McDonough County, Illinois - Chapter 39: Miscellaneous, 1878

Chapter 39: Miscellaneous

Crooked Creek. - What may properly be termed the head waters of Crooked Creek are hard to determine. In Prairie City township rises a small stream which has Ijeen known for fifty years as Drowning Fork of Crooked Creek. This stream passes down near the town of Bardolph, where it is joined by another fork, and the two combined form a considerable stream, which has been given the name Crooked Creek, from its being in fact what its name implies. In all the old maps published this stream is known as Lamoine river - a French word meaning The Monk. It is generally surmised, though not certainly known, that in the very early settlement of this country, when the French Catholics occupied it for the purpose of converting the Indians to the Catholic religion, the priests gave it this name. In the original field notes of the United States survey for McDonough county it is marked Lamine river. In its tortuous course thi-ough the county it passes through the townships of Prairie City, BushneU, Macomb, Emmet, Chalmers, Tennessee, and Lamoine. In the early days a great many mills were erected upon this stream, but all have been torn down or left to the decay of time.

Camp Creek. - An early settler camping upon the banks of this stream one entire summer gave the origin of this name. The head waters are in New Salem township, where it passes on through Scotland, Industry, aj^d Bethel townships, uniting with Grindstone creek in the latter, and the two merging into Crooked creek near Lamoine.

Grindstone Creek. - This stream was originally named Turkey creek, from the fact that at certain seasons, large flocks of wild turkeys were found there. A party of men from Schuyler county, finding upon its banks a good quality of stone for grindstones gave it its present name. Its head waters are in Eldorado township. It passes through Industry, and joins Camp creek in Bethel township.

Troublesome Creek. - This is a small stream having its rise in Scotland township, from whence it passes through Chalmers, touching Tennessee, and then into Lamoine township, where it joins Crooked Creek. A government surveyor, after making vain efforts to effect a crossing, remarked that "it was the most troublesome stream he ever saw." Its banks are almost perpendicular its entire length, although the stream is but a few feet wide, and without bridges, it is a very "troublesome creek."

Spri/if/ Creek. - This is another small stream rising in Sciota township, passing through Emmet, joining Crooked creek on the line dividing the two townships. As its.

Among other creeks of small size are Sugar and Kock creeks, the former commencing in Eldorado township and passing out on the south. Name given, it is supposed, on account of the number of sugar trees on its banks. Rock creek rises in Hire, and is so named on account of its rocky bottom, though running through the prairie.

Motrimoniiil. - The subject of matrimony has always been an interesting one to the human race since the days of Adam to the present time, and doubtless will be until the angel shall stand with one foot upon the sea and the other upon the land and cry, "Time was, but time shall be no more.'" As showing how the subject has been dealt with here, we append the following statistics in relation to the number of marriage licenses issued each year since the organization of the county :

The above furnishes a grand total of 6,580 marriage licenses issued by the various clerks. Of the number some two or three were returned marked as executions placed in the hands of an oflficer are sometimes done, "not satisfied." ''Barkis" was not always "willin."' The greatest number issued in any one year was in 18()(). the year after the close of the war. The "'boys in blue" came home to fulfill vows long previously made.

Table Of Distances

The following table gives the distances by rail and wagon roads from Macomb, to the various towns in the county. The distances by railway are from the depot building in Macomb, to the depots of several towns ; the distances by wagon road are from the court house to the post office of each town.

We had intended a chapter on the above theme, but the difficulty in securing sufficient data was greater than we anticipated, therefore we have to forego the pleasure. The most of the contributions for our local papers have been anonymously written, but we find several gems among the number that are worthy a place in its history. Following we give a poem by A. K. Owens, Ksq., written at our request which speaks for itself :

Owen

Are camping on the shore Of death's dark deep, whose tide of ycaix Will wake them never more ! XXII. Though some remain, tl.eir locks of griif

Pauperism

The following facts relative to pauperism in the county will be found of interest : Since August 11, 1863, one hundred and twenty-two persons have been admitted to the almshouse. Of this number 78 were bom in the United States, 18 in Ireland, 4 in Germany. 1 in England, 8 in Scotland, 2 in Canada. 1 in Sweden, 2 in Denmark, and the nativity of 4 unknown. During this period r> of the inmates have died and 83 discharged, leaving there at the present time 34 persons. In 1876 there were admitted 2/> persons, and up to the first of August, 1877, a number still larger, viz, 29. The largest number admitted during any one month was in June of the present year (1877), when 10 were received. For the year 18G3 only 1 was admitted; 3 in 1864; none in 1865 or 1H66 ; 3 in 1867 ; none in 1868 or 1869, and but one in 1870. Of the whole number admitted. 8.5 were males and 37 females. The oldest person admitted was Charlotte Bacon, colored, the only one of her race ever received. At the time of her admittance, which was in February, 1864, she was 97 years old. She died February 5, 1876, at the very old age of 109, ha^ang a greater age than any person that has ever lived in the county. She came to McDonough county in 1832. The oldest man ever received wft.s Joseph Wheeler, admitted October 13, 1872, at the age of 77 years. He is yet an inmate. The oldest man now there is John Scissils, who was admitted January 1, 1864, and is at present 87 years old.