Marion County, Illinois - The whole text, 1909 (part 4 of 27)

Marion county is in the center of what is called "Egypt," the west line sixty-one miles east from St. Louis, and the east line about the same distance west from Vincennes. It is as has been already stated, a square county. Through the county from east to west, passes the B. & O. S.-W. Railway, formerly the Ohio & Mississippi Railway, about two miles south of the center and nearly parallel with an east and west line drawn through the center. The Illinois Central Railway passes near the west line of the county and nearly parallel with it from north to south, while the Chicago branch of the Central leaves the main line at the northern line of Centralia township and runs diagonally northeast to the north line of the county, about six miles west of the northeast corner of the county. The Chicago & Eastern Illinois, or the Chicago, Paducah & Memphis, as it was originally called, enters the county on the north about two miles west of the Chicago branch of the Central, passes south, crossing the branch at Kinmundy, passing exactly over the cern ter of the county to Salem, where it crosses the B. & O. S.-W., thence southeast, leaving the county on the south about ten miles west of the southeast corner of the county. The Illinois Southern Railway begins at Salem, near the center of the county, and runs southwest, intersecting the branch and Central at the "Junction," i. e., at the point where the branch leaves the main line of the Central and passes over the Central tracks through the city of Centralia, then on tracks of its own leaves the county on the west near the southwest comer of the county, making in all exclusive of side tracks, about one hundred and ten miles of railroad in the county limits. The Illinois Central branch is double tracked, and it, as also the C. & E. I., are constantly being pounded by the wheels of monster engines. At no time is one out of sight until the smoke of another may be seen coming or going to or from that which was less than eighty years ago, placed on the maps as a village of Pike county, the marvelous city of Chicago.

There are no navigable streams in or bordering Marion county, but it is well watered by "creeks," some of which are of considerable size. The largest are East Fork in the northwest, Skillet Fork in the southeast, and Raccoon and Crooked Creeks the south and southwest. These with their dozens of branches permeating every part of the county, give an abundant water supply and afford a splendid system of drainage. The county occupies the water shed between the Wabash on the east and the Okaw, or Kaskaskia on the west, East Fork and Crooked Creek flowing into the Kaskaskia, and Skillet Fork and its branches into the Wabash.

Mineral Resources

The mineral resources of the county, so far as lias been ascertained, consist of an abundance of bituminous coal, underlying all parts of the country. Mines have been developed in Centralia, Sandoval, Odin, Kinmundy and Salem townships, of which more will be said in the description of the several townships. It may be said here, however, that the mines are in some parts among the deepest in the state and produce coal of a very superior quality. Sandstone is found in several parts of the county, but no quarries have been opened for commercial purposes. It is of a very soft character when first quarried, but hardens on exposure to the air, and will some day be of value for building purposes. Mineral oil, so-called petroleum, of commerce, has been found in various parts of the county, notably at Alma, where a well was bored about 1805, and about three miles north of Centralia, where oil was struck in October, 1908. The Alma well was a prospect hole, and was never "shot," but as soon as it was ascertained oil was present the prospectors plugged the well and removed the machinery, so it is unknown to the public whether it is in sufficient quantities to pay or not. The well north of Centralia was "shot" and oil of a superior quality was found in good quantity. The company, which is composed of citizens of Salem, as soon as they discovered they had struck it rich, closed the well temporarily, and immediately began preparations to bore another well in the near neighborhood of the first, which second well is nearing completion. Several other wells are under contract, one, a mile south of Salem, is awaiting the completion of a well elsewhere, so that the drilling outfit may be moved to the proposed location. What the "find" will be, or what results may be obtained from the Marion county oil field cannot be now safely predicted, and must be left to the historian of the future to describe. We can only say that the oil experts say that the oil .sand extends across the county in a northeast to southwest direction, and is about twelve miles wide, with Salem in the exact center of the strip. But as the locating of oil in the earth is not an exact science, it can only be known what is below the surface by boring through the stratas until oil is reached or the work abandoned. The surface of the county is level, slightly undulating in parts, only breaking into hills of no great altitude near the larger streams.

Originally about two-thirds of the county was covered with a magnificent growth of timber, about one-third being prairie. The timber has been cut and sold or burned in the logheaps of the pioneer until now, in 1908, there is no timber worth mentioning in Marion county. The timber consisted of rock, and black sugar maple and soft maple, four varieties of hickory, four of ash, white and black walnut, sycamore, aspen, cottonwood, burr, post, white, swamp, laurel, black, yellowbark, red, scarlet and pin oaks, sev- eral species of the willows, red, white, cork and hickory elms, with a few buckeye, hackberry, beach, the alders, service berry, indigo and lead bushes, birch and beach in localities, red bud, bitter-sweet, button bush, dogwood, wild cherry of three varieties, Kinnickinnick willow, the osiers, hazelnut, haws, red and black leatherwood, wahoo, honey locust, witch hazel, coffeenut, a few cedars, mulberries, woodbine, moonseed, ironwood, wild plum, crab apple, sumach, poison ivy, wild gooseberry, black currant, wild roses, elderberry, sassafras, buffalo-berry, coralberry, trumpet creeper, bass-wood, summer and winter grape, prickly ash, spicebush, the black and red raspberries and black locust. The above list comprises all the woody plants found native to the county, many of which were plentifully distributed in the timbered part of the county. Of these many are of great value in building and in manufacturing; others are of great value in medicine, and others have yet no value known to man, but doubtless in the future a value now unknown will be discovered.

Among the native grasses is the red top, nimble will, bluejoint (now almost obliterated), orchard grass, the blue grasses, reeds, cane, raggrass, vernal grass, canary grass, crabgrass, witchgrass, barnyard grass, foxtail, bottle grass, wild millet, wild oats, broonbeard grass, of these the most common was the redtop and blue grass of the timber land, and the two varieties of prairie grass, one of which grows on the higher land, the other in the low wet lands or sloughs. The first grows from eighteen inches to two feet high, and has almost no stem, and is excellent for stock food, both as pasture or when cut and dried into "prairie hay." The other called "bluejoint," has a jointed stem nearly as large as a lead pencil with joints eight or ten inches long, and often grew to the height of eight or ten feet, and so thick that a man on horseback could not be seen any distance. This grass was ornamented with a feathery, tasseled top, and waving in the sunlight was not unlike the gentle billows of an inland lake in its wave-like motion. It was this grass burning that rendered the prairie fire of an early day so feared by the settlers, and no way was ever devised to protect the settler or camper against destruction but to fight fire with fire, that is to fire the grass on the side from which the fire threatened, and letting it burn toward the advancing wall of flame, and stamping out while under control the grass on the side which was to be protected.

All southern Illinois has been called by the nickname of "Egypt." The origin is not far to look for. In the settlement of the prairie portion of the state, when emigration was pouring into its borders so fast that famine often threatened not only the stock of the emigrant but of the emigrant himself, they journeyed with great wagon trains into the older settled portions of the state, i. e., southern Illionis, often a dozen neighbors with their wagons going together to get com enough to tide them over until the first crop could be grown, and they likened their journey to that of old, when the brethren of Joseph went down into Egypt to buy corn. Hence "going down into Egypt" became a common expression, and like many other expressions, it took root in the language of the people and the name remains long after the necessity which gave rise to it has passed away. Illinois is also called the "Sucker State," and this name, like all others that emanate from the people, expresses an idea and conveyed a meaning, which is almost lost with the passing of the necessity for its original use. It is well known that in the late summer and early fall, southern and middle Illinois is subject to extreme drought, often so long continued that water is not to be found for long distances across the prairies, except as obtained by the arts of man. Yet while the surface water is dried up along the sloughs, the crayfish, with unerring instinct, bore their tiny wells, which they indicate by the "chimneys" which they rear above the surface, often many inches. These crayfish wells vary from three feet to fourteen feet in depth, and invariably reach an abundance of clear, sparkling water. The early travelers, especially the surveyors of the government land, knowing this fact, provided themselves with long, jointed sections of cane, such as is used for fishing poles, and by thrusting them down crayfish wells could suck up an ample drink of pure, cool water, and thus be able to continue the work at a time when otherwise they would be forced to wait for rain. This habit or practice soon gave the name "Sucker" to the surveying parties which gradually became general in its application to the whole people of the state, and thus to the inventive genius of some unknown chain-carrier is the great state of Illinois indebted for her familiar cognomen of "Sucker State." In regard to Marion county being in Egypt, all citizens are proud of the appellation. The following letter will throw some light on the subject and give the above as the correct version of the origin of -the name Egypt. The writer is a grandson of Gov. Zadock Casey, who was not only a pioneer, but a man of great ability and of good education and who loved all southern Illinois, and especially Marion county, which he always regarded as his political child, and of which he was very proud, and in return the name of Gov. Zadock Casey is held in loving memory by those remaining of the citizens of the early days of the county. The writer is one of the Circuit Judges from this circuit, now on the bench filling his second term, and a lawyer of fine ability and great learning, and one who has had exceptional advantages in acquiring knowledge of the matters whereof he speaks. The letter is as follows : county in 1817, say that southern Illinois was called Egypt from the fact that in an early day, the exact year I can't now recall, but in the twenties I think, there was throughout the central and northern part of the state an almost total failure of the corn crop, while in southern Illinois there was an abundant and overflowing crop, that people, by every then known conveyance, came down from the central and northern parts of the state into southern Illinois after corn, hence the name Egypt.

"Twenty-five or more years ago Webster's Unabridged Dictionary said, under the head of Names of Fiction : Southern Illinois sometimes called 'Egypt' on account of the supposed ignorance of the inhabitants thereof. I wrote the publishers that they did great injustice to southern Illinois, and gave them the origin of the name 'Egypt' as it had come to me. Subsequent editions of the dictionary eliminated the objectionable features.

First Settlement

The first white man who selected Marion county as a spot on which to build a home was Samuel Young. The story of his life at this time reads like a romance. He was born and reared in Virginia, but migrated with his family to Tennessee, where he was blessed with a large family consisting of four girls and two boys. The eldest, Jane Young, married Robert Snodgrass, who was one of the company whea the Young family moved to Marion county. Samuel Young with his wife and youngest child, Mathew, came to Illinois and stopped at Shawneetown about the year 1803, and remained there about six years. The rest of the family, some of whom were married, remained in Tennessee until the father should find a suitable location, when they were to come. About 1810 Mrs. Young died near Shawneetown and Mr.

Young, who had not been satisfied to bring his family there, took his son Mathew, then a boy of eleven years, and with no other companion traversed across southern Illinois to New Madrid, Missouri, occupying some months in the journey, stopping as fancy dictated, and arriving at New Madrid in the fall, where they proceeded to build themselves a cabin, and were living there when the New Madrid earthquake occurred on the night of November 16, 1811. The following description of the earthquake is taken from the scientific writings of Russell Hinman, an authority on earthquake phenomena :

"In 1811 an earthquake shook the entire territory between western Texas and Washington City, and the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes, an area of more than a million square miles. It was caused by subterranean movements which occasioned the settling to a depth of fifteen or twenty feet of a large district about New Madrid, Missouri, below the juncture of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Portions of the sunken district twenty miles or more in length were afterward flooded by the river, and became Reelfoot Lake in northwestern Tennessee, and Big Lake between Missouri and Arkansas."

The inhabitants thought the end of the earth had come, and fled in all directions. I have often listened to the son, Mathew, tell of the event, as I knew him quite well, and had the honor of preaching his funeralas well as that of his wife, who lived some years longer. His recollections of that startling event were as follows:

"My father and I heard the rumbling and felt the earth shake the cabin. We were frightened and gathered together what clothes we could and ran out just in time to escape the logs falling on us, as our cabin fell down. People were running in all directions, frightened out of their senses; we did not know what to do nor where to go, but when we realized that it was an earthquake we became less frightened and determined to await the outcome, and for about two weeks we stayed at the place. On the morning of November I7th, when daylight came, a strange sight met our eyes. The ground was opened in wide cracks into which one might have fallen; trees were twisted like ropes and broken and splintered ; great trees were split from top to bottom, so that one half would be one one side and the other half on the other side of the crack in the earth ; every chimney was down and nearly every house, none escaped ; some were turned around and what few stood at all were so badly wrecked as to be worthless and dangerous. The quaking continued at intervals all winter, even as far as here, but only light shakes. While the quake was severest the ground rose and fell like waves and for a time the water of the river ran up stream."

Samuel Young and the boy, Mathew, then eleven years old, determined to return to Shawneetown, as they had had quite enough of New Madrid, but concluded to explore more of the Illinois country on the way back. They came up the river to Kaskaskia, and started with the few belongings they had saved at the time of the destruction of their New Madrid home. With a rifle each, a little meal, a skillet or two and a few such necessary articles as they might carry, started on foot and alone on the old Vincennes trace across the wilderness. They arrived in Marion county late in December, 1811, and as there was heavy snow falling they resolved to camp for the winter near a band of friendly Indians. The spot selected was on the bank of the creek southwest from the city of Salem about six miles, not far from where the iron bridge spans the creek at the present time. Here they constructed a rude camp, first selecting a huge log for the north wall ; with poles and brush and bark they formed the sides and top, leaving most of the south side open, before which they kept a fire burning, and thus in what to them was comfort they passed the winter of 1811 and 1812. With the spring they resumed their journey, and as the old man had found a land to suit him he resolved to return to Tennessee and bring the whole family to Illinois. This he accomplished in 1813, accompanied by his son, James Young, his son-in-law, Robert Snodgrass, as well as the other children, and bringing with them such conveniences and necessaries as the times afforded or demanded. They brought some stock also with them, having driven them all the way on foot. They brought also horses, wagons and a few farm implements, the inevitable spinning wheel, as well as seeds and provisions of meal, and that article so necessary in all communities, salt. They arrived in Marion county in the month of August, 1813.

When Captain Young came to the county in 1813 there were no white settlers on the west nearer than Carlyle, then little more than a fort or blockhouse, about sixteen feet square and palisaded, and was built in 1811 as a post for the Illinois Rangers, for the protection of outlying settlements. This fort stood on the west bank of the Kaskaskia, directly east from what is now the court house square. It was on the trail to St. Louis, then but a small village, and this fort soon became the center of a small settlement known as Old Carlyle, so that in 1813 the nearest neighbors on the west were at least a good twenty-five miles away, while no fort or settlement was on Illinois soil between what is now Salem and the Wabash river on the east. The only paths of travel or trails as then called, crossing the county were the Vincennes trail, the Vincennes and St. Louis trail, which branched off from the Vincennes and Kaskaskia trail and passed west through the present site of Salem to the fort at Carlyle, thence west to the settlement on Silver Creek, now known as Lebanon, thence to St. Louis, and the trail known as the "Goshen Road" which passed by the fort at Carlyle and bore a southeast direction, through Walnut Hill to the Ohio Saltworks.

Marion county was literally overrun by wild beasts, they having withdrawn from a nearer proximity to the settlements. Wild cats, bears and an occasional panther or "painter" as the pioneers called them, wolves, with the smaller and less dangerous animals rendered stock raising a task that required all the care and watchfulness of the settler and his family. Elk, deer, buffalo, with many other less prominent species of wild food animals provided meats, and often attracted large bands of Indians to the bounteous hunting grounds of Marion county, as many as five hundred at times camping on some stream overran the adjacent county and while generally peaceable, kept so by fear of the whites and of the dreaded Rangers of St. Clair county, yet they were a thieving crew and would commit murder if vigilance relaxed.

The last and indeed what is believed to be the only battle fought between the whites and Indians here, was fought in 1813, in Salem township, near the Stevenson town- ship line, between a party of Rangers from St. Clair county, under Captain Whiteside. A band of Indians had massacred a family of whites near Kaskaskia. Captain Whiteside in command of twenty Rangers, pursued them, overtaking . them in the heavy timber bordering the small creek about one mile south of the present home of John M. Green, Esq. In the fight among the trees one white man and five Indians were slain when night put an end to the battle. During the night the few remaining Indians fled, and the Rangers gave up the pursuit. It has been sometimes erroneously stated that it was in this battle that Captain Harvey lost his life, but Captain Harvey was killed some years before, at what is now known as Harvey's Point, and his grave may be faintly traced a few yards west and north of the spot where the old Harvey's Point church stood. The circumstances of Captain Harvey's death are as follows: About the year 1810 horsestealing became so common in the settlements along the Wabash from Vincennes to Shawneetown and also in the settlements along the Mississippi and Kaskaskia, that the pioneers decided to break up the business at all hazards, and with this end in view mercilessly pursued the thieves whenever a horse was stolen. The thieves stealing in the Wabash county would lose themselves in the Illinois wilderness and eventually make their way to the settlements on the west side of the state, and the horses stolen in the west settlement were disposed of in the Wabash settlements, thus lessening the chance of detection. Captain Harvey with one companion was in chase of one of these thieves and succeeded in capturing him somewhere west of Marion county, and with his companion was taking him to Vincennes. They were on horseback and when they reached the hill known since as Harvey's Point it was near sundown and they concluded to camp for the night. They dismounted and laid the thief, whose hands and feet were tied, on the ground ; they then built a fire and having placed their rifles against a tree near at hand, while making camp, they carelessly went to the little "branch" a few yards away to wash and get water. The thief had in the meantime managed to get his hands out of the rope bonds, quickly untied his feet, siezed the guns without attracting the attention of his captors. As Harvey and his companion returned they were confronted by the outlaw who commanded them to halt, but Harvey did not heed the command and the outlaw fired and killed him instantly. Thus paying with his life the violation of the pioneer's first law, never to leave your gun out of reach at any time. Harvey's companion was forced to permit the thief to mount one of the horses and ride away. Harvey's companion managed to get the body of his chief up into the branches of a tree and tied it there out of the reach of wild animals and rode to Vincennes, collected a small force and returned to the place of the murder, buried the body and endeavored to trail the thief, but were unsuccessful ; as he was never apprehended it is supposed he hid himself in the French or Spanish settlements west of the Mississippi.

Harvey, differing only in details, is that the thief was caught at Vincennes and they were returning to Kaskaskia, when the tragedy occurred, and that the companion of Harvey buried him as best he could and returned to Kaskaskia for a burying party, who on arriving at the scene of the murder found that the wolves had dug up the body and partly devoured it, they gathered up the scattered remains and buried them in a grave which may be seen at the present time.

Shortly after Captain Young, his son James and his son-in-law, Robert Snodgrass, settled on Vermillion creek, just west of Salem, or the next year, 1814, James Pyles, another son-in-law of Samuel Young, came to Marion county. He was a native of Kentucky and resided near and in Salem until 1840. when he removed to Missouri. About the same time two brothers, Jacob and William Albert, followed the Youngs from the same neighborhood in Tennessee. Jacob was married to Patsey Young in 1816 by Abia Lee, acting Justice of the Peace, and who had come to the county about two years before. Rufus Ricker came from Indiana and settled at Walnut Hill in 1819, and in 1823 moved to what is now Salem, where he and Mark Tully settled. The latter came from Indiana in 1821, having migrated from Tennessee when quite a young man. He settled with his family about three miles west of Salem, bought out James Roberts who had donated thirty acres of land in section 1 1 to the county. Roberts returned to Indiana and Ricker and Tully carried out the contract with the county that Roberts had made, giving a deed dated June 6, 1826. Both Ricker and Tully were very prominent men in the early history of the county. About this time what is known as the Roach farm about three miles from Salem, was settled by William Boyle and his sister Annis, who ran away from their home in Kentucky and came to Marion county on foot. Boyle often told of having plowed the ground and cultivated corn where the city of Salem now stands. Annis died in 1877, and William passed away some years later. Joseph Hensley was born in Virginia in 1784 and removed to Kentucky, and from there to Illinois, and settled at Walnut Hill in 1818. He had six children, and there are many of his descendants still living in this county, and are among our best people. It is claimed that Marion Hensley was the first child of white parentage born in the county after its organization, and for that reason was named Marion. Israel Jennings, Sr., came from Kentucky in 1819, and settled two miles west of Walnut Hill. He was the great-grandfather of William Jennings Bryan. He was well-to-do for that day, and improved a large tract of land. His family consisted of four sons and four daughters. He was a man of strong mind and noble character. He represented the county in the legislature one term and lived to be nearlyone hundred years old, dying in 1870, leaving a large landed estate to his children, a part at least of which is still held by the family. He kept his coffin in his house more than forty years. This was not the result of crankiness as it might seem, but of thoughtfulness, and the event that brought about the purchase of the coffin occurred in a very early day, 1819 or 1820. When he moved to the Hill in 1819 the traveling was so bad that a part of his goods had to be left at Shawneetown, and as soon as the family were located and the necessary work done, Mr. Jennings went to Shawneetown after the things, a journey of many days through an unsettled wilderness. Upon his return he found that one of his daughters had died, and that no coffin could be obtained to bury her in, as there were as yet no saw mills and no lumber from which to make a coffin, and so some of the neighbors had felled a tree and split it in two and by hollowing out the halves, trough-like, had placed the body therein, and thus buried it. This made such an impression on his mind that at the first opportunity he bought in St. Louis a metallic coffin, so that in case of his death the family might be spared the worry of procuring a coffin for him, well knowing that in the event of the death of any other member of the family he would be able to provide.

Malachi Ware came to Marion county from Kentucky in 1818. He had seven children, one of whom married Mathew Young, the boy who, in 1811, camped with the Indians on Crooked creek. They were married when Mathew was not quite nineteen and Miss Ware fourteen. This was doubtless the first wedding in the county, but long before the county was formed. Their son, John Young, who died in 1905, was beyond doubt the first white child born on what is now Marion county soil. The writer was well acquainted with all the parties, and as minister officiated at the funeral of all three. James Roberts came to the county in 1818 and settled on section n, where Salem now stands, and gave the county thirty acres of land as a county seat, bvit as told already, sold to Rufus Ricker and Mark Tully, who made the deed of gift to the county. James Roberts went back to Indiana but his son Jesse remained and became Marion county's first Sheriff. "Black Bear," or Benjamin Vermillion first settled at Walnut Hill about 1818, afterward moved to Salem township and improved a farm. He was an eccentric character. Very dark complexioned and famous as a bear hunter, hence the nickname of "Black Bear." He left Marion county and went to Missouri in the thirties, where he died. His life was a busy one, and notwithstanding his eccentricities was a useful one. He was regarded as a just man and fearless in the discharge of duty. He was a member of the Illinois Rangers who did so much to prevent lawlessness and to protect the settlements from the Indians in the settlement period of the state. One of the characters of this period was William Taylor. He was a bully of the neighborhood and delighted in the rough and tumble fights of the period, and carried many scars as a result of his frequent battles, but like almost all the bullies of his day was a peaceable neighbor and not at all quarrelsome, and only showed his fighting proclivities when meeting fighting men or overwrought by some injustice to himself or some weaker party. The advent of Samuel Shook marked an era in the annals of the county. He came in 1820 and located in the Walnut Hill settlement. He was a Baptist preacher, and so far as can be ascertained was the first regular minister to locate in Marion county. He died shortly afterward, leaving no family. He was said to be a good man with ideas of a more liberal character than many preachers of that day entertained.

The founder of the Foster family in Marion county was "Uncle Hardy" Foster, as everyone called him. He was a unique character, "good as gold." He originally came from Georgia in 1821, stopped a few years in St. Clair county, and when Marion county began to be settled came to the then wilderness to hunt bears and bees, which was his favorite occupation. With one companion, James Jones, he struck up a camp on the Mt. Vernon and Vandalia road which was but a track through the county, and hunted bears and bees most vigorously. He afterward settled on a farm which he "hewed from the forest," and became one of the leading citizens of the county, filling many offices and left a monument to his memory in the name of Foster township. His companion, Jones, also settled in the county, and both have a large number of descendants in the northern part of the county who are "good citizens and true." Another of the original characters among the early settlers was "Nickname" John Boucher, so called because he never called anybody by the right name, but nicknamed all his acquaintances. He had a small mill run by water and ground both wheat and corn for his neighbors, some of whom lived fifteen or twenty miles away. This was not the first mill in the county but was perhaps the best equipped at that time. It is told of him that, wishing to catch his horse one day, he wore himself out chasing the animal but without avail, so he concluded to "crease" the horse and so be able to catch him. To crease an animal is to fire a rifle ball so as to just touch the top of the head and "stun" them, so that they may be caught before they recover. When Boucher fired the horse fell as was expected, but when Boucher got to him the horse was dead. He had "creased" the animal too well. Boucher left no representatives in this county, or at least none are known now. It is thought he moved away at an early day. During the years 1819 and 1820 several families settled in different parts of the county. In the first mentioned year one Welch settled in Walnut Hill and lived there on a farm several years. His family consisted of eight children. He went to Fulton county in the early thirties and died there some time after. John Wilson was one of the first settlers in what is now Raccoon township, and Abraham Romine in what is now Romine township. A more extended notice will be given these families under the head of their respective townships. Isaac McClelland, the founder of the large and influential McClelland family, was born in Pennsylvania but came to Illinois by way of Ohio and stopped a short time at Kaskaskia. But in 1820 he came to Marion county and stopped at the home of Israel Jennings.

He came on foot and brought all his possessions with him. He remained at Walnut Hill until he married Sallie \Yelch New Year's day, 1824, when he went to township 2 north, i east, where he and his wife settled on section 32. The place is now known as the Martin farm. He afterward returned to Walnut Hill and then to Central City, where he died March 19, 1881.

Frederick Phelps settled in Carrigan township -in 1820. He died in 1845. Major Samuel Davidson settled in the same township in 1821. Mary Tully, of whom mention has been made before, was born in Tennessee in 1791. He emigrated to Indiana, then to Illinois, and settled near Salem in 1821. He had a family consisting of a wife and four children of his own and two stepchildren, having married a widow with two children. Nine more children were born to them after coming to this county, one of whom. Uncle Ander Tully, still lives in Salem. All the others have passed beyond. Thomas Fulton also came to the county very early, about 1822. In 1821 Samuel Gaston, a native of South Carolina, settled in Marion, twelve miles southwest from Salem. He had eight children. In the year of 1826 he went to help raise a cabin for a neighbor, ten miles away, and took cold and fell ill with winter fever (pneumonia) and died. His children were prominent in Marion county and left numerous descendants who are among the best citizens of the county. A Mr. Jamison came from Tennessee in 1821 and settled in luka township, on what is called from him Jamison creek. He commenced making improvements but was killed by the Indians in 1823. In 1822 Samuel Huff came from Logan county, Tennessee, and settled in the Walnut Hill neighborhood. He had eight children, several living to a very old age and leaving a numerous progeny behind, all of whom are highly respected by their fellow citizens.

James Chance came from Tennessee at an early day and settled in Salem. He was the first blacksmith in the town. William Pursley settled in what is now Tonti township in 1822 and died shortly after, leaving a widow whose life was full of incidents, some of which will be given under the head of Tonti. Cornelius Dunham, of New York, William Tully, of Virginia ; David Fulton, of Tennessee; and Letitia Duncan all came to the county before 1824, as did also John W. Nichols and Robert Nichols. William Marshall taught school in 1825 in this county. He lived northeast of Salem for a time, then bought the William Nichols improvements. He -was a man of some education and a splendid fiddler, or violinist as we now call them, and he was in demand at all gatherings for miles around. He was a Justice of the Peace, County Surveyor and served one term in the Legislature. He died in Carrigan township, leaving a large family. John Eddington and James Chance settled on a farm in Carrigan township in 1823. Chance served two terms as Sheriff and bore a stainless reputation. He left a large family at his death, January 5, 1866.

Mathew Cunningham came from Kentucky in 1824 and settled on a farm near Walnut Hill. The county line divided the farm, most of which was in Marion county, but the house was just over the line in Jefferson county. There were nine children, one of whom was prominent in the development of the county. We refer to Hon. John Cunningham, who was a merchant in Salem and a dealer in stock for many years. He was a member of the Legislature and lived to an old age. Mathew moved from Walnut Hill to Romine township, but died in Salem at the residence of his daughter in May, 1878.

His wife, the mother of John Cunningham, died of cholera in 1834. John Bundy, founder of the Bundy family in Marion county, was a North Carolinian, having first settled in Jefferson county, but moved to Marion county shortly after. Three of his sons were in the Mexican war, one, Isaac Bundy, afterward was a Methodist minister for many years. One son, William Bundy, is still a resident of this county and is honored by all as an upright citizen and a Christian gentleman. John Bundy left several descendants, among whom are his grandsons, W. F. Bundy and John Bundy, both distinguished members of the bar of the county.

Reuben Chance, who at the age of twenty years came to this county in 1825, was an influential citizen and his life was worthy of emulation. He died in 1880 at his home near Old Bethel camp ground. His wife, Catherine, died in 1877. There were ten children in this family; one son, J. Oj Chance, was twice elected Clerk of the Supreme Court; another, S. S. Chance, after serving the county in the Clerk's office for nearly fifty years, is now living in Salem, retired from active cares of life, a citizen known to all and by all beloved. After the year 1825 immigration increased rapidly and many families settled in the county and as far as possible they will be traced in the sketch of their respective townships in which they settled.

Marion county, while to a considerable extent is a mining county so far as the southwest portion of the county is concerned yet on the whole it is to the farm that we must look for the real value of the country's products.

Judiciary And Attorneys

As has been stated the first court was held in the house of James Young May 29, 1823, Judge John Reynolds presiding. He was of Irish parentage, born in Pennsylvania, February 26, 1788. His father moved to Tennessee when John was six years old, and in 1800 emigrated to the Illinois country. At the age of twenty John Reynolds

BRINKERHOFF S HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY, ILLINOISwent back to Tennessee to attend college, and stayed in college two years. He studied law two years with John Campbell, at Knoxville, Tennessee, and was admitted to practice in 1812 at Kaskaskia. The examination was conducted by Judges Thomas and Sprigg, of the United States Territorial Court. In 1814 he opened an office in the county seat of St. Clair county at that time Cahokia.

The first General Assembly of Illinois as a state met at Kaskaskia and John Reynold? was chosen by them as one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the state. Judge Reynolds was elected Governor in 1830, and went to Congress in 1834; he served in that body seven years. In 1846 he was elected to the General Assembly and chosen speaker in the house. The writer remembers the venerable Governor as he appeared in the last year of his life. A picture from the past thrown by the camera of the years on the then present. He was always a Democrat of the Jackson stripe and died in that faith at Belleville, Illinois, in May, 1865, in his seventy-eighth year. The next Judge to hold court was Thomas Reynolds, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who was also presiding justice of the circuit courts under the then constitution. James Hall, a scholarly man and a graceful writer, presided at the April term, 1825. Judge Walters presided at the October term, and Hall again at the April term, 1826. The judges who have presided since 1 826 were as follows, given in order as they served: Thomas C. Brown. Judge Brown held all the courts in Marion county until 1834, except the September and October terms, which were held by Theophilus W. Smith, on account of the sickness of Judge Brown. In 1835 Judge Alexander F. Grant presided. He was succeeded by Jeptha Hardin. From 1837 to 1847 Walter B. Scales presided over the Marion county circuit court. He was succeeded by William A. Denning and he in 1850 by Samuel S. Marshall, one of the great judicial luminaries of Illinois. He resigned in 1854 and was succeeded by Downing Baugh, who in 1856 was succeeded by Edwin Beech er. Beecher served only a short term and in 1857 Sidney Breese, the Webster of Illinois, occupied the bench. Judge H. R. S. O'Melveney was Circuit Judge from 1858 to 1861. In 1861 Silas L. Bryan was elected Circuit Judge. He served twelve years. For a sketch of Judge Bryan, see special biography. The circuit court was presided over from 1873 by Judge Amos Watts or William W. Snyder, or George W. Wall, who composed the three judges of the third judicial circuit under the law creating the appellate court. Since which time Judge Benjamin Burroughs, William H. Farmer. now on the supreme bench; Judge S. L. Dwight, Judge Rose and Judge Ames have served. The state's attorneys for this county number many able men among them. The first was Henry Eddy, who served from 1825 to 1827; again in 1832 and 1834; William Gatewood, 1827 to 1832; Walter B. Scates

During the first half century of the county's existence the Prosecuting Attorney was elected or appointed for. the entire circuit and traveled over the circuit with the Judge and during that time may men who afterward became famous in state and national affairs filled the office and no county in the state has had abler men as public prosecu-1 tors than Marion. Among the lawyers who were of the Marion county bar, none were more profound than Sidney Breese, afterward a Supreme Judge and perhaps the greatest the state ever had. He attended the first court held in the county and for several years after was a regular attendant. Lyman Trumbull afterward a United States Senator from Illinois, was also a practitioner at the bar of this county. Finney D. Preston also belonged to the Marion county bar. W. H. Underwood afterward, Judge, a writer on law, and ranking with Breese and Marshall, practiced here. W. B. Henry Edward S. Wilson and John A. McClernand and afterward eminent as Judge and as a general officer in the Civil war. Judge Joseph Gillespie, an intimate associate of Lincoln; Robert Wingate, of Missouri; Richard S. Bond, Daniel Wrhite, W. H. Gray, W. AJ. Sparks, Gustave Van Hoorbeke, Fred A. Lietze, Darius Kingsbury, Alexander White and Harvey P. Buxton, W. N. Parrish and Aaron Shaw, lawyers of note, but foreign to the county, all practised here, riding the circuit in the early day.

Of the Marion county lawyers. Gen. I. N. Haynie was one of the most noted. He was born in Tennessee November 18, 1824, He came with his parents to this county in 1830, began the study of law in 1844 and was admitted in 1846. He was a lieutenant of Company C, Sixth Regiment of Illinois, in the Mexican war. In 1850 he was elected to the Legislature. He took a law course in the Louisville L'niversity and took the highest rank in his class in 1853. In 1856 Mr. Haynie was appointed Judge of the court of Cairo, Illinois, and removed to that city. When the War of the Rebellion broke out. he organized the Forty-eighth Infantry and was given a colonel's commission by Governor Yates. He was wounded at the battle of Shiloh. In 1862 he was made a brigadier general by President Lincoln, and afterward adjutant general of Illinois which

Stephen G. Hicks, a Georgian by birth, was a lawyer of ability. He served as a private in the Black Hawk war; was a captain in the Third Regiment Illinois Volunteers, during the war with Mexico, and was practicing law in Salem when the war between the states broke out. He organized the Fortieth Regiment and was made its colonel. He was severely wounded at the battle of Shiloh and was brought home to Salem, where he remained until July, 1862, when being partially recovered, he returned to his regiment and remained in the field until the close of the war. He was born in 1807. and died in Salem from the effect of his wounds, December 14, 1869. He was buried in East Lawn cemetery, wrapped in Hie old flag of the Fortieth Regiment as he requested.

Basil B. Smith was born in Ohio, June 27, 1829; studied law with General Haynie and was admitted in 1856. He was a fine lawyer and ranked high in his profession, the last years of his life being clouded by a mental break-down. Dewit C. Jones practiced a short time here, but removed to Chicago in 1875.

Thomas F. Houts came to this county ir 1840 with his parents and studied law with Col. H. P. Boyakin in 1842. His education was mostly obtained in the schools of Illinois and as a student of Rev. W. F. Boyakin in Salem. He formed a partnership with General Haynie, who was then entering the practice of his profession at Salem

In 1856 Mr. Houts was licensed as a Methodist preacher and for some time served in that connection, but later united with the Church of God, and preached for that people until his death about 1907. His body was brought to Salem for interment. He was said to be at his prime the most eloquent speaker in the Southern Illinois circuit.

Richard S. Nelson, born in the Isle of Wight, was a lawyer at Centralia from 1859 to his death in 1865. His forte was chancery law, in which branch he was thoroughly equipped. E. S. Bates and George A. Sanders were law partners at Centralia for some years when the firm was dissolved. Bates going to Chicago and Sanders to Springfield. Bates was State Treasurer two terms. W. R. Hubbarcl, J. O. Chance, J. A. Norman, T. E. Huddle, M. T. Peters, W. W. Willard, P. P. Hamilton, W. H. Brazier, J. G. Lemon, A. B. Goddon and H. P. Boyakin were all lawyers and were for a short time resident attorneys of Salem.

Gen. James S. Martin and Benjamin F. Marshall both practiced a short time in Salem, but retired to enter the business field in which they were eminently successful. Both are dead, but their memory is green in the minds of their many friends. Tilman Raser practiced law in this county also from 1857 to his death in 1881.

time, but in 1854 he opened an office in Centralia and until his death a few years ago was ranked as the dean of the Marion county bar. He was a Mexican war veteran and for a few years practiced at Louisville (from 1848 to 1854), Illinois. His son, Eugene L. Stoker, was Prosecuting Attorney of the county, and afterward removed to Chicago, where he died. Michael Schaffer, born in Pennsylvania in 1821, graduated at Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg in 1846. He studied law, taught school and followed a commercial pursuit until 1853, when he was admitted to the bar. In 1857 he was associated with Silas L. Bryan and continued to practice -until 1876, when he was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Utah Territory, which office he filled with distinguished ability. In 1879 he returned to Salem and resided here until his death.

John B. Kagy came to Salem in 1860, and was admitted to the bar in 1861. He was contemporary with H. C. Goodnow, and often on opposite sides, these two, at one time, leaders of the bar, fought battles at law that crowded the court-houses with citizens to witness the giants in combat. Mr. Kagy died a few years ago full of honors.

tice, but turned his attention to business pursuits. He was for years grand scribe of the Grand Encampment, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Illinois. He died in 1908, at Salem, Illinois.

James S. Jackson, of luka, was born in Kentucky in 1831, and learned the blacksmith's trade, and from his coming to the county in 1850, to the breaking out of the Civil war, worked at the forge. In 1861 he was chosen captain of Company G, Twentysecond Illinois Volunteers, and served until March 12, 1865, when he was mustered out. The following November he was elected County Clerk, and while Clerk studied law and was admitted to the bar in June, 1866. He was State's Attorney one term and served one term in the state Legislature. For many years prior to his death he was paralyzed, and passed his time in a wheel chair, always cheerful and always ready to converse with friends. He was of a poetic temperament and loved to quote Shakespeare, his favorite author.

Col. L. F. Casey was a native of Jefferson county, Illinois, and was educated in Illinois schools. He studied law with Judge Scates in 1842, and was admitted in 1848. He practiced his profession in Mt. Vernon until 1852, when he went to Texas and opened an office in Shelbyville. From 1854 to 1860 he was Prosecuting Attorney for seven Texas counties. In 1866 he removed to Centralia, Illinois, and formed a partnership with S. L. Dwight. Colonel Casey was a member of the Illinois Legislature in 1846- 1847. He was a brilliant man and a first

BRINKERHOFF'S HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY, ILLINOISrate attorney. While in Texas he was elected to the State Senate and served as senator four years. He died about fifteen years ago, after some years of poor health.

Capt. S. L. Dwight, now Circuit Judge, was a private and rose from the ranks to the captaincy of Company I, Sixtieth Illinois Volunteers. His biography appears elsewhere. Suffice it to say here that he is now serving his second term as Circuit Judge, which speaks more for his ability than pen of mine can utter.

S. A. Frazier, of Centralia, was born in Indiana in 1845, but came to this county in 1850. He attended the public schools of this county, and in 1864 entered Northwestern Christian University at Indianapolis, Indiana, and took a three years' course. In 1868 he entered the office of W. L. Stoker as a student, and was admitted to practice in 1869, and for two years he practiced with his teacher, and in 1871 opened an office for himself. He has confined himself mostly to chancery and probate law, in which he has attained an enviable reputation. He still keeps an office in Centralia.

J. J. Schoolfield, now of luka, is a native of Maryland, but studied law in Kentucky with John Tierbur. He was admitted in 1866, and practiced at Brookville,Illinois. In 1872 he moved to luka where he still resides in the full possession of his faculties, and still in active practice. Captain Schoolfield served throughout the war between the states on the losing side. He was a good soldier, and like all good soldiers, surrendered in good faith, which faith he has kept,

John F. Donovan, who was brought from New York City in childhood to Sparta, Illinois, where he grew to manhood. He was admitted to the bar in 1874, and at once opened an office in Kinmundy, where he still continues to practice his profession. He has served as Mayor of Kinmundy, and several times been appointed postmaster.

W. E. C. Lyons was a student of law in the office of Gen. I. B. Jones, of Sparta, and was admitted in 1874. He served as City Attorney of Centralia for a short time, but gave up the practice of law to enter the commercial world, in which he has been successful.

C. E. Jennings was born at Walnut Hill, January 7, 1855, graduated at the old State College at Irvington, Illinois, and graduated in 1878 from the Union Law School of Chicago. The same year he formed a partnership with his uncle, Silas L. Bryan, which continued until the death of Judge Bryan in 1880. Mr. Jennings has been several times elected State's Attorney of the county, and is regarded as one of the deepest students of law at the bar. He is still in active practice.

John E. Bryan was born in Salem, July 4, 1851. He received his education at the Salem high school and studied law under the Hon. T. E. Merritt and S. L. Bryan. He was admitted by the Supreme Court at Mt. Vernon after passing the required examination. He served several terms as Master in Chancery, and at present conducts an ab-

John J. Raser, Meigs R. Myer, William R. Burton and G. Pierce Duncan each practiced law in this county for a short time, but removal or death made their connection with the Marion county bar too brief to require more than passing notice. They were all gentlemen of good attainments, and had their connection with the bar at Salem been of any length, would doubtless have attained a high place among the lawyers of Marion Bounty.

Henry C. Moore began the practice of law at Central City in 1863, but in 1864 was elected Circuit Clerk, and re-elected in 1868; was appointed Master in Chancery in 1879, and has not since engaged in the practice of his profession. He still resides in Salem.

Dwyer Tracy, W. H. Mason, Ural Mills and Jackson C. Doughty all were licensed attorneys but never practiced at the bar as such as a profession, but were in business in other lines.

The present bar in active practice is led by the venerable lawyer and statesman, Hon. Thomas Emmit Merritt, the oldest, both in years and length of practice at the Marion county bar. Mr. Merritt was born in New York City, but emigrated with his father's family to Belleville, Illinois, in 1841, where he received his first schooling. In 1844 he went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he -worked seven years as a painter in a carriage factory. In 1851 he came to Salem and studied law with P. P. Hamilton, but did not pass his examination until 1863, when he was admitted. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1868, and from that time for twenty-two years he served the district as a legislator two terms of four years each in the Senate. Mr. Merritt by his energy, talents and fluency of speech, has won for himself a reputation that is not confined to his own state, and still in the active practice of his profession is an effective force and a foeman to be feared.

The lawyers composing the present bar are a "high toned", scholarly set of American gentlemen, and beside those already named, are W. F. Bundy, F. F. Noleman and J. J. Bundy, of Centralia, and all rank with the best in the state. These gentlemen are all in the prime of life, and are citizens any city would be proud to claim. W. F. Bundy served one term in the Legislature, but the duties of his profession were more alluring than political preferment, and he declined further office. The other two, while active in their party, have never aspired to office. June C. Smith and C. F. Dew, both of a younger set, and Mr. Murphy and Mr. Jonas, still younger, are rapidly making reputations for themselves, as is also Mr. Garrison. Mr. Smith is just retiring from the office of State's Attorney, and Mr. Dew from that of City Councillor of Centralia, in which offices both so conducted affairs as to reflect credit upon themselves. Mr. Garrison is rapidly working up a fine practice, and stands high in his profession. Mr. Rodenberg, a scholarly young lawyer, is United States Commissioner, with his office at Centralia. Ex-County Judge Patter-

BRINKERIIOFF S HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY, ILLINOISson, of Sandoval, is another good lawyer, who is quietly and effectively building both a good practice and reputation.

The members of the bar residing at Salem other than T. E. Merritt, C. E. Jennings and J. E. Bryan, who have already been mentioned, are all of a later admission to the bar. Of these the first in point of admission is D. D. Haynie, a brother of Gen. I. N. Haynie. He is just retiring from the office of Circuit Clerk, and has associated with him a young attorney, Mr. Lloyd Haley, and from this union of talent and energy a strong legal reputation will doubtless be erected.

L. M. Kagy, a farmer boy of Marion county, studied law and graduated in the same class at the Chicago law school with W. J. Bryan, with whom he was a roommate. Mr. Kagy is a hard-working, conscientious lawyer, who has attained the top of the ladder in his profession; he is attorney for all the railroads passing through the city of Salem, and as a lawyer versed in corporation law ranks high. Two years ago, finding his practice too great, he formed a partnership with Edward Vandevert, who is, though young, a good lawyer.

George W. Smith, also a member of the bar, has superior qualities of mind, and as a lawyer ranks high. He was for many years attorney for the city of Salem, and as a criminal lawyer has succeeded in saving his clients in several notable cases.

Judge, has been also very successful in the practice of his profession. He, like Mr. Frazier, of Centralia, delights in chancery and probate law. Both Smith and Stonecipher have good practices and bid fair to build still better in the future.

Still younger ' in the profession is ex- County Judge Charles H. Holt, still a young man. He received his education in the Salem high school and studied law at Chicago. When yet almost a boy he was elected County Judge and served two terms, since which time he has advanced so rapidly in his profession as to be ranked among the best.

E. D. Telford, another Salem boy, graduated in the Salem high school, then took a classical course in McKendree College, after which he spent some years in the departments at Washington, and while working as a clerk studied law at the law school at Georgetown University and graduated with the honors of his class. He returned to Salem in 1905 and begun the practice of law. He was elected City Attorney in 1907, and still holds that office. He is a hard worker, a good student and is fast growing into a good practice.

Such is the personnel of the bar of Marion county, and no county in the state can boast of a brainier, cleaner or more gentlemanly set of lawyers.

The rock formation of Marion county so far as are indicated by out cropping^ are of the upper coal measures, known as the upper sand stone formation and overlies the Shoal Creek limestone. A strongly cemented calcareous sandstone appears in some places, very compact. At other points the form is of mud stone, or calcareous state, generally full of fossils, and in some points appearing as areno-calcareous pudding stone or as higher class of limestone. Only at few places does this lime stone appear of any considerable thickness and within a short distance varies to only an accumulation of calcareous matter. There is no strata proper, but it seems to be very irregular, at one point it is found as a solid formation, but within a few feet it appears as floating blocks or thin slabs or slate of calcareous formation. One coal bed at least underlies the whole of the county; in many places, three have been found by boring or mine sinking and there is but little doubt that other beds are still lower. We quote from the state geological reports, the following formation in the northwest part of the county as developed by well sinking to the depth of ninety-two feet : Soil and clay fifteen feet; hardpan, fifteen feet; blue clay, mixed with sandstone pebbles, pieces of coal and wood, thirty feet; pieces of limestone, containing fossils, two feet; shales, thirty feet.

Fork and on Crooked creek, further south both on the west side of the county, we find the same general formation of argillaceous and arrenaceous shales with sandstone inter calations a slate formation of at least one foot in thickness. These slates are calcareous and strongly fossilliferous. Below this formation there is a third coal formation. Near the mouth of Jim creek there is a deposit of about three feet of argillaceous slaty shales, with concretions of kidney ore, then about one and one-half feet of coal, capped by a layer of argillaceous rock. It resembles the concretionary limestone found farther up the East Fork. Along Jim creek in many places of its lower course, the same slaty formation is found just above the coal, cropping out and large pieces have tumbled from the bank. The coal is only about eighteen inches thick. Wells dug in the prairie lands are too shallow to reach the rock, yet beyond doubt the same formation exists under the whole western part of the county. Coal has been dug up in section 27 in Foster township, the vein being about eighteen inches thick; the same vein, doubtless, is found in section 26, also in section 25, near the old mill. Here it has been found in the bed of the creek, the vein being about eighteen inches thick. These coal out-croppings are found in most of the west and north parts of the county, but are of little commercial value, but at a depth of from five hundred to one thousand two hundred feet there is

BRINKERHOFF'S HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY, ILLINOISbeyond doubt valuable deposits which time and necessity will alone develop. We are assured that coal exists by mines being developed on every side in this region, as well as within its limits. Along Crooked creek there is the sandstone formation and slate on both sides of the creek. The upper coal vein has been found and from Salem, where the mine is eight hundred and eighty-nine feet deep to Junction City, where it is something over five hundred and fifty feet deep on the north of the creek with about the same as the latter depth, south of the creek. A second or third vein has been discovered and is the vein which is being mined.

Sandstone crops out in Salem township, along Crooked creek, and several quarries have been opened but none are of any great commercial value as yet. Sandstone also crops out along Raccoon creek, in the southwest part of the county, and on Horse creek and on Skillet Fork, the same general formation as in the west part of the county on Skillet Fork. The rock does not crop out in the north half of Town 2, or in Town 3, north, but from the middle of Town 2, to the county line the out-cropping grows bolder as the surface becomes more and more broken and rough ; the outcrop of sand stone at places is ten or more feet thick. No where in the eastern two tiers of townships has any effort been made to sink a shaft for coal except in Kinmundy, where a commercially valuable vein has been opened. In other places we have mentioned the recently discovered oil sand strata and the opening of at least one well producing oil, but as the discovery has just been made nothing is known only that a vein of oil sand is in at least the southern part of Town 2, north, range i, east. In one section in the north tier of sections in Town 4, range 3, natural gas has been discovered and has been used in one farm house both for fuel and light for at least ten years. This, as well as mining, will be spoken of under the head of the townships in which the mines are located.

Changing The Gauge Of A Railroad

When the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, now the Baltimore & Ohio, Southwestern, was built, its gauge was established at six feet, or fifteen inches wider than the standard gauge, on which other roads were built. This proved to be a serious handicap to the road, as all transfers from and to other roads were impossible, except with the Atlantic & Great \Vestern, which entered Cincinnati over the C. H. & D., which had four rails to accommodate the wide trucks of the A. & G. W. and the O. & M. At terminals cars had to be unloaded and contents transferred by hand necessitating great delay and expense. It was concluded by the company that the gauge must be changed to the standard. J. L. Griswold was general superintendent and Thomas D. Lovett chief engineer and to them all the credit for the successful accomplishment of the change of gauge of the entire road from St. Louis to Cincinnati in one day is due. The change was made, commencing at midnight Saturday July 21, 1871. Although the fine calculations and provisions of every detail had been planned, occupying months, one of the first orders given was that the entire rolling stock should be concentrated at three points, i. e., East St. Louis, Vincennes and Cochran, Indiana, on or before midnight of the 2ist. This was absolutely necessary, otherwise equipment left on the line could not be moved to the various repair shops on its own wheels. This was not difficult with passenger equipment and empty freight cars but to get loaded freight cars to the terminals, unload them and get them to the nearest concentration point required prompt handling and careful calculation.

The next important point was to evenly distribute experienced track layers over the entire line. Twenty men trained to this work were placed on every five mile section. Every workman was stationed at his post so that promptly on the stroke of twelve, midnight, the track was cut in seventy places, between St. Louis and1 Cincinnati. Previous to this the inside spikes for the narrower gauge had been driven partly in and the inner spikes at the joints, centers and quarters of the track had been drawn. Certain of the track gang finished loosening the rails, others threw the rail into the new position, where a single blow on the partly driven spikes held it fast while others followed driving in the outside spikes. It must be remembered that both rails had to be moved, as the shifting of the track fifteen inches to one side would have put out of service nearly every platform, station, water tank and other accessory on the entire line. Where the track was straight, the relaying was comparatively simple, but the O. & M. was an exceedingly crooked road and as compared to the present Baltimore & Ohio, Southwestern, like the letter "S" is to "I." This complicated the relaying as it necessitated the shortening of every rail in every curve on the line, which was nearly half the rails in use, either by cutting the rails or replacing them with new ones of the right length and in addition to this relaying of the main track every frog, switch and crossing had to be changed. While upward of one thousand five hundred men toiled in the pale light of a July night changing the gauge. At the three concentration points, East St. Louis, Vincennes and Cochran, where the equipment was being changed to fit the new gauge, were busy centers. Three master mechanics, Harry Elliott (since proprietor of the Elliott Frog & Switch Works of East St. Louis. Mr. Elliott died in 1908.) was in charge at East St. Louis; Archibald Thompson at Vincennes and J. D. W. Potts at Cochran had charge of this work at their several stations. Enough four foot eight and one-half inch trucks were in readiness for one-half the equipment and m., July 22d. This was considered one of Whitchurch we are indebted for facts relatthe great engineering feats of that day and ing to the change of gauge of the O. & M.

Until the year 1854 there was no really free public school system in Illinois. That year the Legislature inaugurated a system providing by state and local taxation for sufficient revenue for the support of free schools. The Federal government had provided that one section in each township be set apart to be sold for the use of common schools, but as most of this land was sold at an early day at the then low price, the money obtained when at interest brought but little revenue, so until 1855 when the new law began to operate, the custom was to eke out the term by subscription, each patron paying so much, usually five cents per scholar per day, and as the pupils were few and money scarce, the inducement for a qualified teacher was not strong. When the new law went into effect the supply of competent teachers was limited and at first the requirements for a certificate were very low and often made lower by the commissioner as the chief school officer of the county was then called in order to get teachers enough to supply the districts, besides at this time owing to the completion of the

Illinois Central and Ohio and Mississippi railroads, and the building of other roads, an unprecedented influx of emigrants to the state was constantly increasing the demand for more and better teachers. Marion county took the lead in this demand and at a meeting of the Southern Illinois teachers, held in Centralia in 1868, a resolution was passed stating the needs of the Southern Illinois counties and praying the Legislature to provide for them by establishing a southern normal school. The southern normal was chartered the next year and county normal schools were also provided for, for the fitting of teachers for the common schools. Many changes were made in the laws pertaining to schools at this session of the Legislature and the laws as amended took effect July i. 1879, in accord with the constitution, as no emergency clause was attached. It provided for the safe keeping of all school money; made the Commissioner County Superintendent and required him to examine all books and accounts of the Township Treasurer yearly, to visit schools, and advise with teachers and school officers. It made the school month a calendar month, and required teachers to have a certificate before making' a contract to teach and forbade school directors making contracts with the district or to do any business except at a regular or special meeting. Graded schools in cities were placed under boards of education of not less than six members and a president, all of which was a great improvement over the law of 1854.

The Marion county teachers and school boards gladly accepted the chance thus afforded to improve the schools, and a rapid advance was begun, and the people remembering the early struggle for education they themselves had had, resolved better things for their children. They had been forced to be content with a few months of school, kept in an old abandoned log cabin by an untrained and often unlearned teacher, being often forced to walk three or four miles each way to and from school, with rude slab seats, few books and no accessories. They resolved that their children should have better teachers, better books, tetter houses, better equipped and at least the necessary helps to make school life not only successful, but comfortable. The old school building of logs chinked and daubed, sometimes with oiled paper for windows, warmed, if we may call it warmed at all, by a fireplace at one end, floor of puncheon, i. e., logs split and hewn, where the earth was not used as a floor, clapboard door, hung on hinges made of wood and ill-fitted in place, benches of split logs supported by pins driven in augur holes at the ends for legs and desks of hewn logs, supported by pins driven into augur holes of the logs forming the side of the house, roof of clapboards held in place by logs placed thereon, through which the sky might be seen and through which the rain beat or the snow sifted as there was no ceiling to intervene. The teacher could by dint of hard study keep ahead of the pupils and if he could read, write and "cipher" or "do sums" to the single rule of three (now known as simple proportion) he was fully competent if he had the further and more important qualification of being able to thrash the boys and girls. The teacher at Christmas times was expected to treat the school by giving them cheap candy and not to do so was to lower himself in the estimation not only of the pupil, but of the patron as well. And this worse than silly custom is, we are sorry to say, kept up yet in some districts of our county, and is a pretty good evidence of lack of proper school progress in that district. If the teacher refused to "treat" the larger boys would scheme to lock him out of the school-house and often a fight ensued to the utter destruction of the term's usefulness, and the elders always sided with the pupils. In my early life I passed through such scenes in Illinois both as pupil and afterward as teacher. Under such conditions as these, the fathers and mothers of Marion county received their schooling, and being clear-headed the majority of them hailed the better day with rejoicing and resolved to give far better than they had received. In order that the present generation may

BRINKERHOFF'S HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY, ILLINOISappreciate their advantages, let us draw a picture. Let us visit a school of seventy-five or even sixty years ago. The house has already been described. Let us enter the school on a winter morning, the slab benches arranged on either side of the middle aisle, filled with boys of all sizes, from little tots of six years, to stalwart young men of twenty on one side and girls of like ages on the other; a huge fire in the open fire place at one end burns one side of the body while the other freezes. The struggle to keep warm, to learn the lesson and to commit some sort of mischief occupies the pupil. The teacher's desk is in the middle of the room and the teacher sits by it in calm dignity, "monarch of all he surveys," as we enter, and every pupil cranes his neck to see who it is. and satisfied in that respect, returns to his former occupation. No attempt at quiet is made, but everyone studies in a loud droning whisper and the hum of thirty or forty pupils studying fills the room, but teacher or pupil is not disturbed; they are used to it. Suddenly up goes a hand and a voice cries aloud, "May I go out?" The teacher nods and the pupil goes out, slamming the creaking door. Soon another comes to the teacher with a dirty finger on the page, pointing out a word to be pronounced, the teacher giving the pronunciation. "May Bill Jones and me git a bucket of water?" Permission being given, out goes the boys with shout and clatter. The fire by this time needs replenishing and the teacher sends a couple of boys out for wood. The little tots one by one are called to the teacher's knee and the alphabet from A to Z is conned, and then the class in reading is called and ranges in a line on the floor. The text-book is anything from the old first reader to the Bible, and perhaps only two or three books to a dozen pupils, but the book is passed from one to the other until all have read and then they pass back to the seats and the lesson is done. "Sums" are clone on slates and copied in blank books. Spelling is next and the class stands up in a long row and spells from head to foot, turning each other down when a word is missed which is not often, for whatever the old system failed to do it did make spellers and every school boasted of one or more that could spell every word in Webster's old blue-back speller.

Geography was taught by singing the facts to be learned in a dreary singsong monotone, having the facts arranged in a rude rhyme, the effect was ludicrous in the extreme, but neither pupil nor teacher saw anything out of the way or funny in it. But reader, if you are too young to have visited a "loud" school, as they were called, you have missed the best representation of pandemonium that the ingenuity of man ever devised. A "loud" school was nothing more or less than a school in which every pupil was permitted to study his lessons out loud. Imagine, if you can, thirty or forty boys and girls of all ages, each studying his lesson and perhaps each a different lesson in a loud tone of voice with perhaps a class trying to recite to the teacher, all at the same time. Yet incredible as it may appear, this kind of school was not infrequent, but a change is at hand and the boys of the old log school-house, with its rude and inadequate equipment and incompetent teacher demands something better for their children even though at more cost to themselves. So with the better laws, the old regime passes. Neat school buildings replace the cabins, trained teachers take the place of the incompetents, new furniture, adequate equipment, new and more scientific methods, gentler and better discipline, no more loud schools, no more singing geography, no more haphazard recitations, but a mind-training process has superseded and the school of today, while not perfect, is in Marion county as good as the best.

The first school in the county was taught in 1819 in Walnut Hill prairie, by Jefferson Dow, who was followed by Arby Andrews from 1823 to about 1830. In 1823 Isaac Barr taught in Tennessee prairie. The first school taught in Haines township was in 1827 near where W. D. Hill now lives, with Thomas Cohorn as teacher. Alexander Kell taught the first school in Salem in 1828. Stevenson township had no school until 1833, when Otho Davenport opened one in a log house on the Vincennes road. William Haddon taught the first school in Omega township in 1838. Schools increased with increasing population until the year 1846, when the first report of school

Whole number of school-houses in county, thirty-seven; whole number of schools, thirty-two; whole number of children under twenty-one, one thousand eight hundred and thirty; whole number of scholars enrolled, nine hundred and sixty-six ; total amount paid teachers, seven hundred and sixty dollars; average monthly wages paid teachers, twelve dollars.

The average monthly wages paid teachers today is for males, fifty-four dollars and eighty-five cents, and for females fortythree dollars and seventy-three cents, and as will be seen from the contribution of Supt. J. S. Kniseley, an effort is being made to raise both wages and the standard of excellence of Marion county schools. Marion county has sent more students to the Southern Illinois Normal than any county outside of the one in which the school is located, and has more teachers of normal training than any county in Southern Illinois. With a well equipped township high school and a city high school in Centralia; with a fouryear course accredited high school in Salem, a good high school in Sandoval, Odin and Kinmundy, and fine rural schools, Marion need not go outside her own borders for any save technical education and her sons and daughters have only to use the means at hand to be well rounded American citizens.

The year 1909 has begun to unfold her pages and reveal each succeeding day that which she has in store for us, and we find that Marion county comprises one hundred and twenty-four schools districts, one hundred and twelve one-room country schools, three two-room schools, two three-room schools and six with five or more rooms. Two new districts have been formed in the last year, one in Stevenson and the other in luka township. The highest enrollment in any one room is eighty-seven, the lowest is nine. The highest wage paid to any male teacher is one hundred and sixty-six and two-thirds dollars per month, the lowest is thirty-three and one-third dollars. The highest wage paid to any female teacher is seventy-seven dollars and fifty cents and the lowest thirty dollars per month. The total number of boys and girls between the ages of six and twenty-one years is ten thousand three hundred and sixty-nine. The total number enrolled in school is eight thousand one hundred and three. The total number between twelve and twenty-one years who are unable to read and write is thirteen. The amount of tax levy for the support of schools for the past year is one hundred and eleven thousand one hundred and twenty dollars. The amount of bonded school debt is sixty-two thousand nine hundred. The amount of interest received on township fund by the various township treasurers is nine hundred and seventy-seven dollars and twenty-three cents. Amount paid teachers the last year is sixty-nine thousand five hundred and seventy-four dollars and fifty-five cents. Total expenditure of the year ending June 30, 1908, is one hundred and one thousand seven hundred and six dollars and ninety-two cents. The average monthly wages for males is fifty- four dollars and eighty-five cents; for females forty-three dollars and seventy-three cents. Beyond any doubt our schools are above the average of those of Southern Illinois and our teachers the most loyal to the profession of any county in the state. The counties of Central and Northern Illinois, in which land is assessed at one hundred and fifty dollars to two hundred dollars per acre, higher salaries with a much lower rate of levy are maintained, which of course tends to draw from us some of our best teachers. The salaries paid to our teachers at present have not kept pace with our material growth and the advance in the cost of living. In Centralia many of the grade teachers are receiving forty dollars per month, but are compelled to pay twenty dollars per month for board. After laundry bills, clothing, school journals, reading circle books and the expense of attending the annual institute and teachers' meetings deducted, nothing is left for the remaining months, when the pay ceases. How can the country teacher who receives but forty dollars per month and pays ten dollars of it for board for six months of the year lay up any money and support a family on one dollar per day ? Can he afford to attend a normal school in order to advance and become more useful as a teacher to the district under these conditions ? "Chill penury freezes the genial currents of the soul," and we are compelled to bear with poorly prepared teachers because of a condition established by a custom. Why should our country schools be the last part of our educational system to receive attention ? Now our state normals supported by public taxation are supposed to furnish practical training for our country school teachers and high school graduates, who expect to teach school in the country in order that the country home life may become more vigorous and more attractive for the boys and girls who are to receive the impress of the teachers' life and work fresh from these institutions. Better schools cost more to be sure, but farms have increased in value,, and farmers have been receiving good prices for their products, improving their farms, improving their stock, improving their bank account, not satisfied with the seed corn or seed oats or other seed save only the best, let us not be satisfied with anything less than the best schools for our boys and girls. "The best product of the farm" good as our schools are, they can be made better, and with a devoted corps of teachers Marion county must come to the front.

The Developmen T Of Centralia

Dating from March 13, 1852, when the Illinois Central Railroad received its munificent grant from the state of Illinois, events and conditions were conspiring to the location and history of Centralia and yet Centralia and its present location were not in this formulative period considered, and the final site, platting and formation of the city of Centralia by the Illinois Central Railroad Company was the direct result of inability of the said company to satisfactorily deal with individuals owning the section of land north of Centralia and which is now partially occupied by the village of Central City, through which Crooked creek passes. The Illinois Central intended to put their shops and build their city on this location owing to its favorable geographical situation, but when the owners were approached their ideas of value failed to coincide with those of the railroad company officials, therefore, they laid out the city of Centralia, placed its shops and proceeded to build the town.

Centralia has since that time, until quite recently, been pre-eminently a railroad town these interests being first represented by the Illinois Central for division points of both the branch and main line, later the J. S. & E. purchased by the Chicago, Burlington

The growth of Centralia since its fiftyfive years of existence has been of the conservative order, the city itself being largely settled by German immigrants, necessarily poor, partook of the necessarily slow German character, while the surrounding country, to a very large extent, has been settled with the easy-going Tennesseeans and Kentucky people, largely satisfied with existing conditions.

With the gradual development of the local resources, principally coal, and the adaptation of farming to the soils, possibilities have added a more American and aggressive feature to the population and quickened the pulse of the business life of Centralia, doubling the city's population in the last five years, with the reasonable possibility of a like increase within the next period of time.

The natural growth and development, seemingly slow at times, has reflected the character of those depending upon the trade for their sustenance and fortune, and with the admixture of a per cent, of personal and civic pride, has evolved a city from out the prairie over which the Indians camped and the wild animals roamed.

The result of any municipal improvement can scarcely be attributed to any business or commercial organizations, but rather to the necessity as demanded and to the natural unanimity of action on the part of the citizens on all public questions. This spirit is manifested in the many beautiful religious and educational structures which in many instances have cost much money and would do credit to a city of much larger size. The value of these institutions can scarcely be measured in dollars and cents; they will forever remain as monuments to the Christianity and education and higher civilization of the community.

Mount Moriah church is the oldest congregation in the county. It was organized as a Free Will Baptist church in 1829. For eight years it was in name a Free Will Baptist, but in 1837 it renounced the name and leadership of such consecrated men as Elders William Chaffin, David R. Chance, Samuel Shook and Charles Drennen. These men, like many other preachers of pioneer times, underwent hardships and dangers unjoined in the reform movement, now known complainingly, for the truth's sake. Here the as the Christian church, or Church of Christ, late J. A. Williams united with the church in For many years this church was under the which he was so long to labor, and whose

BRINKERHOFF'S HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY, ILLINOISdoctrines he was to so faithfully exemplify during a life of ninety years. Among the preachers who have labored with this church regularly in the earlier years of its history were Reverends White, Brinkerhoff, Phillips, Nance, Simer, Boles and others have been preachers in charge in later years, with others who are not. recalled. The first house was log; since its decay three other frame buildings have been occupied. The second frame was a very large building and was -partly wrecked by a wind storm, but was repaired and used until about five years ago, when it was torn down and the present neat chapel built. This congregation maintains a good Sunday school and is in a healthy condition.

The Christian Church Of Salem

The Christian church at Salem was organized by Elder John A. Williams in the parlor of his home December 18. 1866. The organization was very small, but immediately bought a small frame building that had been used by the Cumberland Presbyterians as a house of worship. They paid two hundred and fifty dollars for it and repaired it at a cost of one hundred and fifty dollars. This house was used until the summer of 1879, when it was sold for one hundred dollars. The congregation immediately began the building of a new house of worship. It was of brick, thirty-four by fifty feet, with a tower ten feet square in front. This building cost two thousand five hundred dollars. It was completed and dedicated in February,

1880, Elder H. R. Trickett preaching the dedicatory sermon. Elder John A. Williams preached for this church regularly once a month for many years. Besides Elder Williams, John W. Manehan, John Bradley, Elder Kite, Elder Henry, J. H. G. Brinkerhoff and others preached for this church until Brother Mosely was employed as resident pastor. He was followed by J. F. Rosborough, and he by Elder Black ad Clark Braden, and for the last four years F. O. Fannon has been preacher to this people. In 1906 the congregation resolved to build a new church and sold the old building for four hundred dollars and accepted plans for a new building, which, complete, cost twenty-two thousand dollars, including a fine pipe organ ; one-half of the cost of the organ was donated by Andrew Carnegie. The new church is one of the most beautiful structures in Southern Illinois. It is of buff pressed brick, with basement under the entire building, an auditorium and assembly and class rooms, minister's study and choir room on first floor, with kitchen, dining room and parlors above. The congregation now numbers two hundred and thirty nine communicants.

The Centralia Church

The Christian church at Centralia was organized at Central City December 31. 1856. by Elder John A. Williams, with only eight members. They were Jacob, Harriet and Simpson Frazier; Daniel Myers; James and Jane McCartney; Margaret Whitton, and

Louisa Hawkins. But when it became apparent that the center of business would be moved to Centralia, it was advisable to move the location of the church, and a commodious frame house was built in the new city, into which the church moved its church organization. During the Civil war the church sustained serious injury by the bitter political feeling that existed at that time, and did not fully recover for many years. At this time the membership was seventy-five males and eighty-five females, a total of one hundred and sixty. In 1866 their building was burned and for several years they met in a rented hall, with the inevitable consequence of growing weaker and weaker, but in 1872 a new house of worship was built on the same lot on which stood the old church. This building is also of wood and cost two thousand four hundred dollars. It is still used, but plans have been accepted for the building of a new church at a cost of thirty thousand dollars, which will be begun in 1909. The church was reorganized February 19, 1870, from which time the church has steadily grown, until today, under the leadership of James F. Rosborough, it is one of the strongest as well as the most united churches in the county. Besides J. A. Williams, many of the strong preachers of the past generation labored with this church.

Alma Christian church was organized April 28, 1867, by Elder John Ross, with fifteen members. This church grew steadily for a time, but in 1872 a bitterness developed over opinions that for many years retarded the growth in numbers as well as in spirituality. In 1875 Elders Hawley and Johnson held a meeting, adding thirty-five members to the congregation and doing away with much of the ill feeling, which happily has now entirely passed away, and the church, having passed through trouble, is now growing strong.

Little Grove church stands just south of the county line in Jefferson county, but most of its membership is in Marion county. This church was organized about 1841 and has constantly and consistently maintained the cause of the Master and has preaching once every month, after the mistaken idea of most country churches.