Macoupin County, Illinois - Chapter 20: Reminiscences, 1911

Chapter 20: Reminiscences

The writer of the following interesting and valuable article on the early history of this community was the wife of Rev. Stith M. Otwell, who came to Macoupin county in 1831 and founded the Methodist church at Carlinville. Some time after the death of her husband she became the wife of Ruel Wright. By her first husband she had six children and by the latter four and at the time of her death, which was many years ago, her grandchildren numbered at least forty. "Grandma" Wright, as she was familiarly called, survived both her husbands and at the time of her death was over eighty years of age. The exact time this worthy pioneer Christian woman wrote her reminiscences cannot be determined, but the reader will be governed in reckoning dates and occurrences by allowing the passage of at least a quarter of a century from the time the words were written and the present (1911) :

A great many persons, since the organization of the Old Settlers' Society have essayed, orally and otherwise, to furnish sketches of the early settlement of this county and Carlinville. Many of these narratives have been very interesting, especially to the older residents. The writer of this sketch, known to have been among the very first to cast their lot in this "border of civilization," has often been importuned to add her mite to the "early recollections" of the place and times, and reluctantly makes this effort. Many incidents worthy of being chronicled have passed away, but it is to be hoped that the following may aid in filling up the gaps left by preceding historians.

Sent By Peter Cartwright

It was in the summer of 1831 that Stith M. Otwell, who was in charge of Lebanon circuit, Madison county, Illinois, was informed by his presiding elder, Rev. Peter Cartwright, that in the tract of country called Macoupin there had been a town laid out called Carlinville. The families who settled in the county had mostly chosen the edge of the timber where it joined the prairie.

Plans A Mission

In the midst of this "wilderness" was the site of Carlinville. Mr. Otwell made a plan of a mission, including this town, with some of his appointments on Lebanon circuit, and laid it before the Illinois conference. They accepted it and gave to him the appointment. Returning home he made arrangements to come on to Carlinville, to see if a home could be had in which to place his family while attending to the circuit. None could be found, but Ezekiel Good told him to bring them to his house until some other arrangement could be made. So, with that understanding, he returned and made ready to move his family to his new field of labor.

With a hired wagon to transport our few belongings, and Father William Otwell with a covered buggy for the family, including Amzi Day, a ten year old brother of the writer, we set forth. There had been much rain and the roads were terrible. We were compelled to stop the first night at a farm house, fifteen miles from our destination. Starting next morning, we thought soon to be at the end of our journey, but upon arriving at the Macoupin creek we found it had overflowed its banks, and not until our goods could be ferried over in a canoe could we proceed. About sunset we came in sight of the town and immediately went to the home of Mr. Good.

We got our supper, spread our beds upon the floor and went to sleep. Next day Mr. Otwell was obliged to look again for a home. Nothing but the schoolhouse offered and in it we found a temporary shelter.

A Town Of Six Dwellings

Carlinville had not many houses in those days. There were but six dwelling houses in the place, besides one blacksmith shop, one store, one dramshop, and the courthouse, schoolhouse and tavern - all of them built of logs or clapboards. The tavern stood just opposite to where the Dubois bank building now stands and was kept by Lewis English. It contained three rooms, one large one in front for a bar room, and two smaller ones back for kitchen, dining room, bed room, etc. There were two buildings occupied by a Mr. Plant - one as a dwelling house and the other as a store. They were on the west side of the square and another cabin tenanted by Mr. Smith, who had made a few bricks the year before. Two small cabins stood on the southeast corner of the square, in one of which A. S. Walker lived, and in the other kept a gunsmith shop.

These were all of the buildings around the square, in the center of which stood the courthouse. Then, as now, East Main street was a desirable locality for building, and upon it were three cabins - one built about where Hugh Winton's house now stands ; another upon what was called the Boice, now known as the Daley property, and one just opposite, upon what is now the northwest corner of the courthouse yard.

Carlinville'S First Schoolhouse

The schoolhouse into which we moved was near where Dr. Matthews' residence now stands. It was built by Harbird Weatherford, costing the sum of forty dollars. It was, of course, built of logs, and, I should think, about 18x20 feet in dimensions. In it was a large fire place with stick and clay chimney and rock hearth. There was one door and one window - the door made of clapboards nailed upon cross pieces, was hung upon wooden hinges and fastened by the old fashioned latch and string. The window was similar to the door. Wide planks were thrown down loose for flooring, they only half way covering the sleepers upon which they rested. As the building was set upon logs laid under the corners, I used to be afraid lest the wolves that we heard howling around the house should crawl under and come up between the sleepers and try to make our acquaintance. I dared not let Mr. Otwell leave me alone with the little one, and so we were not sorry when, after staying, there a week, Asher Beauchamp, just from Kentucky, was employed to teach the school and we had to leave the first parsonage of Carlinville.

Mr. and Mrs. Good kindly invited us to come and live with them until a house could be built for himself, which took six weeks. While there we inquired whose was the first family in the town, and learned that it was their own. Seth Hodges entered the land and employed Mr. Good to lay off the town. Then Mr. Good entered an eighty just east of it, and, returning to his family in Greene county, made ready to move, and with two young men to assist in driving the team and stock, he with his wife and three children wended their way to this land of promise. At night Mrs. Good and the children slept in the wagon and the men under it, until they could erect a small house in which to put their beds. Afterwards, when they had built a good, substantial one, twenty feet square, this small one became their smokehouse. It was in this large house that they were living when they extended to us a "shelter in a weary land." It was a wonderful room, too, for it held two families in great comfort, besides being the county surveyor's office, the postoffice, and before we left a small stock of dry goods was offered for sale.

The Postoffice A Candle Box

A common candle box served as postoffice, it being set upon a high shelf to be out of the way of the children. Once a week a man on horseback passed through the town, carrying the mail bags. Very few letters, though, were left here, for I think the box was never quite full. It was not always a pleasure, either, to know there were letters in the office for you, for there were charges to be paid, varying from ten to twenty-five cents, according to the distance it had come. And it was very trying to have paid out your last cent and, upon opening the letter, find it only an inquiry about some sections of land, etc., the writer thereof not having grace enough to prepay the postage. That was before the days of the wonderful three cent stamp that now carries a letter to any part of the United States, and as for the convenient postal card, our wildest dreams had never soared so high. Often has Mr. Otwell paid out fifty cents per week for those business letters, and when I expostulated with him for it he would reply, "O, it is for the good of the town ; help build it up." But it did seem hard, when we remembered that there was our home to build, our clothing to buy, as well as provisions for the year, and being allowed by the

Missionary Society but $100 a year, it behooved us to spend the money carefully. In a new country, that way, it was not often that one could eke out a small salary by working for others, for most all were alike in that respect - too poor to hire work done.

One evening while we were making our home at Mr. Good's, he returned from a surveying expedition, somewhere further up north. On his rounds he had procured a quarter of beef and was bringing it home, when the wolves, which roamed upon the prairies over which he was passing, scented it and gave chase. It was a pretty close run - the oxen that drew the wagon being proverbially slow, although doing their best, were surely being overtaken. Coming to close quarters he threw at them his remaining stakes (not steaks), shouting and hallooing to frighten them as well as to urge on his panting oxen. And so he rode into the town in triumph, bringing the beef with him.

The Goods were worthy pioneers and to be honored and remembered. He was one of the kindest hearted, most unselfish men in the world. Mrs. Good was a good manager, smart and neat. "Have things comfortable," was her favorite expression. They are all gone now but "little Minerva," who is the honored wife of Lewis Johnson, of Buford.

Buys A Lot For Fifteen Dollars

Mr. Otwell bought the lot on which Dr. John W. Hankins residence now stands, for $15, then cut and hauled logs from the timber south of town, hired men to hew them, and then with the assistance of a few neighbors, raised his cabin. This was covered with clapboards. A stick and clay chimney half way to the roof completed the fire place. The cracks were then chinked, but the weather turning bitter cold, they could not be daubed until the next summer. We took possession of our house between Christmas and New Year's. Mr. Plant was our nearest neighbor, and if I ever envied anybody, it was them. They had -a tight puncheon floor, clapboards on the joints, a chimney quite to the top of the roof, the cracks closed up with mud, outside and in, and - crowning glory of all - a window with six panes of glass, the only glass then in Carlinville.

Still, we did not need the window to give us light, for that came to us through the roof, the floor, down the wide mantled chimney, and between the logs on every side of the room.

The winter was unusually cold and the snow that fell in quantities, drifted in upon us often covering everything and deadening the coals in the fire place. It was nothing strange in the mornings to waken and find that nature had provided our bed with a beautiful white blanket of snow, more beautiful, however, to the sight than to the touch. Sometimes when the wind came from the east, the room would soon be filled with smoke. When I could bear it no longer, the door would be thrown open, the burning sticks be pitched out of doors upon the snow, and the room allowed to clear of smoke. Soon the stinging cold would drive us to gather up the blackened chunks and seek to rekindle the fire. I used to wrap our little baby boy in a shawl and sit with him for hours by the fire to keep him comfortable. It was a great deal that winter to do the necessary work for the family, our great effort being to get warm, for I can't remem-

University Of Illinois Corn Bread And Venison

Our bill of fare that winter was corn bread and venison, with, some sugar and coffee that we had brought with us. The flour that we had brought had been used before we moved into the new house. As for butter, milk or vegetables, we had none, and fruit was not seen in the place for years after we came. When a girl, I had listened to missionary sermons, and my heart was stirred with thoughts of the poetry of self sacrifice, the delights of such a life, and I thought that being a missionary one would necessarily be very good. But come to try the reality, and the goodness settled down into endurance, while the poetry vanished, leaving nothing but the saddest of prose.

Things were never so bad with us after that first year, for Mr. Otwell, although not believing in a minister engaging in secular calling, felt that something must be done to keep his family from starving. So in the spring he bought a stock of goods from Alton, and in company with S. C. Kendall, his brother-inlaw, opened a store in the cabin on what is now the Boice property.

The First Court House

The first court house in Carlinville was a hewed log building about 20x24 feet, situated in the center of the square. It had one door on the north and a window on the south. By the window was a platform made of logs covered by unplaned white plank. The judge's chair of today would hardly recognize its predecessor in the poor little bench then used. And yet it was occupied by some as truly good and noble as the present incumbent. Just in front of this bench stood the desk to hold the books and candle when necessary. It was formed of two short upright planks with another one laid across the top. In summer time the window was left open but in winter clapboards were nailed across it. The room was seated with slab benches and fully accommodated all who wished admittance. Simplicity of style in the house and furnishings marked the court house of those days, even as grandeur does the present. But then the people could not afford to do better, but they pajd the $45.00 which the building cost and at that time the people were not much troubled on the subject of taxation.

The court house served as preaching place for the different denominations untU such time as they could build houses for themselves. There was no enclosure, and upon the hillocks surrounding the house strawberries were gathered the following spring. Hazel bushes, too, were plentiful on the square, yes, and used sometimes, for I once saw a woman whose child troubled her during preaching, rise from her place among the worshippers and taking him without, gave heed unto Solomon's advice, "chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." That child is a resident of this county and has held many positions of trust in the county - thus showing that, for once at least, the lesson was not thrown away.

There was so little business done in the county that one man could attend to that of several offices. Tristram P. Hoxey was recorder, county clerk, and I believe also treasurer. Jefferson Weatherford was sheriff. The county court was composed of Lewis Solomon, Seth Hodges and Roger Snell. Many of their descendants are now living in the county and are highly respected members of society.

A. S. Walker must have been justice of the peace, for from the time of our first acquaintance with him he was called squire. He was a good hunter in those days, supplying not only his own but several other families with game, with which the prairies abounded. Prairie chickens, deer, quail, rabbits, etc. could be had at any time for the shooting, and occasionally a bear would be found.

The First Jail

The first county jail was built upon West Main street, tolerably near the square. It was built of squared logs three double, the floors also of squared logs. There were two rooms, one above and one below, the lower one having no door and only one small grated window. This was the cell for the worst kind of criminals. The upper room was reached by means of an outside stairway. In the floor of this room was a trap door through which the prisoners descended to the one below; the ladder being then withdrawn and the door closed. It was in this cell that Aaron Todd with Larkin Scott was confined and awaited execution for having murdered his cousin. There, in later years, Andrew I. Nash was placed until the day of his execution should arrive, he having been convicted of murder for the killing of Nick Lockerman. Upon that day people had gathered from all quarters to witness the hanging, some families coming a distance of sixty miles in ox wagons. Hearing that a reprieve had been granted, the crowd was greatly disappointed and soon became an angry, turbulent mob. They gathered about the jail, cursing and swearing at the helpless wretch, and finally became so threatening that a strong guard was placed about the jail to prevent lynching. After a while, some of the authorities, upon going to the cell, found that the poor fellow had become so terrified that he had drawn the cord from his bedstead, with it had hung himself, and was dead.

The Old Seminary

It was about the year 1834 that the school building known as the "old seminary" was built. The first teachers were Mr. and Mrs. Orin Cooley and afterwards Miss 'Almira Packard, and Mrs. Whipple. They were pretty good teachers and gave good satisfaction. They were from the east and were well educated.

The First Sermon

The first sermon preached in Carlinville of which I have any knowledge, was one by Mr. Otwell soon after our arrival. The meeting was held at the tavern kept by Lewis English, the congregation consisting of four women and two or three, children. Outside the company was much larger. Mr. Otwell did not continue to hold services there, but appointed prayer meetings at Mr. Good's, meantime searching throughout the county for preaching places. Carlinville being the only town then laid out, of course all was new, but he succeeded so well that at the close of the conference year he had twenty-eight or thirty appointments. These he reported to the conference as a circuit, to which he was returned. During that year his health failed so from the effects of exposures the previous winter that often, while traveling the circuit, he would be -compelled to alight from his horse and lie down upon the ground to rest. The next fall he was not able to do effective work and Rev. Elihu Springer was sent to the place. Since then the Methodist church has not been without a pastor.

At one of his appointments, Sulphur Springs, he met an English lady who has since been one of the well known and honored characters among us - '"Grandma" Dumville; she who was "grandma" to everyone, both old and young. She was ever a faithful attendant at the place of worship. . When the time for preaching came around, nothing but sickness could keep her from the meetings, and the four miles between her home and the place for gathering was cheerfully walked, that she might have the pleasure of listening to the preacher's words. And often, while there, the joy of the Lord so filled her heart that shouts of praise and thanksgiving to God would burst forth from her lips, electrifying the whole congregation. I think no one ever doubted Grandma Dumville's religion, and sometimes her simple but earnest inquiry "do you love the Lord Jesus?" would find lodgment in the heart, a thought they could not get away from until at last that soul found rest in His love. Hers was a bright, joyful, Christian life, not but that she had sorrow, for of that a full cup, even to the bitter dregs, was wrung out to her. As "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich," has truly been her experience. But 'tis not necessary to tell of her life, for she was well known among us. She has now gone home to glory, and has proved by sweet experience that as for the joys and pleasures of earth, "one moment of heaven outweighs them all."

It was the spring after our arrival, that, the weather being warm enough to sit without fire, meetings were held in the court house. Prayer and class meetings were held at our house and it was after one of these that Mr. Otwell opened the doors of the Methodist church and Mother Tennis, Thomas C. Kendall, William Brown and Nancy Reader Brown, his wife, and Mary B. Otwell gave their hands, and thus the first Methodist society of Carlinville was formed. From that small beginning it has increased in numbers, and has never been without the usual church ordinances.

Baptist Society Organized

Afterwards, in 1833, Rev. Elihu Palmer, brother of ex-Governor Palmer, also preached in the court house and organized a Baptist society, which has ever since been in existence. His good wife was president of the Maternal Association. Their daughter, Fannie Kimball, is now a member of the society her father formed.

It was not very long after Elihu Palmer's arrival that Dr. Gideon Blackburn came to Carlinville to look for a site upon which to build his college, preaching to the people in the court house. Among the first converts admitted to the Presbyterian church then formed were T. P. Hoxey and Daniel Anderson. Dr. Blackburn was one of giant intellect and with wide reaching plans for the good of his fellow creatures. It was our pleasure to entertain him a few times at our home, and we always found him entertaining, genial company, so that he was indeed a welcome guest. The members of those churches can, however, furnish a far better account of those early days than could be given by an outsider .

The people of Carlinville in the year 1832 were truly social and did not care to keep all their nice things to themselves. It was the good fortune of a number of families in the town to be invited to the tavern to partake of a New Year's dinner, which for the times was very good. The dinner consisted of corn bread made light and baked the day before, and roasted backbones and ribs, with gravy. This, with homemade coffee was the entire bill of fare, but there being an abundance of it all were fully satisfied. Soon after dinner the twanging of the fiddle warned those who did not wish to "trip the light fantastic toe" that the time for leaving had come. The dancing continued until a late hour.

First Wedding In Carlinville

In April, 1832, we were invited to attend what was the first wedding in Carlinville. Mr. Wallace, whose house then stood facing what is now North Broad street, was about to lose his fair and comely daughter Rebecca, and to see this ceremony a large company of friends and relatives had been invited. The house was a large one for those times, as good as any in the place. Of course it was built of logs, one room doing duty as kitchen, dining room, parlor, etc. Mrs. Wallace always kept these rooms in perfect order, but upon this particular evening everything fairly shone and all had a bright, cheerful appearance. One thing that greatly added to its pleasantness was the wide mouthed fire place, covering almost one end of the house, the wood in it being as long as a wagon could hold. The company were all present when \ve arrived and the bride and groom-to-be were awaiting the preacher's coming. An expectant hush fell upon all as he entered, and then the young couple arose, the ceremony was performed and Miss Rebecca became Mrs. David McDaniel. The bride was dressed in pure white, and with her fair and fresh complexion looked the perfect picture of health and beauty. Her granddaughter, Miss Addie Miller, of our city, very much resembles her. I have forgotten how the groom was dressed but know that he was a fine, noble looking young man, and as they stood there receiving the congratulations and good wishes of their friends their future seemed quite promising. The supper that followed was a bountiful one and all present seemed to enjoy the evening. Like sensible people, they went directly to housekeeping and until the time of their death were citizens of the place, well known and respected. The husband afterwards filled many offices of trust and was always highly respected and became one of the foremost citizens in building up our city and county.

At the time of the Black Hawk war, in the spring of 1832, our community was startled by rumors that the Indians north and west of us were threatening a raid into the southern counties. As they had formerly roamed and hunted over these prairies, and had (so alleged) dug and melted lead on the Macoupin, now ''Sunny Home Stock Farm," some credence was given to the report. Soldiers were needed to drive them back and the men not readily volunteering, a draft was ordered for the county. Thirty or forty men gathered upon the square to take their chance, and among the number was Mr. Plant, against whom some of our citizens were slightly prejudiced on account of his being 'a "Yankee," and hoped that he would be drafted. Mrs. Plant and a friend stood in her doorway watching the way things went, and when it was ascertained that he had been drawn, there was such shouting among the men as was seldom witnessed. Mrs. Plant, with a mortified air, said "I declare for it, I won't stay in such a place, I'll go back to Connecticut." And back she went the followingsummer, her husband with her, he having hired a substitute.

The men who were drafted from Carlinville joined a company that was passing through from Madison county. They were a fine body of men, being ununiformed ; but then they could fight the Indians and they did it so successfully that we were never troubled by their depredations.

New Arrivals

It was in those early days that B. T. Burke, a Virginian, made his appearance in our midst, and his name has ever since been familiar to almost every one. He was sheriff for twelve years and in that time laid the foundation of his collossal fortune.

About the same time Braxton Eastham came from Kentucky and settled in Carlinville, living for several years in a house southeast of the public square. Afterwards they removed to a cabin near where they now live. This cabin was in later days used for a schoolhouse and called "Good Intent." Later it was used as a chicken house. Mr. Eastham was, and is, a truly honest man, ever faithful to any engagement he may have undertaken or promise made. I never knew him to fail. Finding the temptations of the town too much for his strength, he finally decided that the better way to resist them was to keep out of the way of temptation. According to the resolution then made "never again to enter the town," he, although living at its very edge, has not (so far as my knowledge extends) for over twenty years been beyond the railroad. His hair is now very white with the winter of old age.

Another of our white haired men is Dr. Robertson, who also came from Kentucky. It was long ago, near about the same time as the other, that he came, and even then his hair was heavily streaked with silver. His wife was a sister of Mrs. John S. Greithouse, who lived where T. L. Loomis now does. After her death, he married Miss Nancy Holliday, daughter of "Father" Holliday, so well known in the early days of Carlinville. He made his fortune in merchandising and in dealing in real estate.

I think it was about the year 1834 that Colonel Anderson, also from Kentucky, came to the county, and after entering several thousand acres of land made his home four or five miles' northeast of Carlinville. Some of his children settled near the old homestead. His son Crittenden and grandson, W. E. P., son of Erasmus Anderson, are living in Carlinville, while Hal is settled upon a farm near the fair grounds - the old Dugger farm - as the place is called where Uncle Jarrett lived.

Uncle Jarrett assisted in organizing the first Sunday school in the place and afterwards to carry it on, filling, I believe, the office of superintendent. His sons, Joseph, Wesley and Ferguson, were old enough to teach classes, while of the other children there were enough to form a little school. At least there was a beginning around which to gather in the other children of the town. Jarrett Dugger was a great Sunday school man and his grandson, George W. Dugger, present superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday school, is following in his footsteps.

A while before the arrival of the writer, Mrs. Williamson Brown died at the home of Mr. Good, of a fever, and hers was, I believe, the first death in the place.

The people in those early days found it very difficult to get their corn and wheat ground, having to go to adjoining counties for that purpose. About 1830 John Harris built a water saw and grist mill on the Macoupin creek one and a half miles east of town at and on the farm now owned by C. A. Walker. After a few years, Mr. Weatherford built an ox mill east of town for grinding corn, but it was not at all certain to be in running order. As for flourishing mills in the county, there were none for many years afterwards, until, I believe, the old red mill was built where W'eer's now stands. There were times in those days when the flour being gone and the ox mill not running, and it not being convenient to send the corn away, people had to subsist for a while on lye hominy, and that is a thing at which a person may eat continually and never have their hunger satisfied.

The citizens of Carlinville were always respectful listeners when they had respectable men to talk to them, but sometimes there were curious cases that called forth all the latent mischief in their natures and then they were ready for anything. One morning when Mr. Otwell was working in his garden near the square, a half witted looking man came and asked him to go with him to the court house and help hold a meeting. He said he had been holding meetings in a certain place he mentioned and had a " Vival of 'ligion" there. Mr. Otwell told the man he was hurried and could not go, so the fellow went away and held the meeting himself, having the wild fellows for his hearers. When he got through with his talk they asked if he had a license to preach. When he could not show one, they told him he had broken the law and they should try his case. Organizing themselves into a court they tried and sentenced him to death - hanging. He threw himself upon his knees, crying, "O ! for the Lord's sake let me go home to my wife and children." He wept and wrung his hands but they were obdurate and told him he would "pull hemp" in less than an hour. When all hope seemed gone, the men, but one (according to agreement) looked another way and he whispered "run for your life." And he did run if ever any one did. Soon the court seeming to discover his absence, came pouring out of the house and raised a terrific yell. They put a boy upon horseback with an unloaded gun over his shoulder to pursue him, but of course he was never overtaken.

First Tf.Mperance Meeting

It was some time before this that the first temperance meeting had been held at Mr. Good's. That meeting was the "day of small things" compared with the recent great movement. Those meetings, the Sons of Temperance, the Good Templars and other kindred societies since then were but as the clearing away of underbrush, the cutting away of larger trees, preparing, digging deep for the foundation of our temperance building.

For years Carlinville was without any church building, each society being too poor to erect one. The first addition to the Methodist society was about the year 1834, when Jarrett Dugger and his large family moved to this place and decided to build a church and the little company built the frame house where bought a farm of A. Pepperdine (now Hal Anderson's farm). Soon after, it was John Keeler now lives. It seemed very good to have a house to worship in after having so much trouble. Not long after, the hearts of the little company were made glad by the arrival among them of Dr. John Logan, who for over forty years has been a true and faithful member. Afterward many were converted and added to the church but of the original five members all are long since gone to the good world but one, who still lingers on the shores of time, patiently waiting the Master's call.