Knox County, Illinois - Chapter 6: Archeology, 1878

A history of the county might be considered incomplete without some reference to the antiquities of the county. It is to be regretted that the subject has been left so long without investigation. Many of the aboriginal remains have been removed from the county, no record being left of their character or locality where found. Many more have been lost. Attention was called to the subject by the Smithsonian Institution a few months ago, and M. A. McClelland, of Knoxville, has made some examinations and a short report to the Institution, which he designs supplementing by further examinations and a subsequent report. His first report was accompanied by some very perfect specimens of stone axes, celts, discoidal stones, and arrowheads. His present collection consists in some unique specimens, notably a double-bitted war-ax, hour-glass in shape, with very perfect grooves sunk in the constricted part for the firm attachment of a withe handle. This specimen and a large stone ax were found in the vicinity of the trail leading from near the mouth of Court creek, northwest to Henderson Grove, or to the trail known as the old Galena trail, running northwest from Maquon through the county.

Among his present specimens are seven very perfect arrow-points, so near alike in size, shape and character of stone from which they are made, as not easily to be distinguished. These were found en cacheon the farm of Myers A. Eiker, northeast quarter of section 16, Orange township. Numerous other specimens were obtained from the same locality. In ancient times there was a small grove on this part of the section, and it being the highest point of ground on the west bank of Haw creek, in this vicinity, it doubtless was a favorite camping spot for roving bands of Indians that were making their way up the creek from Spoon river to the head waters of streams running west from the northwest part of the county to the Mississippi. %

Of the numerous specimens already sent to the Smithsonian Institution most were found on section 16, Knox township, on the farms of Mr. fra. R. Higgins and Mrs. Wilts. Mr. Willard Witherell, of Knoxville, has a large number of specimens from this locality. The north part of Mrs. Wilts' farm is probably the highest point in Knox township, a fine view of the surrounding country being had from it. Along the eastern face of the hill composing it, ran, within the recollection of many citizens of the county, one of the trails from Maquon to Henderson Grove. This trail ran across what now are the homes of Geo. A. Charles and D. B. Huggins, in the city of Knoxville. To the east of this trail, about one-fourth of a mile from the top of the hill, there is a fine spring of water. The entire eastern slope of the hill presents evidences of having been the site of a somewhat permanent Indian settlement. The ground for several acres in extent is covered with flakes and chips of the same kind of stone the arrowpoints are made of; and beneath the surface a few inches, at the distance of a rod or two apart, are found collections of flat stones that have evidently undergone the action of fire.

South of the top of the hill about a fourth of a mile is an Indian mound, thirty-six feet across, and raised in the center about three feet above the level of the surrounding surface. ' This mound had been dug into several years ago, but nothing was found except decided traces of charcoal, at a depth corresponding with the surrounding surface. The mound was more fully examined in the summer of 1878 by McClelland and Witherell, of Knoxville. Nothing was discovered at this examination except that the general features of the several strata of the mound were the same as those found in the mound a mile and a half west of Knoxville, and south of Harvey Montgomery's a quarter of a mile. This mound was much larger than the one on section 16, and it also had been dug into. The examinations made by McClelland were pretty thorough, a trench some ten to fifteen feet long being cut from the center of the mounds and carried toward the edge, extending to a foot or more beneath the general surface. Nothing was found in this mound except traces of ashes at a depth corresponding with the level of the general surface. About a hundred feet to the west-southwest of the center of the mound is a marclelle, or pit, from which doubtless the material composing the mound was obtained.

There are numerous other mounds in various parts of the county. On section 33, Chestnut township, there is a group of three, and about half a mile south, in Fulton county, there are three more. These are found on the western bluffs of Spoon river, and north of Cedar creek, on and near the farm of Elaminder Bond. Near Trenton Mills there are other mounds. One was taken as the site upon which to build a house many years ago, and in excavating the cellar a large number of human bones were unearthed. At Maquon, on or near what is known as the Barbaro mound or hill, there is an ancient Indian cemetery. This point on Spoon river was a favorite settle- raent of the Indians, within the recollection of many living citizens of the county. Both here and at Trenton their primitive sepulture was among the branches of trees. This was changed for burial at the instance of the whites.

Mr. Eiker, upon whose farm the arrow-points spoken of were found, says that the grove that formerly stood upon his farm, constituted, in the days of " ring hunts," or wolf hunts, the objective point towards which the circle of hunters directed their course. This may perhaps serve to identify it in the minds of some readers.

Various trails crossed the county. The old Galena trail, running from Peoria to Galena, crossed Spoon river at Maquon, and ran northwest to Henderson Grove. Another trail ran from the mouth of Court creek, west-northwest, to strike it in the vicinity of the grove. One branch of the Galena trail crossed Court creek near Pleasant Henderson's, near the northwest corner of section 21, Knox township. Another bore more to the west, crossing Orange and Knox townships diagonally from southeast to northwest. This branch passed through the northeast corner of the present city of Knoxville. There was another trail further west in Orange township, connecting Brush creek with the- head waters of Haw creek. On the eastern side of one of the little streams running into this latter creek, and probably at no great distance from the trail, is located the mound south of Harvey Montgomery's house.

There are numerous collections of arrow-points, celts, axes, etc., in the county. The Hon. Rufus W. Miles, of Persifer, has one. Mr. Willard "Witherell, and Dr. McClelland, of Knoxville, have each one. None of these specimens have ever been figured or described, except in the report to the Smithsonian Institution above referred to. Knox College and Lombard University have each a collection. Many more isolated specimens are doubtless in possession of citizens of the county, and many have been taken away.

The Smithsonian Institution is engaged in collecting the material for an extended work on American archaeology, and to this end desires to collect from every available source whatever is now known, or can be ascertained by special investigation, of the antiquities of jSTorth America; and it desires not only specimens, but also the description of the localities where found, so that the geographical distribution of each form may be accurately determined. All specimens will be duly accredited to the donor, in the reports of the Institution, and also in the proposed work on American archaeology, and on the labels of the specimens. Parties having such specimens are assured they will reach the proper destination if they will forward them to M. A. McClelland, at Knoxville.