequenter of our courts as late as 1840, holding court at that time.

wood continued for fifteen or twenty years. Richard Hamilton attended the courts in 1830. Alexander F. Grant resided in Shawneetown, practiced in Johnson County courts from 1831 until his election as judge of the third judicial district, 1835. He also served in the legislature. Walter B. Scates conducted cases in this court the same year. He was circuit judge, held our court several years and was later elected to the Supreme bench. John Dougherty of Jonesboro, came as an attorney in 1832. He represented his district in the legislature, served as lieutenant governor and was later elected circuit judge. He was connected with our courts almost fifty years. H. R. Jones lived at Jonesboro, practiced here in 1820. Sander, James Evans and Morrison were attorneys here about 1833. S. D. Marshall, of McLeansboro was also of this period.

John M. McClernand was a resident of Shawneetown and frequented our courts for several years. He became a very conspicuous figure in Southern Illinois, representing his dictrict several times in the State Legislature, served in Congress and reached the grade of Lieutenant Colonel of the forty-eighth regiment in the Civil War. A. J. Kuykendall, a native of Johnson County began his practice in 1840, he served in the State Senate and also in Congress. W. H. Stickney, who lived in Shawneetown, Whitehead, Husbands, W. J. Sloan of Golconda, and J. M. Davidge of Pulaski County began attending this court about 1834; Richard S. Nelson, H. W. Clement in 1832. The name of Allen first appears on the attorney list in 1841. One would think immediately of W. J. Allen, but this was Willis, father of W. J. Willis continued attendance on our courts many years, frequently having cases with his son, W. J., who continued his practice here long after the Civil War. They lived at Marion where W. J. Allen was elected to Congress. He moved to Carbondale, was later appointed Federal Judge, served in Springfield in that capacity until his death. H. W. Billings, of Cairo, Caldwell and Cato were others practicing here about the forties. Nelson T. Hays, Soloman Waytt and Barlow came the following year with Demming of Marion as circuit judge. LeRoy, Johnson and Pierce were of 1846, W. H. Hacker of Jonesboro and L. W. Fern, of this county began here about the same time. R. P. Corder of Marion, M. W. Casey, of Mt. Vernon were also attorneys during this period.

Jeddiah Jack was a resident and practiced law in the courts of Vienna in the forties. He later moved to Metropolis and was appointed to defend Decatur Campbell, a negro living in that county in 1850, and the defendant in the famous Decatur Campbell case, of Massac. In this trial before the Supreme Court of the state, the principle was first established in Illinois that a person is justified in defending himself in cases of apparent, as well as real danger, also that the law makes no distinction as to color in a trial for murder, found in Vol. XVI, Illinois reports, page sixteen.

W. K. Parrish, who lived at Benton and later at Du- Quoin began his visits here as an attorney 1851 and continued throughout his business life. William Vaughn, Murry and Wallen appear as lawyers here in the same year. John A. Logan's name is first found in our records 1852, this was before he became the General of Civil War fame, Member of Congress, United States Senator from Illinois and candidate for Vice-President. He had cases in almost all circuit courts here until the Civil War. W. J. Allen came a little earlier perhaps, but they were law partners many years, residing in Marion, Illinois. W. W. Clement and George W. Young were also Marion lawyers of that time. B. 0. Jones and T. H. Smith of Metropolis, who was another Civil War hero, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Montgomery and McElvain were contemporaries with Logan and Allen. James Pearson and Delevan are names appearing about this time. The latter part of the fifties we find the names of McKay, W. J. Gibbs of Vienna ; S. D. Parks, who later located in DuQuoin; Monroe C. Crawford, of Benton, who later moved to Jonesboro and was district attorney; A. D. Duff, Circuit Judge, later of Carbondale; W. H. Green of Metropolis, who afterwards moved to Cairo ; H. M. Smith, of Caledonia, Pulaski County and H. R. Wise of this county as attorneys.

John A. Thompson, and S. G. Simmons of Jonesboro, practiced here in the sixties, also John R. Thomas, who was a resident of Metropolis, and later served as Congressman from this district for ten years.

The following are lawyers practicing here after the Civil War and up until the present time: Marion Youngblood of Benton and later of Carbondale, John C. Mulkey, of Benton, later of Metropolis, who was elected to the Supreme bench from there; S. P. Wheeler and D. T. Linegar were also of Cairo. T. G. C. Davis was an earlier attorney (latter part of the forties) who lived at Metropolis, and was said to be one of the finest looking men of his time and a wonderful orator. M. J. Inseore of Anna, C. K. Davis, James Gregg, of Harrisburg, William Parrish and his son, John, also of Harrisburg, were frequenters of our courts. Some members of our own bar were C. N. and A. G. Damron, R. M. Fisher, W. A. and H. A. Spann, T. Chapman, 0. A. Harker, B. F. Olden, John T. Allison, T. A. Stewart, John T. Keith, P. T. Chapman, A. K. Vickers, L. 0. Whitnel, G. B. Gillespie, D. J. and J. 0. Cowan, 0. R. Morgan, C. J. Huffman, George W. English, George W. Ballance, T. H. Sheridan, W. Y. Smith, John B. Bain and G. A. Vunkirk.

The first physican that is found on record in Johnson County is a Dr. Holt, 1815. He may not have been a resident of this county, but a bill of his is found filed against an estate as a physican that was settled that year. Dr. J. D. Martin is another of that period. Dr. Brooks, who lived in Union County, also practiced here in 1827. Dr. W. J. Gibbs came here in 1831. Dr. A. B. Moore, 1851. Dr. A. P. Stewart practiced here as early as 1845, perhaps earlier and for many years afterwards. He had children, Ann, who married Washington Boyt, Thomas, who was a farmer of this county for several years, Green, who was a printer and another son, Smith.

Dr. Johnathan Mulkey came to this county from Williamson sometime in the fifties. He was the father of Dr. Phillip D., who married Angeline Brown, settled in the western part of the county in 1870, followed his profession throughout his life in the neighborhood of Cypress and Mt. Pisgah. Other children of Dr. Johnathan were, Melissa, who married first Asa (see Carter) , second Andrew Martin ; Martha, married Deam West; Malinda, married Alexander McClain; Malvina, married Dr. Thomas Burris; Margery, married Frank Bently; Mary, married John Beggs; Alice, married Mr. Sailor ; Monta, married Mr. Williams ; the two latter live in Colorado. One son Robert died soon after the Civil War from injuries sustained in service Samuel C, married Emma Stone and removed to Union County.

Dr. T. R. Burris was a son of Hiram Burris, a farmer who came to this county in 1851 ; other children of Hiram Burris were John (2), Martha (2), who married John Graves; Stephen (2) married Jane Grissom, had children, Thomas (3), and Pleasant (3). He married second Mildred Stockdale and had children Edith (3), who married Robert Lough; Mary (3), married Adolphus Mathis, both of this county; Albert (3), married Eunice Veach; Fanny (3), married Alva Pickens, children, Magdaline, Josephine and Marion; married second, Edward Mathis, and has Daniel D; Ethel (3), married Dolphus Alexander, and has Orval, Ruth, Jane; Arthur (3), married Meta Miller; Walter (2), married Martha Pringle and had Carrie, who married Basil (See Simpson.) He married second Mary Dooley and had three children. Mary (2), married William (see Chapman) ; Amanda (2), married Adam Harvick; Elizabeth (2) married Mr. Biddle; Dr. Elias H. (2) , married Sarah Campbell of Kentucky, and had Columbia (3), Don (3) and Daws (3). He practiced here about ten years, when he removed to Kentucky where his family now reside. Dr. T. R. (2), married Malivna Mulkey, practiced. in and around Vienna about twenty-five years and spent his last days on a farm one mile north of Vienna. His children were Frank J. (3), married Ella Lovlace and had Frances (4) and others. Dr. Hiram H. (3), married Julia Bridges, they had Nellie (4), Ward (4) and removed to Union County. Cletus G. (3), married Mamie Hershbealer; Maude (3), married Richard Hoague and had Rubby (4), Thomas (3), married Edith Glassford; Bert (3) was accidently killed by an exposed telephone wire about ten years ago; Elizabeth (3), married Ernest Cates and has Ernest (4), Glenda (4), and Howard (4), Mabel (3), married Joe Price (see Price); Myrtle (3), married Ed. Veach and has Imy (4), Amy (4), Graduate physicans practising in Johnson County in 1878 were; G. W. Elkins, W. A. Looney, L. F. Walker, J. M. C. Damron, N. J. Benson, George Bratton, W. R. Mizell, R. M. McCall, C. N. Whitnel, Josiah Whitnel, R. M. Whitnel, 0. P. Martin, J. J. Walker, L. W. Carlton, and W. J. Fern. Those practicing under the ten year law ; L. L. Shadrick, A. T. Mobley.

Dr. Lewis Mehlear was a native of Germany, acquiring his profession in that country. He located in Flatwoods, Simpson Township, about 1850 and practiced there many years. All that is known of his family is that he had a son who studied medicine and located in Arkansas. The son returned to Simpson in 1923 where he soon died, being approximately 75 years old.

Dr. J. H. Norris was a phsician living in Vienna and practicing there in the 60's, if not earlier. He was a faithful member of the Methodist church, always attending the quarterly conferences.

Dr. L. L. Shadrick was a native of and practiced in this county more than sixty years ago in the neighborhood of Mt. Pisgah. He married Elizabeth Fisher who after his death married W. I. Joiner, a Civil War veteran and a business man of Vienna many years. "Aunt Betty" as she is familiarly known, now eighty-four years old is still a resident of Vienna.

Dr. W .R. Mizell was the first doctor to locate in New Burnside, which must have been about 1873. He built the second residence there and has practiced continuously for more than fifty years. He married Miss Thompson and has one son, Adolph, who is a physician of Shelbyville, 111.

Dr. N. M. Hudson owned a drug store and practiced medicine in Tunnel Hill for a short time in the early seventies, but later removed to Harrisburg, Illinois.

Dr. J. F. Blanchard came from Pope County to New Burnside when it was a thriving town and followed his profession there for several years, but later removed to Creal Springs, Illinois, where he still resides. He married

Dr. H. D. LaRue was a native of Kentucky. He came to New Burnside and practiced medicine about' twenty-five years but removed from the county several years ago. He married Bonnie Trovillion, of Pope County and has a son, Dr. Claude, who practices in Boulder, Colo., and one daughter, Robbie, who married Mr. Robbs, and they reside in Mt. Carmel, Illinois.

Dr. M. J. Kerley was a physican in Flatwood neighborhood near Simpson, beginning his work about 1886. He was the ninth son of Thomas Kerley and the Uncle of Dr. T. B. Kerley of Simpson.

Dr. Albert McConnell came to Simpson neighborhood as a physican about 1886, where he continued his practice for many years. His son, C. A. is a leading physican of Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Dr. J. T. Loney is a native of this county, and a son of Dr. W. A. He acquired his education in the public schools and Southern Illinois Normal and also graduated from Rush Medical College, Chicago. He was appointed assistant physican at Chester prison, but later settled at Simpson where he practiced for some time when he removed to Vienna continuing his work there for several years. He removed to Tishomingo, Oklahoma, where he follows his profession. (For family see Simpson.)

Dr. J. H. Simmons was a son of Peter Simmons who came from North Carolina and was a native of Simpson Township, practicing there several years about 1888. He removed to Vienna and with Dr. Joseph Walker engaged in the drug business for a short time when he removed to Missouri where he still follows his profession. He married Nancy Kerley of this county.

Dr. I. N. Graves is a native of this county, a son of Joshua and Katherine (Stewart), born in 1849. His ancestors were among the first settlers of the county, coming from North Carolina. He graduated from the College of Physicans and Surgeons in 1889; he married Maude Rich- ardson, they had Rollo, who married and removed from the county; Cora, married Charles Stanley; Zora, married Ray Bradley and has Vivian and Gale and resides in Goreville; Mabel, married Frank Stevens and has one child; James, married Helen Coleman ; Hazel is a teacher in the Goreville schools. Dr. Graves has been a resident of Gorville for many years ; and a physician for fifty-five.

Dr. J. J. Fly came to Goreville about 1904 practicing there about fifteen years, when he moved to Herrin, Illinois. He maried Elmiranda Mcintosh and had children, Nettie, who married Newton Lentz, Carrie, married Zach Hudgens, Bert, married J. B. Hudgens and had Arbie, Valjean, Wiihelma, Emma, Jack and Kay ; Emma married Roe Hubbard, Whilhelma married Earl Thornton, has Robert T. Eva married Pat Kelley; Ethel married (first) Tine Huggins and had two sons, second Mr. Lentz; Ralph, married Mary Grissom, lives in Franklin County; Afton, married Mr. Johnson and lives in Herrin.

Dr. R. A. Cavitt is a native of Tunnel Hill and a son of Jackson Cavitt. He graduated from the College of Physicans and Surgeons, St. Louis, Mo., and practiced in his home community a few years, but later removed to Morrison, Oklahoma, where he is continuing in his profession.

Dr. A. D. Thornton is a resident physician of Goreville and a native of that community. He is a son of William P. and Alice (Calhoun) Thornton, and married Fanie Boles. He was educated in the public schools of Goreville and acquired his profesional education at the Chicago College of Medical Surgery, graduating in 1913. He has extensive farming interests and is a fancier of thoroughbred horses and registered cattle.

Dr. Whittaker and Dr. Hurst owned a drug store in Goreville and practiced there several years. Dr. Whittaker married Miss Hurst, a sister of Dr. Hurst. Dr. Hurst married Ursula daughter of Charles Calhoun.

Dr. G. K. Farris was born in this county and received his elementary education here and later graduated from the Medical Department of St. Louis University. He began practice in Vienna in 1906 and has developed extensive practice. (For family see Farris.)

Dr. Earl Veach is a native of this county and received his education in its public schools. He selected medicine as his profession and graduated from the St. Louis University School of Medicine in 1915. He opened an office in Vienna where he enjoys a lucrative practice.

Dr. William Thompson came to this county from Tennessee in 1862. He was an M. E. minister and a physican. He settled on a farm east of Vienna, now owned by Franklin Marberry, living there till about 1874 when he moved to the villiage of Bloomfield, continuing his work as a physician and minister fifteen or twenty years. Rev. Fred L. Thompson (2), was his son and had been licensed to preach in the M. E. church before his father came to this county. He married Mary Bruner of Metropolis. Later in life he became quite prominent as a minister of the Southern Illinois M. E. Conference. The other children of Dr. Thompson were Elizabeth (2), who married James Williams, they lived for a while in Bloomfield, later moved to Missouri. Robert (2), married Cynthia Thomas, of this county and they had children Effie (3), Mary (3), Theodocia (3). J. H. (3), lived in Simpson Township. He married first Mary Cornish and they had William (4), (see Physicans) J. H. (3), married second (Mary McKee) Wormack and had Robert (4), Cletus (4) ; Virginia (3), married Jasper Mount, they had Ella (4), Fred (4), Frank (4), Elizabeth (4), Lily (4), Laura (4), Mable (4), Ella (4), married John H. Whiteside, Frank (4) married Nellie Short, Fred (4) married Luella Rushing, Elizabeth (4) married J. W. (see Reynolds), Lily (4) married J. S. Galoway, of Herrin, Illinois, Sophia (4) married George Williams, Mable married Mr. St. John, of Fort Worth, Texas.

Dr. William Thompson, a son of J. H., and a native of this county is a graduate of the Barnes Medical College, St. Louis, Mo., finishing in the class of 1909. Dr. William began practice in Belknap immediately after his graduation, continuing there till 1918, when he enlisted in the World War, going as a captain to France in 1918, and serving till the close of the war. In 1922 he removed to Cypress where he enjoys a large and lucrative practice. He married Bertha, (see Marberry.)

Militia

In 1775 a law was passed by the delegates of the counties of Virgina as follows, "Each company of infantry shall consist of fifty-eight riflmen, one captain, two lieutenants, one ensign, four sergants, four corporals and a drummer." As Illinois was a part of Virgina, a little later the law prevailed in this section. "A battallion of militia was formed in that part of Randolph County lying on the Ohio River in 1809/' E. J. James Territorial Laws. (This section later became Johnson County) "An order was issued by the Governor, June 2, 1809, to hold elections in these respective companies to elect persons to command these companies." Ihe reason for organizing these companies of militia, no doubt, lay in the fact that the Indians in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois had become troublesome and frequent depredations were inflicted on the pioneer settlers. Major John Worebeck petitioned congress in 1812, to raise four companies of mounted trops in Illinois to be used in defense of the frontier settlements against the Indians. In 1810 and 1812 there were a series of massacres by Indians in Illinois territory. In 1811 settlers on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers manned a fort which had been built in 1804 on Muddy River near where old Fort Massac trace crosses that stream. This section was considered an exposed position- and many people moved away on account of fear of the Indians. In 1813, two families were killed on Cache River about where Mound City is now located. The following was the territorial law under which the militia companies were formed for protection against Indian attacks. "All free white inhabitants, residents of the state of the age of 18 years and under 45, except as herein after excepted, shall be enrolled in the militia by the commanding officer of the company within whose bounds such persons shall reside, within ten days after he sjiall be informed of such residence and at all times, therein after, in like manner shall be enrolled, those who may from time to time arrive at the age of eighteen or come to reside in the district, being of that age and under forty-five." This was copied from the early laws passed at Vincennes for the defense of the territory. "The governor shall provide for raising companies of grenadiers, light infantry, riflemen and artillery agreeable to the laws of the United States at his discretion and when such companies are raised and officered shall be subject to the laws and rules of the United States and of the territory as any other militia." June 26, 1811. "All officers shall reside in the respective commands. " The third and fourth regiments of militia were formed along the Ohio and Wabash Rivers and located in Johnson and Gallatin Counties. The following are some of the appointments in the militia in this part of the state later known as Johnson County: January 10, 1810, Hamlet Furguson, William Simpson, Phillip Trammell, James Ford, William Alexander, and Absalom Cox were appointed captains of militia by Goyernor Edwards, August 2, 1810, Thomas Griffith was appointed captain in the third regiment of the militia; January 20, 1812, the governor appointed John Bradshaw, captain, Louis McMillian, John Patterson and Daniel T. Coleman, lietutenants, John Tweedy, Stephen Kuykendall, Irvil Borin, ensigns in the third regiment; January 2, 1810 David Anderson was appointed adjutant of the militia of Randolph County; July 9, 1810 the governor appointed William Simpson, Jr., ensign in the third regiment; September 24, 1814 John F. Smith, Daniel Coleman, James B. Bailey, and William Thornton were appointed captains; John Harris, Ebenzer Kealough, John Tweedy, Stephen Smith, William Huckam, lietuenants, Nathan Langston, William Johnson, John Whitiker, Issac Borin, William Tripp, John Schultz, ensigns in the third militia of Johnson County. Joseph Kuykendall was appointed lieutenant, George Weir, John Ruft, ensigns and D. T. Coleman Captain in the third regiment; January 20, 1812, Owen Evans and William Simpson were appointed majors in the third regiment, April 2, 1812, James Fox and Rice Sams were appointed captains, Martin Harvick and Vincent Larkin, lieutenants, James Simpson and William McFatridge, ensigns in the third regiment; June 15, 1815 Thomas Griffith wa,s appointed major and Martin Harvick a captain in the third regiment; August 4, 1815 William Richy, James Fisher, James Johnston were appointed lieutenants, John Fisher, Robert Miller, ensigns in the third regiment; January 10, 1816 William Hickman was appointed captain, William Lindsey, John Whitiker and William McNorton lieutenants, R. Davis, Joseph Perrin, ensigns of the third regiment; June the 3, 1818 Benjamin Means was appointed captain, Daniel Coleman, Vice captain Allen McKenzie captain and vice captain J. C. Smith, John

C. Smith promoted to major, Thomas Cox and John Graves were appointed captains, Joseph Kuykendall, William Mc- Ginnis and William Shelton, lieutenants.

All the officers were first elected by the militia and then appointed by the Governor. These appointments have been compiled from the territorial records by E. J. James from 1809 to 1818. William Russell was allowed one dollar for acting as clerk of the election for militia officers in 1825. The men serving in the militia were given land by the government. John White states he was a private in Captain Joseph Phillips Company, enlisted May 6, 1814, discharged August 21, 1815. He gave George Brazel power of attorney for him. His deed is recorded in Johnson.

Revolutionary War

Johnson County was so far away and so new that there wrere none here to enlist to fight for the freedom of our country from the English. But a number who had served from different states came here afterward and we have many descendants of Revolutionary soldiers now living among us. Alexander Beggs was a Revolutionary soldier and at one time a resident of Union County and he drew a pension as such. His widow, Elizabeth Beggs, held certificate No. 13,389, dated at the war office Washington,

D. C, July 1833 ; signed by John Rabb, acting as Secretary of War. Alexander Beggs died in 1837. The court of Johnson County ordered the clerk to certify the same to August for paying pension at Carmi, State of Illinois.

Mary McMahan was certified to as being the widow of John McMahan, a revolutionary pensioner. It was recommended by the court of Johnson County that she be allowed a pension from December 1823, the date of his death, till October, 1837. The court certified to her application to the war department. Hezekiah West stated that he served in 1780 as a private in Captain Frost's company of Mounted Rangers, in Col. WTinn's regiment, for one month in 1781, in Captain Robert Frost's company of foot, three months; in 1782 in Captain John McNeal's company of Mounted Rangers, in Colonel Davis Hopkin's regiment three months. He was allowed a pension December 3, 1832, at which time he resided in Johnson County, Illinois.

Jacob Harvick - From sur. File No. 32, 289 Revolutionary War Pension office, we find Jacob Harvick was a resident of Surry Co., North Carolina and volunteered as a private, early in 1781, under Captain Hulet or Hewitt, in Colonel Phillip's regiment and served three months. In the fall of 1781, he again entered the service as private in the North Carolina line, under Captain Charles Gorden and served one year. He was allowed a pension on application executed July 3rd, 1833 while a resident of Johnson County. William Wiggs or Weggs, from the papers in the claim Sur. File No. 32,608 ; it appears that Wm. Wiggs was born in Wayne County, North Carolina, about 1758. He served as private 1775 for thirty-five days in Captain William Fellows' Company; in 1779 for five months under Captain John Canada, and in 1781 three months under Captain Joseph Sessions and was in the battle of Guilford. He was allowed a pension on his application executed April 26, 1833 while residing in Johnson County, Illinois. Randolph Lawson - In the rejected claim R. 6, 205; it appears that Randolph Lawson was born in Cumberland County, North Carolina, in the fall or winter of 1752, and while living there, volunteered in the summer of 1780, under Captain Cox or Gholson and guarded baggage during the battle of Camden, also he again volunteered in 1781 under Captain Duck or Cox and guarded baggage during the battle of Guilford, and that he did not actually engage in either battle. He applied for pension, executed April, 1835, while living in Johnson County, Illinois, but his claim was rejected as he did not furnish sufficient proof of six months military service as required by the act of June 7th, 1832, under which he applied. His children are referred to but their names are not given and that of his wife is not stated.