Piatt County, Illinois - Chapter 6: Piatt County, 1883

Chapter 6: Piatt County

PREVIOUS to the coming of the first white settlers to this county, the small portion of the state now known as Piatt county served no higher purpose than as grazing land for herds of deer and buffalo, and as camping ground for the Indians during the hunting season. The buffaloes disappeared ere the coming of the whites, leaving as evidence of their habitation here some decaying bones, and a portion of some of their trails to the water-courses. A small part of one of these trails can yet be seen about half a mile west of Mr. Macintosh's mill on the Sangamon river.

The deer remained long after settlements began, and, in fact, some were seen in the county not over sixteen years ago. These timid, graceful creatures were the pride, as well as the chief support of the early settlers of the county. They furnished much of the sport, too, for the old as well as the young. Deer hunts were greatly in vogue, and the children spent days in playing with their pet fawns. Some of the old settlers have at hand many jokes and incidents relative to the deer hunts of their youthful days. Most of the early settlers were hunters, some excelling the others, however. "Uncle Nath" Henline was always a hunter and we expect him to remain one for many years to come. Mr. Simon Shonkwiler has killed many a deer, while "Uncle Joe " Moore has well earned his sobriquet of " Buckskin Joe." "Uncle Ezra" Marquiss is one of the few early settlers who spent very little time with the gun. He sometimes relates his early disappointments in that direction and his subsequent decision to spend his time at something else. He never killed a deer in his life. Dr. Hull was a noted deer hunter in his day here. The Maxwells, just beyond the line, in Champaign county, were the companions of Mr. Henline and others of the early settlers in their hunting expeditions. Joseph Mallory says that he shot his first deer December 9, 1835, on what is now Mr. Thomas Reid's place. He was in company with William Piatt, and the latter undertook to have his nag carry both himself and the dead deer. Upon crossing a little stream and when the horse went to drink, he was so frightened by the deer's legs swinging and striking him, that both the deer and Mr. Piatt were tossed into the stream. Many other similar incidents might be related which would but serve to emphasize the fact that the hunting was a hard necessity, yet once in a while a little sport tempered the hardness.

Wolves were at one time - and are still in some parts of the county - a great annoyance to the early settlers. Many ways and means were devised for exterminating them. They were chased with bloodhounds, were dug from their lairs, and in some cases were caught in traps. Mr. Piatt has seen the remains of a wolf trap supposed to have been erected by Mr. Daggott, which had the skeletons of deer and wild hogs which had been used for bait scattered around it. According to Mr. Henline the wolf traps were made similar to those for prairie-chickens. The bait was so fixed that, when the wolf jerked it, the lid of the trap came down and the wolf was a prisoner. Some of the ladies in the county had a little share in wolf and deer hunts. One lady, now living in the county, told us how astonished she once was to have a wolf bound over the fence, alighting at her side as she stood in the garden. From the garden the wolf went from one lot to another and then lay down in the pig-pen to rest. The neighbors with their dogs were out on the trail, and as the barking of the dogs began to be heard plainer, the wolf started from the -hog-pen and ran in another direction. In the meantime, and ere the men came in sight, the lady referred to had mounted a horse and was quickly oft', taking the lead in the chase and witnessed the killing of the wolf by the hounds. Several equally interesting incidents are remembered by the pioneers. The howling of the wolves was one of the disagreeable sounds the people had to listen to in the early days. Some of the now men and women can jet, in imagination, hear the frightful noise as it sounded in their childish ears.

Indians in the county. - Indians of various tribes used to pass through and camp in Piatt county, but the Pottawatomies and Kickapoos frequented the place more than any others. Mr. Henline was well acquainted with many of these Indians. They taught him their language, their arts of hunting and trapping, and the use of snowshoes. Shabbona, the peace chief, has been in the county, and Mr. Henline knew him. He was also acquainted with Shaw-nes-sah, an under chief of the Pottawatomies. Mr. Henline assisted in opening an Indian grave - that of a chief in the war of 1812, - near Coon spring, and he yet has some of the trinkets taken from it.

There was one old Indian, named Capt. John, who wintered for several seasons just a little west of the Wabash cattle-yards, near Monticello. He considered Mr. James Piatt's folks, who lived in a cabin just north of the depot in Monticello, his friends. One summer Indian John wanted to stay and plant corn, and Mr. Piatt showed him ground on the present site of Monticello where he could plant. John, however, wanted to plant in the pasture, but upon Mr. Piatt's assuring him the horses would eat it he went off contented, returning in the fall to find a fine lot of corn on the ground he would not use. He pointed to the corn telling what a patch of corn he had. Mr. Piatt told him to go cut it, but the old Indian only laughed adroitly and turned away. Just before the Black Hawk war, this Indian went to Mr. Piatt and bade him good-by, telling him that there was going to be war.

One morning several Indians called at Mr. Piatt's for food. Although it was after breakfast time Mrs. Piatt gave them a good meal. While in the house one of the Indians saw a book on the shelf and took it down, asking William Piatt to read for them under the trees in the yard. The latter read until the Indian reached for the

At the time that Mr. James Piatt was helping Mr. Fry to build his cabin, an Indian came out of the woods and beckoned to Mr. Piatt, who was on the house. He got down from the house and followed the Indian, who presented him a part of a deer in remembrance of the time Mr. Piatt fed him during the war of 1812.

Part of the land Mr. Piatt owned in and about Monticello was paid for by money received from Indian agents. At one time five or six hundred Indians on their way west were camped in his neighborhood and he furnished the agents provisions for them.

A pond several miles north of Monticello commemorates the name of a Delaware brave. A Delaware squaw killed two Kickapoo children and was -sentenced to death. An Indian married her to save her life and she was banished. Her husband chose banishment too, and they settled in the fall upon the banks of the Sangamon river. Upon the rising of the river they moved back just above a pond on C. "W. Piatt's place. Here the squaw was taken sick and her husband gave her steam baths by pouring water on hot stones, but to no purpose, for she died. Nathan Henline was a boy at this time and was at the burial. The grave was dug on the bank of the pond, puncheon boards were placed therein, and into this r-ude sepulcher- the body was placed. The next morning old Buck and his ten-year old son, Calish, started to camp, and ever since the pond has been known as Buck's pond. Some time after the burial of the squaw a band of Kickapoo Indians passed through this section of the country, and the grave was robbed of its dead, - the bones were scattered on top of the ground. A number of years afterward the Marquiss boys found the old squaw's skull and took it home with them. Traces of the grave are yet visible.

Organization and name. - At the time of the first settlements in what is now Piatt county it was a part of Macon and DeWitt counties. About 1837 the people located here began to think themselves too far offTrom tEe~county seats, and they decided to try to have a new county struck off. Accordingly a meeting was held to see what could be done to advance such decision. The result was that Isaac Demorest and William Wright were instructed to carry a petition, which was made out by George A. Patterson, in Champaign county, for the purpose of getting some portion of it for the new county. Abraham and Ezra Marquiss and William Barnes were to canvass DeWitt county, while George A. Patterson, James Piatt and John Piatt were to work in

Macon county and over the southern part of what is now Piatt county. The canvassers in Champaign county accomplished nothing, but the others succeeded in getting their petitions quite well filled out, and George A. Patterson was appointed to lobby in the legislature for the formation of the new county. Mr. Patterson called a meeting at the house of Abraham Marquiss for the purpose of deciding upon a name for the probable county. Isaac Demorest proposed the name of Webster, and made a speech in its favor, while William Barnes proposed that of Piatt, and spoke at length in favor of the same. Only seven or eight votes were cast and Piatt gained the day by a majority of about one vote. Mr. Patterson went to Springfield, and wrote a letter to 'Squire Wiley, January 7, 1811, from which we quote the following: "I have become acquainted with many of the members and my business is favorably received. The petitions were introduced New Years' day, and referred to the committees on counties. I had the privilege of drawing the bill and with only one amendment it was presented and read yesterday for the first time. One gentleman has hinted that he would propose to alter the name of our county to that of Grundy, but I have opposed it, because we agreed to have no party political name, and so the name of Piatt will be sustained."

The result of all this was that by an act of the legislature in January, 1841, Piatt county was formed. The following, from the "Laws of Illinois for 1841," defines the boundaries of the said county:

".£?<? it enacted Inj the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly : That all of that part of Macon and .DeWitt counties, included within the following boundaries to-wit: Beginning - where the north line of town fifteen, north, intersects the middle of range four, east, and running thence north through the middle of range four to the middle of town nineteen ; thence east to the west line of range five; thence north to the northwest corner of town nineteen, north, range five, east ; thence by a direct line to the southwest corner of section seven, town twenty-one, north, range six ; thence east to the east line of range six ; thence south along the east line of range six to the nortli line of town fifteen, north ; thence west along the north line of town fifteen to the place of beginning, shall constitute a new county of Piatt."

Alter the county was thus organized, Monticello, which had been laid out and named in 1837, was chosen as the county seat. At once the first county election, in April 1841, was held, and John Hughes, W. Bailey and E. Peck comprised the first county commissioners' court. Hon. Samuel H. Treat presided over the iirst court held May 1-i, 1841. Joseph King was made the first circuit clerk; James Reber, probate judge, and John Piatt, sheriff.

For a number of years the county was divided into the following precincts : Liberty, Monticello, Sangamon and Okaw, and the people living therein, voted accordingly. In 1861 the present organization into townships was made.

First- settlements. - It seems that the southern states, though in some cases in a roundabout way, were the first to send settlers to our little county. Mr. Hayworth, who came in 1822 and built the first house in the county, moved from- Tennessee to. Illinois, with a colony of Quakers. Mr. James Martin, who settled here in 1822 and built the second house, was formerly from Kentucky, but he moved to Ohio, thence through Indiana and to Piatt county. Mr. Henline's people, who settled here in 1824, were originally from Kentucky, but moved from Ohio to Illinois. Mr. York, who moved to this state from Kentucky, was formerly from J^orth Carolina. Thus, at the outset, the characteristic eleme-nt of the southern people - hospitality - was implanted on Piatt county soil. Soon other people came in from Indiana, Ohio, and other states.

In 1822 Mr. Daggott bought Mr. Martin's improvements, lived on the place a short time, and then deserted it, moving to Big Grove, Urbana. About the same year Mr. Daggott came, Mr. Holliday reached Piatt county. On his way here he stalled, and had to remain a day or two in a big slough east of Lynn Grove. The place was known for a number of years as Holliday's Hole. LTpon reaching the county he built a cabin a little southwest of Mr. Hayworth's, on land that is now a part of Monticello. Mr. Solomon Carver bought Mr. Ilolliday out, and in 1829 William Cordell bought the property and moved on to it. Just previous to this, however, Mr. James Piatt, while traveling through Illinois, stopped over night with Mr. Carver. Upon hearing that Mr. Ilayworth wished to sell out, Mr. Piatt went to Danville, bought him out, and in 1829 moved his family from Indiana to the Ilayworth cabin, a picture of which appears in this book. In 1830 the father of William Cordell, built the first house on what is now Madden's Run. He afterward sold out to Mr. Stout, and the stream was known for a time as Stout's Branch. In this same year (1830) Mr. David Cordell built a cabin on what is known as the Wool- ington place. Previous to this, however, in 1824, Mr. York built a cabin near Mr. George Varner's present residence, and this was the first house on Goose creek. It is said that in 1830 these last two cabins mentioned were the only ones on the north side of the Sangamon river, between Friends Creek and Cheney's Grove. Mr. York lost his wife here, and returned to Kentucky. Mr. Cordell moved to Friends Creek and thence to Missouri. In the fall of 1830 a Mr. Fry put up a cabin north of the mouth of Goose creek, on wrhat is -now Mr. Fithian's place. In this same year (1830) Mr. Terry came to the county and built two cabins, one for himself and one for his motherin-law, Mrs. Randolf, in the southern part of the present fair grounds.

These people, so far as we can learn, are all who settled in Piatt county previous to the deep snow of 1830-31. During the next decade settlements were made quite rapidly.

Soon after the deep snow, probably in the fall of 1831, Mr. Olney, a captain in the revolutionary war, came to the county and built a cabin on what is now Mr. Ezra Marquiss' place. His son-in-law, Mr. Lawrence, began building the cabin which afterward became "Uncle Ezra's " tirst house, a cut of which appears in this book. One of Mr. Olney's sons took possession of the house vacated by Mr. Fry, while the other built a cabin on the site of William Piatt' s present residence. Old Mr. and Mrs. Olney died here and were buried at Hickory Point, just opposite Mr. Oliver Marquiss' present residence. Their remains were long afterward disinterred by a grandson and placed in the burying ground near the Piatt school-house. The Olneys became dissatisfied with the county and movied away. In 1833, when Mr. Abraham Marquiss with his family came to the county, he took possession of the cabin that stood where William H. Piatt's present residence is, which was vacated by one of the Olneys.

During the decade from 1830 to 1840, settlements began to be made rapidly. During the first half of this time Mr. Abraham Marquiss, Ezra Marquiss, William Barnes, John and Richard Madden, Samuel Olney, Joseph Mai lory, Isaac Williams. Samuel Suver, Cyrus Widick and Michael Dillow settled in the county. About the middle of the decade the Aters, the Baileys, James Hart, Jesse, William and Richard Monroe, James Utterback, Joseph -and Luther Moore, Ezra Fay, Daniel and Samuel Harshbarger, Simon and Nathaniel Shonkwilerand Samuel Ilavely, came to the county. ISot far from 1840 Abraham Collins, John Tenbrook, Samuel West, A. J. Wiley, A. Rizeor, John Argo, John Welch, William Smock, Peter Adams, George and Silas Evans, the Armswortlis, the Coons, Dr. Burrill, and a number of others, settled in the county. Some of these early settlers of the county are yet living, but others have ended their worldly career.

Prominent among the settlers at this time, in the neighboring counties, we will first mention Mr. Henry Sadorus, who came with his family and made, in 182-1, one of the first settlements in. Champaign county. Mr. Sadorus was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, in 1783. He married Mary Titus in 1811. He served thirteen months in the war of 1812, but never received his pension. In his last years he became ambitious to obtain it, but his last illness prevented the signing of the papers. Upon Mr. Sadorus' settling at the grove, which still bears his name, his house became a regular stopping place for all travelers bound for Macon and other counties west. Several people now living in this county are ready to affirm that the meals prepared by Mrs. Sadorus seemed the best they had ever eaten. This family was hospitable in the extreme and too great credit cannot be given them for their good deeds. Mr. Sadorus was married in 1853 to Mrs. Eliza Canterbury. In this connection we will mention an instance referred to in Lothrop's History of Champaign County. At an early day here horse-thieves were quite annoying. Mr. James Piatt having lost three valuable horses started in pursuit, and he and Mr. Sadorus, after several days' ride, caught the thief with his prize. Although the prisoner was handcuffed, he made several attempts to escape as they were on the way to the sheriff of Macon county. At each attempt of escape made by the prisoner, Mr. Sadorus dropped a bullet into his gun, and when the thief was safe in the sheriff's hand only "twenty-nine balls " were found in the gun.

The Dickeys, of Macon county, were also kind neighbors to the people of this county. Mr. Win. Dickey, a native of Alabama, settled on Friends Creek about 1828 or 1830, and lived there until his death a few years after. His son John died while on his way to Chicago with produce for the markets. Several descendants of these men are yet living in Macon county. The Ho wells, some of whom now live in Piatt county, were in Macon county a long time. The Maxwells, of Champaign county, were also friends of the people in this county. A number of other people, both in these and surrounding counties, might be mentioned, which would also serve to show that the pioneers of this county were not without friends.

First births and deaths in the county. - -The first white child born, in the county was that of a family of movers, who, at the time, were camped near Camp Creek bridge, near where Mrs. Raymond now> lives (1881). This family only remained in the county a month or so. The next child born after that of the movers was a daughter of Mr.' Henry Sadorus, born at Mr. James Piatt's house in the spring of 1830. Jacob Piatt, born in January, 1831, was the first male child born to white settlers in Piatt county. Frank Williams, daughter of Isaac Williams, who came to the county in 1835, and Mary E. Monroe (now Mrs. Gamaliel Gregory), were probably the next children born in the county.

There was a walnut tree, which stood on an island a little below the Bender ford of the Sangamon river, which for fifteen years was known as the ".coffin tree." The several first people who died in the county were buried in coffins made by the neighbors from this tree. The first coffin, according to Mr. Henline, was made for Mrs. Martin, and the same tree furnished coffins for Mrs. Randolph, Mrs. Terry and Mrs. Olney. The coffin of the latter named person was in good condition when taken up thirty years after. These people- - except Mrs. Olney - were buried a little southwest of Rhoades Park, in Monticello. Mrs. York, Mr. Holliday and Mr. Ayers also had coffins from the tree and were interred in the same place. No trace of this burial-ground now remains. This tree just referred to was used for other purposes. Mr. Abraham Marquiss and Ezra Marquiss made a good table out of it, and Win. Piatt made several bedsteads from the same tree.

The "deep snow" and "sudden freeze" mark two eras in the history of Piatt county which were not soon forgotten by the inhabitants of the county at that time. "The deep snow is one of the landmarks of the early settler. It is his mile-stone, from which he counts in dating preceding or succeeding events. He reckons the date of his coming to the county, his marriage and the births of his children from it." "You may locate a certain event as occurring Anno Domini so-and-so, and your ante-deep snow resident will at once commence counting on his fingers the intervening years between the deep snow and the particular time in question in order to verify your date. The fact is, that the deep snow was an important and very extraordinary phenomenon. There has been nothing equal to it in this latitude for the last hundred years - if the Indian traditions are correct as to what occurred before the white man's advent. According to their traditions, as related to the first settlers, a snow fell from fifty to seventy-five years before the settlement of the white people, which swept away the immense herds of Buffalo and elk that then roamed over our vast prairie."

Early in the fall of 1830 the snow began to fall, and continued to fall at near intervals through the entire winter. Frequent sleets with the snows formed alternate layers of snow and ice, which was from three to four feet deep on the level. The weather was intensely cold throughout the season, and the snow did not melt. It was drifted in places so that the fences could not be seen. For weeks people were positively "snow-bound," and did not venture forth except to prevent starvation. As the season advanced and the snow became packed, teams drawing heavily loaded wagons were driven right on top of the snow and over stake and rider fences.

Wild game was very easily captured that winter. The deer being unable to travel through the snow were often caught without the aid of fire-arms. For several seasons following that of the deep snow, deer, prairie-chicken and other game were very scarce.

After this great snow began to melt as the warmer season advanced, the country was almost deluged with water, and for weeks it was nearly as difficult to travel about the country as it was in the winter.

We understand there was no one perished in the snow of that fearful winter, but we have heard several tales of the hardships undergone by the settlers of the county. At this time there was one little hand-mill in the county at Mr. Henline's, and all their neighbors had to struggle through the snow to use this one mill to prepare the "breadstuff." One old settler relates the fact that, when a boy, he was detailed from his family to carry grain or "breadstuff" to a family across the river to keep them from starving. He wore nothing on his limbs but buckskin breeches, and as he came over the point of the bluff reaching the prairie not far from where Mr. Woolington now lives, the cold wind from off all that prairie of deep snow would blow his clothes and strike his now and then unprotected knees with such force as to almost paralyze him with cold.

denness of the storm, there was probably more intense suffering for the time being. Some of the incidents related in regard to this storm seem almost incredulous, but when we hear so many tell the same kind of stories, we know all could not be mistaken. For a time preceding the storm the ground had been covered with snow, but upon, the day in question, the rain falling during almost the entire forenoon had made with the snow a "slush" several inches in depth. The storm came from the northwest and reached this county some time in the afternoon. The cloud appeared dark and threatening above, while below it had a white frosty appearance and the air seemed filled with particles of frozen mist. Almost instantaneously the climate seemed changed from that of a temperate to a frigid one. The change came sorapidly that one could seemingly see the slush congealing, and the feet of chickens, hogs, sheep and cattle were held ice-bound in the frozen slush. Mr. Ezra Marquiss describes the day in the following manner : "It was raining the fore part of the day and I had been gathering hogs. I reached home about ten o'clock, ate my dinner, arid started out to see how the weather looked. As I went out of the south side of the house, which w.is Itf X 18 feet square, it was still raining. I walked slowly to the west side of the house to find it snowing, and by the time I had reached the north side the slush on the ground was frozen over." He further remarked : "The second or third day after the ' freeze ' a hired man and I started to take our horses over to Salt Creek to be shod. Father helped us to start and we got the horses over the creek - which was from bluff to bluff - quite easily, by carrying ashes and scattering for them to walk on J but when we reached the prairie the horses could scarcely move in some places. In order to get them over sloughs and ponds one of us would, take hold of the bridle-rein and pull while the other woitkl push the horse ; but though the start was made early in the morning, and notwithstanding the pushing and pulling, night found us only half way over - about five or six miles from home. We left the horses standing on the icy plain and returned home for the night. In the morning we returned to the horses, and the remainder of the journey seemed less difficult."

William Piatt was pitching hay with a pitchfork when the storm struck him. Almost instantly, it seemed to him, the handle of the fork, which had been wet with rain, was c« vered with ice.

Mr. William Monroe, while going with Mr. James Utterback to East Fork, was so nearly frozen that when he reached a neighbor's he had to be helped off the horse. His clotnes were actually frozen to the hair of the horse.

At the time of the sudden freeze Jacob and Samuel Deeds were frozen to death while on their way to West Okaw. Mr. Joseph Moore says that these men had been over to the Lake Fork timber hunting hogs and had started home. It was twelve days before their bodies were found. There were several other deaths of people who were neighbors to the people of this county.

tiirly mills. - Mr. Henliiie says the} used to prepare their cornmeal in what was called a hominy block. This was made by making a hole about one and a half feet deep in a, block of wood three feet long and from two to two and a half feet in diameter. A block of wood with a wedge in it was then fastened to a pole with one end fastened to a joist of the cabin. The hominy block was placed under the sweep, which when forced to the bottom of the block in pounding the corn therein, would spring back to its original position. The finest part of the pounded corn was made into bread while the coarse part was used for hominy. The next arrangement for preparing cornmeal was a hand mill. Mr. Henline's folks bouerht two stones that were about sixteen inches in diameter. These were fixed in a section, of a hollow tree and the top stone had a hole in it in the center and onenear its circumference. A staff was fastened with one end in the outer hole, and the other to one of the joists of the cabin. By taking hold, of the staff a rotary motion could be made by the top stone. Only a, handful of corn could be put into this mill at a time, and it took about three men to grind three bushels of corn a day.

Mr. Wm. Monroe thus describes the making of tfre first mill Unity Township had. ''When we returned home after the sudden freeze, Mr. Christopher Mosbarger, who was a millwright, and who had brought his tools along, was at our house. We were without breadstuff, and he said to us : u Boys, get your axes and grub-hoes and cut the ice, and by gracious, we makes a mill with prairie ' nigger-heads. "; All went to work and in about four days a mill was made. This mill was afterward moved from Mr. Jesse Monroe's to where Atwood now is, and was run by horse-power, grinding ten to twenty bushels a day.

The first large mill in the county was a water-power mill, built about 1838, near where Mr. Mclntosh's mill is now located. It was owned by the following named men, who comprised the stock company :

I'.'iii'l;/ administration <>/ jn*li<-<>. - The pioneers usually found a way, and sometimes 'twas a way peculiarly their own. to punish persons tor their misdeeds. There was a famous rail-pulling in Macon county about 1S:>1, in which many persons from what is now I'iatt county participated. Some movers passing through the county stopped, upon invitation, for lod^intr at the house of a man who was living on government land. At this house the mover was advised to enter some land. lie accordingly left his family with these hospitable people and went to a land otlice and entered the very land his new acquaintance was living on: and more than this, he returned and ordered him off the place. The one who really had the best ri^ht to the place1 quietly left the cabin and built another on some land of his own, and notified his neighbors of the rascality of the man he1 had befriended. Twas enough! People to the number of one hundred collected one niiriit from Sadorus drove. Salt Creek, what is now Piatt county, and Macon county, and planned to move the improvements to some land on which the new cabin was and which had been entered by the man who had befriended the mover. A captain was chosen and t he " rail-pulling" was fairly be^un, when the guilty party made his appearance and a compromise was made. The company contentedly dispersed t<> their several homes.

Several years later a company was orpini/ed for the purpose of administering justice in cases that the law could not well ijet hold of. Ainonu; themselves they were known as "The ( 'alithumpians." They were in or^ani/.ation ei^ht or ten years and 'tis thought they did a ii'ood deal of ii'ood with tar and feathers; for, while some Were quite severely punished for misdeeds, others were afraid to do wron^1. The captain and tirst lieutenant of the company are still living in this county, and the chaplain is now preaching in Kansas.

Jntln'titrti, count ij ojfn; i-x dud NOIH<> of //» election /'>h'/'/ix. - Hon. Samuel II. Treat, nowjud^e of the Tinted States district court, presided over the 1irst court in a room ot the "Old Fort " or Devore House. The first tour terms of court did not occupy one half a day. lion. David Davis, who is now vice-president, was the second jud<;v of this district. He was succeeded by Hon. Charles Kmerson, of Decatur, who presided nearly fifteen years, and though "a man of tew words, was very highly revered." He died in April. 1S70. Hon. A. el. (iallau'her was the next juduv, and his ability for jud^in^ points was great. Few of his decisions were reversed. After six years he was succeeded by Hon. C. B. Smith, who says IK; held the first term of court in Piatt coifnty in 3873, and has held newly every term in the county since;. Judge Smith is a native of Virginia, and received a portion of his law education under Governor Benjamin Stanton, of Ohio. In the last few years Judge Nelson, of Decatur, has held a few terms of court in the county.

-lames McDougal, who has since been United States senator from California, was the first prosecuting attorney. lie was followed successively .by David Campbell, Mr. liust, John It. Eden, afterward congressman from Illinois; Col J. P. Boyd, D. L. Bunn, M. V. Thompson, Samuel It. Reed, Albert Emerson and Charles Hughes.

The names of the probate justices and county judges are as follows : James Reber, John Hughes, James Ater, A. G. Boyer, II. C. McComas, G. L. Spear, Hiram Jackson, William McReynolds and W. G. Cloyd.

John Piatt was the first sheriff of the county, and the following men succeeded him in the order of their names: Edward Ater, Charles Harris, George Heath, Samuel Morain, G. M. Bruffett, Peter K. Hull, Reuben Bowman. F. II. Lowry, K. I*. Fisher, W. B. List, George Miller, John Kirby, William II. Plunk, E. P. Fisher and William X. Holmes.

The following are the names of the county school commissioners and superintendents : Joseph King, William II. Piatt, George A. Patterson, Joseph Kee, Thomas Milligan, John Huston, J. W. Coleman, Caleb A. Tatrnan, C. J. Pitkin, Mary I. Reed and G. A. Burge - .

James Reber, the first county surveyor, was -ucceeded by George Heath, James Bryden, C. D. Moore, William McReynolds and C. I). Moore, in succession.

County Officers Election Of 1852, By Precincts

The present county board consists of the following named gentlemen : William H. Katz, of Monticello township; Y. S. Ruby, of Bernent township; D ivid Moyer, of Willow Branch township; John Kirby, of Goose Creek township ; A. J. Langley, of Blue Ridge township ; W. Mossgrove, of Sangamon township ; W. L. Pitts, of Cerro Oordo ; and J. A. Hawkes, of Unity.

Lincoln. - Even a history of this little bit of the sfate's territory cannot be written without an allusion to this great and good man - to Abraham Lincoln. During the first years after the organization of the county he came to Monticello for the purpose of practicing law. McDougal, Kirby Benedict, C. H. Moore and Mr. Gridley, were also lawyers here during that time.

In 1856, during the presidential campaign, Lincoln came to Monticello to make a speech. The speaking was to be in the court-house, and when the time came to proceed to said place, only two persons could be found who were willing to walk with Abraham Lincoln through the streets and to the court-house. These men were Ezra Marquiss, Sr., and Joseph Guy, who carried the flag. The speaking began, with these two men for audience, but gradually the number increased until the court-room was nearly full.

During the senatorial campaign in 1858, a very different greeting awaited Lincoln, who was called by his party to speak at Monticello. A procession, nearly a mile long, came down from Champaign county, arid another delegation arrived from DeWitt county, with the Piatt county delegation in addition. A magnificent display was made as the throng proceeded to meet Lincoln as he came from Bement. Douglas, who had just fulfilled the appointment made by his party for him in Monticello, met Lincoln on the hill, one mile south of Monticello, and, according to Judge Spear, they arranged to meet at Bement, in F. E. Bryant's house, upon Lincoln's return to the place. At the time of their meeting arrangements were concluded for the great senatorial debate, which soon followed.

In the procession that went to meet Lincoln were carried many banners with suggestive mottoes. One was: "Cham - paign for Abe; real pain for Dug." After the crowd of some five thousand persons reached the old park, just west of Monticello, Lawrence Weldon, of DeWitt county, made the first speech. Lincoln followed him with a two hours' concise and logical speech. Dinner was sumptuously served in the park. Altogether 'twas the greatest day Piatt county had ever seen.

It seems almost incredible that so great a change could come over the public sentiment of the people of the county during two short years. In 1856 the people would scarcely pause in their work to look at him, while, in 1858, they were ready to literally carry him in their arms.

The press. - Mr. James D. M^udy was the editor of the first paper in Piatt county. A copy of this paper, which was printed in November, 1856, and called "The Monticello Times,'" lies before us, and in it we notice the advertisements of some of the men who are yet in business in Monticello. Mr. Moudy, who only edited the paper a short time, sold out to Mr. J. C. Johnson, who published the paperunderits original name for a time. He sold out to Mr. James Outten, who edited it under the same name for a time. Pie then took Mr. Hassett as his partner and the name was changed to ' ' The Sucker State. " Messrs. Gilliland and Tritt bought these men out and were running the paper in 1859. Thomas Milligan succeeded them, and edited "The Conservative " until 1862. At this date W. E. Lodge bought him out and edited the paper until 1864-. During -a part of this time J. M. Holmes assisted him. Mr. Lodge sold out to N. E. Rhoades and the paper was conducted under the auspices of the tTnion League. Mit. A. Bates was the editor and publisher during the political campaign of 1864-, and the paper was called "The Piatt County Union."

Mr. James M. Holmes was the next person to buy the paper, and he printed the first copy of Yol. I of "The Piatt Independent," November 23, 1865.

Mr. Holmes published this paper under the same name for about seven years, and then changed it to "The Piatt Republican." At the end of about three years Mr. Holmes sold to Mr. Wagner, who immediately sold out to H. B. Funk, and in 1876 the paper became known as "The Monticello Bulletin." After running the paper four or five years Mr. Funk sold out to Messrs. Mise and Wagner, who in turn sold to Mise Brothers. In 1882 Mr. Funk again bought the paper, and under his present able management we have reason to expect a good paper for the people.

In 1874 H. D. Peters came to Monticello and began work on "The Herald," which was under the management of Scroggs and Peters. Soon Mr. Peters became both editor and publisher. Pie has been successful in his work, and still furnishes a very good paper for the county. For the following items incident to "The Bement Press," we are indebted principally to Judge Spear and Mr. Eli Drum.

In April, 1860, Mr. James Shoaff, of Decatur, and Mr. Outten, began publishing the "The Bement Union," in Freese & Go's warehouse. Mr. Shoaff made his editorial farewell in the paper of April 18, 1861, and went to the army. After this ' Mr. Sanches served as publisher for several months, when the paper was discontinued. The next editors in the town were John Smith and John S. Harper, after which Mr. Mit Bates started "The Farmers' Advocate." J. H. Jacobs next published "The Bement Register," and was succeeded by Mr. Connor. On the first day of January, 1878, Mr. Ben Biddlecome issued the first number of "The Independent." This -paper was begun under unfavorable circumstances, but for several years made its way quite well. "The Independent" was followed by "The Bement Gazette," published by F. E. Bills. "The Bement Gazette" was next started by J. I. Chilson, who sold out to Mr. Eli Drum, the present editor of the paper. A citizen of the town remarked that this was Mr. Drum's first editorial effort and that he was "getting along finely."

Some pioneer physicians in the county. - The very first settlers of the county were their own physicians. They were herb doctors, though a few had imbibed some ideas from physicians they had seen in other states.

Dr. King located in Macon county in 1839, and began practicing both there and in what is now Piatt county. He received his medical education in Cincinnati, Ohio. There were but two or three physicians in Macon county upon his coming west. Dr. King has honored hi& profession, and is now enjoying a ripe old age in Decatur.

Following these were the revered Dr. Hull, who came to this little county in 1841. He seemed to possess just the right qualities for a physician. "The memory of him, as a genial friend, companion and citizen, yet lingers in the hearts of hundreds of people ; and as a hightoned, skillful physician he has left an impress upon the minds of his professional brethren, who were associated with him, that will not fade away during their lives, lie was an ardent lover of nature and outdoor manly sports, which contributed -no little to his generosity of heart. His ear was ever open to the tale of distress and his hand ready to give. In fine, he was one of those strong natures, mentally and physically, full of individuality, the type of which is fast falling away."

Dr. C. R. "Ward located in Monticello in 1845. He soon worked himself into a very lucrative practice, the extent of which has not been surpassed by any physician in the county. His death, which occurred April 22, 1881, was lamented by all who knew him.

Dr. Coffin, now living in Monticello, came to the county in 1847; Dr. Noeckerin 1853; Dr. Knott in 1855, and Dr. Coleman in 1860. (See their personal sketches.)

Dr. Mitchell, now living in Bement, moved on to Lake Fork in 1853, and was the first physician at Mackville. Dr. Prosser was located at Cerro Gordo previous to 1860, and was piobably the first physician of the place. Dr. Taylor was in Bement previous to 1860. Dr. J. H. Leal also located in Bement a few years previous to the war. He was in partnership with Dr. Taylor, and built up a fine practice. (See his sketch.)

The pioneer physicians of the county had trials that those of a later date know nothing of. It was a frequent occurrence for them to be called to see a patient twenty or thirty miles distant. And ofttimes it was not the distance that was to be dreaded. The ride would often have to be made on a dark night, along muddy roads, and through swamps and ponds. Sometimes the horse would have to swim streams, while the rider on his knees on the saddle, held his medicine case OK the bridle-reins in his teeth.

We heard a good joke told not long since relative to a physician of a neighboring county. He was called to see a patient who lived on the Sangamon, and accordingly, after bidding his wife good-bye, he started in the dark night to ride across the prairie. After riding a long time he came to a house. He alighted, knocked at the door, to hear the question "Who's there? " He answered by asking the way to the house of the patient he started to see. What was his astonishment to hear, instead of the requested directions, a lady's voice questioning: "Why, William, is that yon ( " and the worthy physician found that he had alighted at his own door, and was talking to his own wife.

Pioneer latryers. - As has been stated, there was little work for lawyers during the first few years of settlement in Piatt county. The lawyers who were here came from Decatur. Among the first who located in this place were Mr. Milligan, II. C. MsComas, and A. T. Pipher. Charles Watts was also one of the first lawyers here. W. E. Lodge came to the county in 1859. A. T. Pipher and W. E. Lodge have been in the county longer than any others now located here. The personal sketches of the majority of the lawyers in the county appears further on in the book.

Poor Farm. - The Piatt County Poor Farm contains two hundred and ninety-three acres, and is situated about three miles west of Monticello. A portion of the farm is in Monticello township, while the rest lies in Willow Branch township. The farm contains sixty acres of timber land. There are six acres in the garden and three in the orchard. The almshouse proper is of brick, and its two stories and basement contain eighteen rooms, six on each floor. The insane department is apart from the main building, and consists of a building 14x24 feet, which contains two rooms. These rooms are ceiled inside with undressed lumber. There is no corridor. The windows are 1^X4 feet, and are protected by iron bars. On the outside of this building is a .yard 40 X 50 feet, which is inclosed as an airing court.

Mr. Seits, the present keeper of the Poor Farm, took possession March 1, 1877. At that time there were but seven inhabitants of the house ; since 1877, however, there has been as high as fifteen at a time. All inmates are expected to work about the house or farm, if able. When Mr. Seits moved to the place it was in rather a poor condition ; since his coming the amount of fencing on the place has been doubled, two hundred rods of tile ditching has been done, two hundred trees have been planted, and many other improvements have been made. The farm at present is self-sustaining. The keeper's salary is $(!()(), besides his family's living. The county's relief outside the Poor Farm is about $800 per year.

Piatt county jail. - This is in the rear of the sheriff's residence, on the jail lot, one block north of the court-house. The walls are of br.ick, lined with scantling and two-inch plank driven full of spikes. There are six iron cells in double block, with back to back. There is a corridor on three sides, while the jailor's corridor is on the fourth side. There are six long, narrow windows, with cross-bar grating. It is heated by two stoves, and ventilated by the doors and windows. There is a guard-room next to the prison, next to which is a cell for female prisoners. The building was erected in 1867.

afterward moved to the west side of the square, and was ultimately destroyed by fire. The present brick court-house was erected about 1856, by Judge Rickets, George Dernpsey and John Lowry. It originally had a cupola on it, but a storm, some seven or eight years ago, demolished it and, in addition, tore off a portion of the gable end and roof of the building. The lower floor of the building is occupied by the county officers principally. The court-room proper and two small rooms are on the second floor.

Agricultural society. - This society was first organized in 1856, and it now has between four and five hundred members. Nearly eight hundred shares have been issued at $5 per share. The fairground contains twenty -five acres, and its improvements and real estate are valued at about $10,000. The society is out of debt, and has about $1,500 in the treasury. For the last few years the fairs have been decidedly successful, the first two or three davs1 receipts being sufficient to cover all expenses. The present officers are Jesse Warner, president ; E. P. Thompson, vice-president ; C. A. Tatrnan, secretary ; and Theo. Gross, corresponding secretary. The board of directors are "W. H. Plunk, John Kirby, Oscar Mansfield, Horace Calef, Jesse Yoakum, William Voorhies, A. D. Newton and John Goodson.

Roads. - The primitive roads of the county were the buffalo trails. Following these came the Indian paths, and upon the white man's arrival, and for years after, the traveling was done in these tracks of the red-man. However, the time came when the continual incoming of settlers formed a few roads. Probably the first visible road of the county was that which led from Sadorus Grove to James Piatt's cabin, and on to the trading-house near the mouth of Friends creek. Not long since we saw traces of this old road in John Piatt's present door-yard. After a number of families were located here, it was sometimes the custom to break roads between the settlements by hitching oxen to a log and dragging it throughout the distance, and ofttimes a furrow was made to show where the road ?/v/.v.

During high waters the Sangamon was crossed by means of ferryboats. Nathan Henline and his brother kept a ferry near where the wagon-bridge, one mile west of Monticello, is located.

The first state road intersecting the county was that leading from Danville, via Big Grove (Urbana), through what is now Monticello, and on to Springfield. The road extending diagonally across Blue Ridge township, and which is known as the State road, according to one of the early settlers in that vicinity, was never surveyed as such. The road was gained by people settling on it. It was used as early as 1832, and used to go by Cheney's ( irove. Probably Mr. Richard Webb was the first to settle on it in this county.

It was five years after the first settlement was made on Lake Fork ere officers of any kind found the people. William Monroe got up a petition that led to the location of the first local road, which extended from Monticello to the head of Lake Fork, and on down the east side of the same stream. John Tenbrooke surveyed the road, and William Monroe made the farrow with Hiram Heath's ox team. After a time William Monroe got up another petition, and this time 'twas for a state road extending from Charleston to Bloomington, and in this county, following in almost the direct route of the former road. Daniel Stickle and Judge Hughes were appointed commissioners, and George Heath surveyor. A mail route was established, and the mail carrier rode on horseback.

For quite awhile the mail of the county was all carried on horseback, and ofttimes unlocked saddle-bags contained the precious load. Letters formed the principal bulk of mail matter, and the postage on each one was from ten cents to twenty-five cents, and they were sometimes weeks in reaching their destination. According to the postage law then, the postage could be paid at either end of the route, and more often the receiver paid the expense than did the sender of a letter.

AVhen the stage routes wers established, about 1839, the mail was carried by stage. There are not many living in the county who remember the first stages that passed through the county on the state road from Urbana to Decatur. The arrival of the stage coach was a great event in the week, and as the first stage driver sprang from his elevated seat to the tavern door, for the time being he was the most important man of the county. How curiously the collected villagers eyed each traveler ; and the boys of the place weekly or bi-weekly surveyed the horses, harness and all the rigging of what seemed to them the most wonderful vehicle that was ever constructed.

The last stage-coach route of the county was between Monticello and Bement, after the building of the T. W. & W. railroad. k' Uncle Billy" Motherspaw was the able and successful manager of this route, and did we have nothing else to remember this man by, the many deeds, of kindness done by him while making hr regular trips between the said places, would be sufficient to cause the peopii; to hold him in remembrance a long time. Mr. Motherspaw is at present located in Carthage, Missouri.

What is now the main division of the Wabash railroad was constructed through this county across Bement and Cerro Gordo townships in the years of 18.^5-50. Both ends of the road were being worked at once during the time stated, and the connection was made, according to an old settler in that vicinity, between the present towns of Milmine and Cerro Gordo.

The road now connecting Champaign and Decatur was chartered in 1861 as the Monticello railroad, but nothing further was done toward the road until after the war. The charter was amended and the company was fully organized in 1865, but the work did not commence until 1867. The road was put in operation from Champaign to Monticello in December, 1870, but it was not completed to Decatur until about two years afterward. It continued under the same name until the road was completed, after which it was consolidated with the Havana, Mason City, Lincoln and Eastern road. The consolidated, company was transferred to that of the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western, and it remained a part of that road until the foreclosure sale by which it was re-organized as the Champaign, Havana and Western, company. It is now a part of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific road.

The Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western railroad was chartered as the Danville, Urbana, Bloomington and Pekiri railroad, and was built and put into operation through this county about or a little before- 1870. The road was consolidated with the Indianapolis and Danville road, and then became known as the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western railroad.

The Chicago division of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railroad was chartered in 1867 as the Bloomington and Ohio River railroad. It was afterward consolidated with the Streator and Fairbury company, and named Chicago and Paducah Railroad Company. It was completed and put in operation through this county about 1873. ' It became a part of the Wabash system in 1880.

The Havana division of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railroad was chartered in 1867 as the Havana, Mason City, Lincoln and Eastern railroad, and was built through this county about 1872. The same year it was consolidated with the Monticello railroad, and with it was transferred to the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western road. After the foreclosure sale it became a part of the Champaign, Havana and Western road, but was again consolidated, and now is a part of the Wabash system.

The Indianapolis, Decatur and Springfield railroad was originally known as the Indiana and Illinois Central road, and was commenced about 1847. The company was kept alive, but nothing further was done at the road until about 1872 or 1873, when the work was pushed along to the completion of the road from Decatur to Montezuma. Within the last few years the road was finished to Indianapolis, Decatur and Springfield. In 1882 the road was consolidated with and is a part of the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western company.

Jame's Mahan, agent of the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western at Mansfield sends a report for six months ending May 31, 1882. He considers it a light receipt for the office. Usually the freight forwarded amounts to about $30,000 per year: