Lee County, Illinois - East Grove Township, 1914

Hamilton's immediate neighbor to the east, was nearer the Peoria trail, and so was much sooner settled. In the thirties David Welty, while building his log honse just over the line in Marion, lived in East Grove. When set ott" in 1865, Fenwiek Ajiderson was elected first supervisor.

In 1836 "Squire" Charles Ealvey purchased a claim from one William T. Wells, and the next year he moved upon it, the north 1/^ of section Si, in a grove, from which the townsliip derived its name. Over in Marion, six miles away, lived his nearest neighbor, a Mr. Robinson, who in 1839, sold his claim to David Welty. Mr. Ealvey li^-ed right there mitil the day of his death, with brief exceptions when he stepped over into Bureau cdunty to lands he owned there. In 1832 he enlisted in the company of Thomas Carlin, later Governor, and served in the Black Hawk war.

And right here appears probably the most interesting character in Lee comity's history, Joseph Smith, "Dad Joe," as he was called familiarly. Dad had a voice like a fog horn and it was said of him that peoi:)le thirty miles away knew when it was 4 o'clock in the morning because they could hear Dad Joe calling up his cattle.

In 1833 he settled in the grove bearing the name Dad Joe's grove just into Bui'eau comity, to the southwest of East Grove, some three miles. Under the oldei- boundaries, he was about the same distance into Jo Daviess county. He too was a Black Hawk war veteran, serving as spy imder Col. Zachary Taylor. H. W. Bogardus too was a very prominent old settler.

Penwick Anderson Avas another old settler. Fi-om Canadaigua, New York, he migrated to Dixon in 1841. There he remained until 1849. In that year he moved down to East Grove and settled on the south Yo of section 34. He pi;i'chased his claim from Robert

Tait, who had been a workmau fur Johu Deere in his plow shops at Grand DeTour for many years. The rude log house on this place was the stage house for years on the old Galena, Dixon, Peoria road. In 1852 Fenwick Anderson, with S. P. Mcintosh, put up a kiln of 200,000 j)rick in the south part of the grove, which when burned proved to be a hi'st class article and from them he built his residence in 1853. This experiment may be said to constitute the whole range of manufacturing effort in East Grove township, although it may be asked why it was not continued when such excellent results were secured.

S. P. Mcintosh came up from Alton, Illinois, to attend the Dixon laud sales and in the course of his visit he Ijought the east I/2 of 36. But he did not move here until the year 1856.

East Grove has been the scene of more than one tragedy and it furnished a Lee county grand jury with the first nuirder for which an indictment was returned.

John W. Harrison, in 1842, was a deputy sheriff from Toronto, Canada. While on a visit to this country he was murdered by James S. Bell, on a spot near the northwest corner of section 35. David Welt}', justice of the peace, bound Bell over to the grand jury and the fellow was taken to Dixon and lodged in jail.

Sept. 13, 1842, the indictment was returned into court. Motions to quash the indictment and to continue the case wei'e made by counsel and were denied by .Judge Thomas C. Browne and on a motion for a change of venue the case was sent to Whiteside county. There he was tried and convicted of manslaughter and sent to the Alton penitentiary. After serving a part of his sentence he escaped and never afterwards was heard from.

And right here is met the most dramatic criminal episode ever enacted in Lee county. In the i)ortions of this book relating to the old trails, the Cleaveland turnpike will l)e recalled. It was built over the creek on section 3 in East Gi'ove township.

to it came to Charles Croft from the heirs of a Mr. Millard, who in turn bought the pike and toll house from Cleaveland. Croft came into possession before the year 18i9. Subsequent to the murder of the peddler, strange persons visited the toll house and held many conferences with Croft. Living with Croft was a hired girl named Montgomery, aged about fifteen.

Shortly afterwards the young girl went home to Aisit her mother at Dad Joe's Grove and to her she expressed her fears and refused to return. As a reason, she said she feared for her life, to remain. But she was persuaded to return and did return.

Shortly afterAvards this Charles Croft who was repiited to be a memljer of the Ijanditti came to one Ilyra Axtell, and the two came "to my house inquiring if I had seen or heard anything of Croft's hired girl. Her name was Silena Montgomery, aged al>()ut fifteen years. Neither myself nor family could give any tidings, not having seen or heard of her for some time. Croft claimed that she had disappeared without saying anything to the family of her intention of going away, and what had become of lier was a mystery. Axtell took an opportunity to conunuuicate with me, unoljserved l)y Croft, and said he believed there was something wrong in the mattei', and that the neighborhood sht)uld be informed and a search made. I agreeing with this suggestion, we accompanied Croft to his house (being connected with the toll gate on the south end of the turnpike! and went with him about the premises. There were three men mowing not far from the house, Eli Shaw, and the names of the other Uvo I camiot rememlier, except that the first name of one was Dennis. There was also in tlieir company one Sanuiel Perkins, usually called 'Sam Patch,' having a rifle with him. After being there some time and having conversation with them in various phases, Axtell and myself became more fully convinced that a misdemeanor had been committed. We concluded to go in different directions and inform the mother of the missing girl, who resided in Dad Joe's Grove, or in that vicinity, and the neighborhood generally. He went west and south and I north and east, and )jy night nearly a hundred people had gathered. We searched that luglit through the woods and grass and the next day until noon, and finally Croft's house. Croft had stated that the girl had taken all her clothes with her. While searching the second story, we discovered that one of the ceiling boards had marks of having been moved and replaced. We took off the board and found the best clothes of the missing girl, and under them implements for making counterfeit half dollars. These incidents strengihened the con- victious of foul lAiiy. A consiiltation of the crowd was had, and two (W. B. Stuart and James lihiiuseu), were deputed to go to Dixon for a boat with which to explore (Jreeu river. There was an element of the credulous who sent two, Samuel Meek, Jr., and Patrick McFadden, to consult a fortune teller. The search was continued while these conunittees were gone but without success. The committees returned; the one with a boat and Nathaniel G. H. Mori'ill, the owner, and the other reporting that the fortune teller said a nuirder had been committed, and live persons were implicated; that the one who had committed the o^-ert act had neither boots on nor was barefooted ; that he was ragged and wore a straw hat ; that the law would ne\'er be enforced against any of them, and yet the public would be satisfied that they were the ones who were concerned in the matter. Perkins wore moccasins and otherwise answered the desciiption of the lirst one spoken of. The search went on. This N. G. H. Morrill was peculiarly well adapted for working in business like this. About this time Stuart and Blaii', each with a party of men, went to their respective homes for dinner, and when Blair arrived his wife infoimed him that Perkins had been there during the forenoon looking jiale and haggard, and inquired of her if they had dragged the lower bayou. She told him she did not kn(»w, and he wi'ut away hurriedly. Blair deemed this important tidings, hurried through his dinner and came to Stuart's with the information, and (m consultation a complaint was made and a warrant was issued l»y Squire Stvuirt for the arrest of Perkins, and it was placed in the hands of Constable AYillard and Richard Meek. Previous to this Perkins had been living in a shanty in the grove, about half way between ("roft's and the bayou. On the search being instituted, he I'emoved his family and effects to his father-in-law's, Reul)en Bridgeman, a little north of the present limits of the city of Amboy. The constable, with his assistants, proceeded to Mr. Bridgenuin's and were informed by him that Perkins had taken his lifle only a short time liefore and gone into the coi'iiticld ( of nl)out tliirty acres ) to liunt chickens.

"More assistants wej'e iirociiicd. and the cornfield was surrounded. By tliis time it was about 10 o'clock at night, with a bright niooii. 'I'lic family of Mi'. l)ridgeniau's were in bed except I'ci'ldiis" wife. 'I'lie old gciitlciiian Lidt ii|> and stated that Perkins had n<it yet returned since going into the cornfield in the aftern(»on. He ])ointed to a cottonwood tree, which he said was in the dii-ection I'ei'kins had taken; that a little before smiset they had heard the icqxirt of a gun which they supposed was a shot at a prairie ehickeu. Couytal)le AVillard, with Ricliard Meek, Jaines Keeling, W. B. Stuart and F. R. Duteher, went iu the direction of the tree, and a few rods before reaching tlie tree tliey found Perkins lying on his back, dead. Notice was given to those around the field, and a crowd was soon there. Perkins was still grasping his gun with l^oth hands, and the toe of his nioccasined foot was in the guard on the trigger, the muzzle on his Ijreast. A portion of his skull was found nearly a rod from his Ixxly, the inside powder burnt. The coroner, Solomon Parker, was sent for, who summoned a jury of inquest. They investigated the case and reported the following verdict: 'The undersigned, being duly summoned and qualified by the coroner of l^ee count}', as a jury of inquest on the dead jjody of Samuel Perkins, foinul dead in the cornfield near Reuben Bridgeman's. l)elieve the said Perkins came to his death by shooting himself with a rifle gun, through the head. (Signed) Jesse Hale, Francis H. Northway, Joseph Farwell, William M. Hopkins, Samuel Bixby, Elisha Palmei', John C. Church, Ira P. Hale, John Skinner, R. P. Treadwell. Inlet Precinct, August 3, 18-19.' Meanwhile the search for the missing girl had been going on. This Mr. Morrill ado]>ted the i^lan of going down the stream to where it loses itself as to liaving a channel, l^y spreading over the swamp, and by wading npwai'd, tlioroughly searching every i:)art. It Avas a dry time and the water was quite low. This plan was followed, and when the mouth of the little bayou (as the coroner termed it in his rep(n't) was nearly reached, the body was found. The upper part of the face was In'uised as though struck with some heavy sul)stance, and some insist that a bullet hole was in the forehead. The excitement ran high ; the male portion of the country for a dozen miles or more in every direction had come out. Coroner Parker was among the number and at once impaneled a jury of inquest, who took possession of the body and held their inquest. The following witnesses wei'e examined as the records show: Drs. J. B. Gregory, of Dixon, and Harmon Wasson of Amboy, as i^hysiciaus: Samuel Meek, Sr., Eli Shaw, John Koons, HyraAxtelbN. CI. H. Monill, Richard Meeks, T. L. Dennis, Charles Croft, Sally Perkins, Catherine Shaw and Lyman Hubbard. After the examination closed, the following verdict was rendei'ed: 'We the undersigned, having been smnmoned and sworn to hold a jury of inquest on the dead Ijody of Silena Montgomery, fomid dead in Inlet Creek, iu Winnebago precinct, Lee county, and state of Illinois, and having attended to their duty l)y a faithful examination of the said body, and by an examination of witnesses iii tlie case and all diligent inquiry tliey have been able to institnte, do report their verdict to 1)e. that the said Sileua Montgomery came to her deatli l)y \ioleiice. and that one Samnel Perkins, late of Lee county, was the innnediate agent in procuring lier death, as we verily believe. (Signed) Ck'orge E. Haskell, foreman; J()se])h Gardner. Saliin Trow)>ridge, I. Means, Alva Hale, L. I). AVasson. Lewis Chipp, Cyrus Williams, Philip Mowry, Joseph Lewis, Ozias AMieeler, and 1>. F. Brandon. Winnebago precinct, August 4, 1849.'

"The circumstances sui'ioundiug led to tlie conclusion that Croft, Eli Shaw, and the two Withers that were fomid mowing hay for Croft at the conuuencement of the search, were implicated in

Curtis were deputed to arrest Croft and Shaw. They, with Hyra Axtell, started, and on the way, near Samnel Meek's, they foiuid a team aud lumber wagou, and in it lay Eli Shaw, dead. One report is that he died from strychnine and whiskey, and that it was found that he had purchased some of the former at Dixon, of Doctor Gregor_y, on that day. From the i-ecords in Dixon, it is found that a coroner's inquest was not held until March 1, 1850. As his death occurred so long l)efore this he was probably buried and exhumed when the inquest was held. The verdict was as follows: 'Verdict of the coroner's jury, impaneled to ascertain how and in what manner the body of Eli Sliaw came to its death. We, the jury in said case, do tiud that Eli Shaw came to liis death fi'om causes to the jurv unknown. Dixon, March 1, 1850. (Signed) John Dement, foreman ; A. L. Porter, A. H. Eddy, L Means, N. F. Porter, J. W. Davis, J. M. Cropsey, C. A. SmitJi, John V. Eustace, Thomas H. Ayi'es, Cyrus Williams, N. CI. H. Moi-rilL' After leaving the liod}' of Shaw iu the cai'c of Meeks, the tlu'cc l)efore mentioned went on to Croft's house, arriving thei'o at a late hour of the night. Near the door they fouud a horse and spring wagon and a trunk in the wag(ni. Ci'oft was about ready to go away. Through a rift in the window curtain tlicx' saw liiin load oue pistol and lay it u])on the table near him aud take up another and connnence to load it. At this juncture the doin- was burst open, the loaded pistol and Croft grabbed at the same time, aud Croft duly ironed by the arresting party. The truuk was taken from the wagou. Croft placed in it, audi Stiiai-1 liurriedly <lrove to Dixon and delivered the prisoner to tlie jaih'r. Croft's and l\ei' bi'olher. John Bryant, were in the house af the time of 1lie ai'i-rsl l»ul did not attempt to interfere. The remaining two ini|iiicated ones hd't the vicinity, but were heard of at Peoria, aud the officers liaviug the warrants for their arrest proceeded there, found and took them in cliarc;e. Tliey were ironed and placed upon a steamer for Peru, there to talvc the stage for Dixon. Not h»ng after leaving Peoria, the prisoners, having the privilege of walking about the boat, watched their o})portunity and simultaneously threw themselves overboard and were drowned, the irons upon them facilitating to make an effectual taking otf in this way. Of the hve implicated, only Croft noAV remained alive. He remained in jail, having been indicted l:)y the grand jury Aug. 23, 1849, and the case continued to the next term. His wife visited him occasionally, and a few days before the term and short!}' after one of these visits the jailor, calling at the cell, found Croft with his throat cut, and life extinct; a razor lay by with which the dt-ed was done. The next day, a coroner's inquest was held, which resulted in the following verdict: 'Upon the view of the bod}^ of Charles Croft, now lying dead in the jail of Lee county, at Dixon, Illinois, we the jury tif inquest duly impaneled and sworn diligently to inquire, and a true presentment make, how, in what manner, and by whom or what, the body of the said Charles Croft, which here lies dead, came to his death, do find that the said Charles Cro'ft came to his death by cutting his own throat with a razor, on the afternoon of the 22d of November, A. D. 1849, while confined in the jail of Lee county. (Signed) William W. Heaton, foreman; Charles Dement, E. W. Hine, J. B. Brooks, James Benjamin, A. ]\I. Pratt, R. B. Loveland, James Campliell, Horace Preston, E. B. Blackman, Gilbert Messer, Elias B. Stiles. Dixon, Lee Coimty, Illinois, November 23, 1849.' The theory generally held in relation to this matter, which caused the murder of the girl Salina, is as follows: Croft's ])remises was considered a rendezvous of the banditti of the prairie of those times. Croft owned the tiu'upike across the Winnebago swani])S and kept the toll gate at the south end, it lieing near the center of section 3, of East Grove. Several individuals had been known to pass over the turn])ike fi'om the north and were not heard of afterwards, especially a i>ed(llei-. who had foi-merly frecpiented tliose [)arts, and it is sup])osed this hired girl knew so much of the workings «if this banditti, that they concluded it was not safe for her to live and as 'dead men tell no tales,' they nmrdered her. Croft planned the mode of the proceeding, Perkins was guilty of the overt act. and the otlu'r three liel]ied to secrete the 1)ody. So all were, as principals or accessories. parti<-ipants in the matter." (From the ]>apers of the late William B Andruss).

The eonclusiuu of this series of fearful tragedies is best related ))y the late Mrs. Grace Everett Johnson, daughter of Dr. Oliver Everett, who li\'ed on the corner opposite, to the north. The jail at that time was located u^jou the southeast corner of Second street and Ottawa avenue. Across the street to the north, where the Ijresent Elks clubhouse has been built, was the location of the old Everett home.

"The county jail in those days was in the northwest corner of the lot now owned by Mr. George Steel, and just across the street from our house. AVhen Croft, one of the men who committed those terrible nmrders on Green river in the early days, cut his throat with a razor accommodatingl^v sujoplied him by his wife, the sheriff rushed over for my father. When he got there he at once saw that nothing could be done to save the man's life, and, indeed, it was but a few minutes until he breathed his last, thus closing another chapter in that terrible rec(n'd of crime.''

The manner of supplying the razor was 'as follows: The wife had been permitted to visit liim at the jail many times. At last just before his trial was to be called, she baked the razor in a loaf of bread and with it the wretch cut his throat.