Pike County, Illinois - J3lack Hawk War, 1880

J3lack Hawk War

In November, 1830, 50 or 60 of the Sac and Fox tribes of Indians came down on a hnntint^ .excursion and camped on Bay creek. These tribes at that time were living on Rock river in tlie northern jiHi't of the State, and wished oucemore^to visit tlie scenes of their former hunting-ground. Some little trouble occurred between these Indians and the whites on account of the disappearance ot hogs in the neighborhood. The settlers turned out and caught some of the red men, tied them up and administered to them severe flagellations with withes, and they immediately left the country, neVer, with one or two exceptions, to return in a body to Pike county. This episode comes as near to anything of a warlike nature, especially a hostilg collision with the Indians, as any that we have any record of occuring in Pike county.

In the fall of 1831 Black Ilawk and liis tribes appeared on Rock river, where they committed several petty depredations. The settlers of Kock River and vicinity ]»etitioned (lov. Reynolds for aid, stating that '* Last fall the J>lack Hawk band of Indians almost destroyed all of our crops, and made several attacks on the owners when they attem])ted to ])revent their depredations, and wounded one man by actually stabbing liim in several ])laces. This spring they acted in a more outrageous and menacing manner." This })etition rej)resented that thei-e were 600 or 700 Indians among them: it was signed by 35 or 40 persons. Another petition sets forth that " The Indians pasture their horses in our wheat-flelds, shoot our cows and cattle and threaten to burn our houses over our heads if we do not leave." Other statements place the Indians at not more than 300.

According to these petitions, Gov. Reynolds in May. 1831, called for 700 mounted men. Beardstown v/as the designated ])lace of rendezvous, ;ind such were the svmriathv and coura<re of the settlers that the numberofterino' themselves was nearly three times the nurnher called out. Thev left Rushville for Rock Island June 15, 1831 ; and on the 3<»th of the same month, in a council held for the ])urpose. Black Hawk and 27 chiefs and warriors on one part, and (icn. Edmund P. Gaines, of the U. S. army, and John Reynolds, Gov-

No sooner had viduntecrs been called for than every comity and settlement throu<;hont this portion of the State promptly re8j»onded. Nowhere, however, was such alacrity shown in answerin;^ the call as in I*ike conntv. The hearts of the stnrtlv pioneers were easily touched l»y the stories of depredations by the Indians. Thche stories were doubtless greatly e.xa^j^erated, yet the frontiersmen who knew tl»e subtlety and treacliery of the red men well knew ihoy Could not l>e trusted; and almost any crime was e.\|)ected of them.

Col. Wm. lioss, then Captain of the Pike County Militia Company, received word from the Governor on Friday, the 2()th, and he immediately issued tlie following : riie Captain then called ui)on iJenj. Jiarney at his Idacksmitli shop an<l told him of the nature of the order he ha«l received, and for him to forthwith mount a horse an<l htart out to notify the settlers to assemble immediately. Mr. IJarney was engaged at iii? forge at the time, making a plow; but he straightway laid down hammer .iml tongs, untied his leathern apron, left his tire to snu'Ider and die, and started immediately upon his missittn. lie first went to a man ut tlie mouth of I'lue creek ; from thence he made a circuit of the county, a|>pealing to all to assemble at Atlas without delay. He tells us that almost all of them left their work and startt'd immediately.

The* men having assembled at Atlas, the martial band began to discourse lively music to stir the |>atriotism of the militia-men to a liigh pitch so that they would enli.-t for the service. The music did not seem to "enthuse '* them with as great a desire to enlist as their leaders iiad anticipated. Something more potent must be had; so two buckets of whisky were summoned to their aid; tlie men were tonned in two lines facinii: cacli (itlier, and wide enoui^h apart to admit of two men walking; up and down the line between them, Capt. Ross and Lieut. Seele.y started down the line, each with a bucket of liquor; two boys followed with water,»and then came tlie music. It was understood that those who would fall in after the music would enlist for service. By tJie time the third round was made 100 men were in line, whicli was even more than the quota of this county under that call. AVm. Ross was elected ('a])tain and Benj. Barney, 1st Lieutenant. The CMmjjany adjourned to meet at Griggsville on the followin<jj day at 10 o'clock A. M. The men went to their liomes in various ])arts of the county to notity their families of their enlistment and to make sli^^l^t preparations for their joui-ney. "We are told that with four or five exceptions, and those lived along the Illinois river, every man was at (xriggsville by sunrise on the day a]>pointed.

The company then started for Beardstown, the place of rend* zvous for the troops in this part of the State. The Illinois river was very high and much ditiiculty was experienced in crossing it. The ferry would carry but six horses at a time; and while waiting for transportation the horses stood in mud up to their knees. It was a gloomy titne and they had no liquor with which to cheer u]) the new volunteers. Ca))t. Ross was among the first to cross over, while Lieut. Barney remained with the men upon the western bank. Great dissatisfaction was being manifested by the men under Lieut. Barney, who were waiting in the mud and water to cross the river, all of whom did not get over until 11 o'clock that night. Lieut. Barney sent word to Capt. Ross to forward him a jug of whisky. This was done ; a fire was built, striking it by the Hint locks of their guns: the whisky was distributed, and once more the troops were in good spirits and ready for any hardship.

The Pike county troops arrived at Beardstown the next day, being the first compau}'' to reach that point. The Governor and some of the leading officers were already there. It was found that the Pike county company was too large; it accordingly was divided and formed into two companies. Lieut. Barney was chosen Captain of one of these, and Josepli Petty, Captain of the other. James Ross was elected 1st Lieutenant of Capt. Petty's comj)any, and a Mr. Allen, of Capt. Barney's company. Capt. Koss was chosen Colonel and aid of tlie commanding General. It was he who appointed Abraham Lincoln, our martyr President, to the Ca])taincy of one of the Sangamon county companies in this war.

The troops marched from Beardstown to Rock Island, where they were mustered into the United States service by (i-en. Zachary Taylor. At P^ort Armstrong, which was at that point, there were then only about 50 United States troops. The Pike county volunteers, with others, then marched up toward Dixon on Rock river, the course the Indians had taken. They followed them for some days, but di<l not ovei'take them or encounter them in any engagement. During the entire campaign the Pike county trooj's di<l iu>t iiit'C't the foe in Icitile aniiv; not a leaden hall was shot at any o\' thet^o men diirin;; the 50 davs they were out. Dnriii;; this tinjc they nil: short ot provisions, and sent to Chica«jo, hut in that present ^reat city, where niillionb uf ho<;s are 8lau;;htere<l annually ami the irreatest ;;rain market in the worhl exists, they could not ^'et a itarrel id" pork or id lluur. The Pike county volunteer^ then went to Ottawa amd shared with some troops at tliat point. They oi) tidneil rations encm^h there to last them about three (hiys, when they manhod on down the river to the raj>i<ls, where there was a hoat lilled with I'niled States jirovisioiis. There they «lrew rations for their h(»meward march, ("apt. Harney drew seven days' rations fv»r his ujen, hut Capt. Petty thou;;ht tiu'V wouhi ^et home in three or four days, so oidy dn-w four days' rations, much to the retire t of the hunijry stomachs of his men. as it t«»ok them lonjj;er to ^et home than he had anticipateil. The privates of tins call received $S a month, and were paid cdt' that tail by United States ap^Mite, wiio came to Atlus.

While ill tiie northern j>art of the State four regiments of troops camped to;,'ether, union;? whom were the men from this county. They forme<l a hollow s«juare, uj)on the inside of which wore the otlicers' tents. The horses, about l,Oi'0 in number, were guarded in a corral outside of the S(juare. In the dead hour of ni^ht, when not a li^ht reitiained burning, and the slow tread of the faithful sentinel was the onlv sound lli:it l»roke the silence, the horses be<'ame frii^hleiied ami stam|H'iled. In the wildest ra;;e they dashed forward, whither they knew not ; they headed toward the camp of slumU'rin;; soldiers, and in all the mad fury of fri;;htened brutes they thished forward (»ver cannon, tents and men, wounding several of the latter <iuiti« severely. The troops heard their coining and supp(«sed each wild steed was ridden by a wilder and less humane redskin ; the treacherous and subtle toe was iiumientarily expected and the frightened men thoUi,'ht tiiey were now c(»min^ tlown nj)on them. They had all heard of the ni^ht attack u)>on the ran^^-rs at the famous battle of Tippecanoe, and feared a rcpetitio'.i td" that nii;ht's bloody wt»rk. Capt. liarney, with ijiiickness of thought and military skill, in a loud vtdce gave orders for his men to form at the rear of their tents, lie hallooed lustily, and when he went up and tluwn the line feeling his way he found every man in his jdaee. The commanding «»fHcers hearing the Captain's orders and knowing there wtuild be safety with his company if anywhere, ran to him. Fortunately the hort-es were riderless, which was soon <liscovered, and then the frightened men began joking. Col. iJe AVitt joked Capt. IJarney considerably about his halloi»ing so loud, when Gen. Taylor spoke up and said he was glad the Captain was so ))roinpt to give orders for his men totVrm, as it showed a soldierly disjiosition ; besides, it let him know where he might go for safety.

Capt. Hale ami Lieut. David Seeley : about 50 men coiujjosed this company of mounted riliemen. Tliej enlisted for three months and partiei])ated in the iamous battle of Bad-Ax.

The jteojile of this county were not disturbed by the Indians at this time, but so timid were they tliat tliey were easily fri<Thtened. The following incident is related bv Samuel Clark, of Kinderhook township. In 1832, durin(]f the Black Hawk war, a man while passing a neighbor's house heard the cries of a child who was in the house. He su]>])Osed the Indians were within committing their Ibul deeds, and accordingly raised the alarm that the Indians were there murdering all tlie members of the family, and everybody who came that way. This created the greatest consternation in the settlement, for the people liad heard of the l)loody deeds committed upon the settlers in the northern part of the State. The settlers fled for safety. Some went to the fort, others ran hither and thither they knew not where. One very large flesliy woman mounted a horse and rode in the direction of the fort at full speed. She came to a ditch about ten feet wide and as many feet deep; the horse halted, but she urged him to jump, which he did at great peril, but fo)'tunately landed safely on the opposite side. After the people had become quite exhausted with running they learned that no Indians were near, l)ut that tlie yells came from the child because his father was chastising it.

Since tlif t\Vi» Iiuliaiis, Sli(jiiwoniiekuk iiiulPeineriHii, wciv imlicted for murder, there have l>een 41 other iinlictmeuts tor this ^ravo eriine returned hy the ^raiid juries (-!' Pike county, many of which included more than t>ne imlividual. This represj-nts a ion;^ ami bjitudy calendar, a stain tlial every «^uud citizen wuujd liave l»l<ttted out were it possihle. It has been made by the blood of many victims, dyed in crimson never to be erased, and we only record what has occurred. Who can picture the a^ony of heart, the remorse, the an^ui.^h ot!mind, to say luithin^ ot' the physi' al pains caused by these bloody deeds ? Both the victim and iiis tVieiuls, its well as the perjK'trator of the crime, have suffered untold misery.

Often has the<lea<lly weapon l)Cen bnuij^ht into use o!i the slii^litest pretext. A moment after he liatl taken the life of his victim and he had realize^! that his hands were stained with the life-blood of a fellow man, the per|K;trator of thedeed would have ^iven evervthiui; he pit'Sessed or ever hope*! for, aiul in some cases life itself, c^>uld he but recall the dee«l; but »las I it ii? done, never to l»e uncloiie. The feeling has not bien thus in every instance where the bloody victim fell at the feet of the man-slayer, but fretjuently so. Sometimes the joy was great when he who sent the <leadly messeijo^er saw its work well done.

Anion:; this lon<; catalogue of criminals only one has ever suffered the extreme penalty of the law, and most of them have had light punishment. We be;;in with the first juTson indicted for murder, ami ^ive every indictment duriiii; the county's existence. There are a multitude of cases of munler or manslaughter of which we make no mention, as no indictments were made for want of sufficient evidence.

evidence showing, liowever, tliut the eliootin*; of the deceased was more an act of carelessness than of premeditated murder, the next morning tlie jury returned a verdict for manshiughter on the part of Pemesan, or " Traveler," and that Shonwennekek, or " Spicehn>li," was not guilty. Tiie Court had assigned Daniel P. Took and Polemon II. Winchester as counsel for the Indians, and John Shaw and Jean Baptist Patelle were the sworn interpreters. No attorney for the people api)ears on record, but of course there must have l)een sucli an officer ])resont. U ai)])rars that these Indians were out hunting one day, and when the Frenchman suddenly appeared in view in the distance they took him to he a deer or some other animal, and Pemesan immediately tired antl killed him. No sooiitM* was this done than they discovered their mistake, and Shonwennekek proposed that they run away; but Pemesan argued that as it was an accident the whites would do them no harm. Thereupon they immediately surrendered themselves to a magistrate. Pemesan's punishment was a tine of 25 cents and imprisonment for 24 liours. lie accoidingly paid the tine and served out his sentence in a rail pen which was guarded for the occasion.

These parties were indicted for murder Maj', 2, 1843, but after their case was contiiuied from term to term with hopes of arresting them, they were never found.

were indicted April 5, 1S4S, for the murder of John Crewson, or Crnson, near the Mississippi river a few days preceding (March 29), while tiie latter was hauling a log for the rafting, lie was shot beside his team. The others indicted with Bartholomew were Benj. Chouls and John Stipp. The two latter took a change of venue to Adams county, where a nolle prosequi was entered April 2, 1S40. Ijartholomew's case was continued from term to term until Sept, 12, 1853, when it was stricken from the docket.

was indicted Sept. 5, 1849, for the murder of Wm. Bennett near Phillip's Ferry, Sept. 1, preceding. That day McGuyre went to the house of Mr. Pease where Mr. Bennett was and urged him to go gunning, but which, Ijy the solicitation of Mr. Pease, he declined doing. McGuyre left and returned about sun-down, when Pease and Bennett were eating their supper, who invited him to partake ; he refused, siiyiii^, "Ci - d d -u }'»iul 1 am timl waiting tor vuii ami am goin^ to slioot you now." He inimetliately liied a load ot'lmckshot, wliich struck Bennett in the face, killing hini. McGuyre commenced reloading his gun with the didarcd intention of killing I*«a.se, hut the latter made his escape and raised the alarm. Alc(iiiyri' lan away hut was arrested on the Gth and taken heloit' tlie Ciruuit Court then in session, and at first pleaded giiilty ; hut after the consequence of such a plea was explained to him, he pleaded not ;;uiltv, and for want of time his cast- was continued to the next.term ot" Oourt. McCiuyrc hroke jail twice: the first time lie WHS caught at McCJee's creek, in crossing which lie canie very near heing drowned, and the second time he got «>ut through the wall, a stone lipviiij; hccn removed hv the ai*! of friends outside. This was effected without awaking a family which was asleep directly ahove. He has never heen retaken, and his case was finally stricken from the docket with leave to reinstate.

was indicted March *23. 1853, for the murder of liohert (jut, ahout 6 mihb east of I*ittstield. l>oth tiiese parties were married men and tre(|uentetl a house of ill repute, (irovcs was tried and ac<juitted March 28, 1853.

"" This man was indicted N»»v, 27, 1854, tor killing Franci^ I'- Wells in IJrown county. A change of venue had heen taken from that County, Ids cjiso wa» trie<l at I'itt^fiL-Id, aTul after the jury was "It several days it hniUglit in a verdict of not guilty, Sept. 18, was indicted Sept. 14, 1855, for manslaughter ; about a fortnight afterward his hail was forfeited hy his escape and his case was never brought to trial.

was accused of killing Newton Soules in Callioun county in a saloon. Soules had i»nrned his hair previously. Daniels was indicted in the Pike county Court Sept. 12, ls.'>»f : hut Aug. 5. Is59. his case was discontinued.

This criminal was indicted April 14, 1860, for the murder of Benj. F. AVade, Dec. 23 preceding, a little west of Detroit. Wade broke Ellis' whisky bottle and a (piarrel ensued which resulted in the fatal affray in the yard of i'l'ancis Phillips. Ellis stabbed Wade with a large pocket-knife. Ellis pleaded not guilty but was convicted of manslaughter Nov. 24, 1860, and sentenced to one year in the penitentiary.

This party was indicted Aug. 10, 1860, for poisoning to death Emeline Amanda Hendrick. lie pleaded not guilty, was tried, and, after the jury had two days' consultation, he was acquitted.

The indictment in this case, Tsov. 23, 1860, was for the murder of Samuel Macumber, an innocent man about 65 years of age, living in Barry townshi}>, and who was killed Oct. 23, 1860. The parties set upon their victim in cold blood and killed him with clubs and stones. Macumber was a Baptist minister, who had married the mother of the Neals, and it was alleged that he maltreated her in some way. After trial all the indicted parties were acquitted Dec. 8,1860, excei)t Christopher Neal, who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced for life, and James Likes was acquitted tlie ne.\t term of Court.

These parties were indicted during the spring term of Court in 1863, for the murder of Andrew J. Pearson, in Flint township. The victim, a farmer, was found murdered by hanging, and robbed. November IS, 1862, Pearson started tVom liis house in search of some of his stock. Night came on and he did not return. Suspicion was aroused, inquiries and search were made, and finally his body was found in a ravine, a half mile from home, covered np with leaves, brush, etc. : two hundred dollars in money had been taken from his jierson. The robbers also went to his house, and, finding no one at home, they entered itand took about seventy dollars more, which they found in a bureau. They then took a good horse and decajiiped. Of the above parties, some were directly accused i)y the

During the trial the i^uilty criminals pleaded guilty of manslaiigliti'r. confes-'ini; as follows: They live<l in Nfissoiwi, were rebels in I'orter'sarmv, which snbsi'tiuentlv disijanded. Thev worked several ilays f<»r a neighbor of Pearson's iiamrd Dimmitt, an<l spent several evenings at Mr. I*earson's house. Tiiis man and his wife. Mary (imj)leaded abovi-t, frecpiently <juarreled. The night previous to the murder thev had an unusuallv wicked altercation, after which Mrs. I', went into a fit. After coming out she told the accused that if thev would kill IVarson slie wouUlgivo them a horse. The girls, Julia and Auirelim' Hell, lier daughters by a former huhband, also expresseil the wish that they should kill him. The next morning they invited I*e.'irs<Mi out for a walk and told him they were going to hang hiuK lie siid he did not blame them. Two of them held him »ip while the ot ler adjusted the rope. He <lid not resist nor struggle. After he was dead they took sixty dollars fnnn hisjtocket, carried it to the house ami re|K»rted what they iiad d<>ne. All were rejoiced and gave the prisoners tun dollars apiece, Mrs. Pearson ^ave them a liof«e, asking them not to l)etray her, and they started or MissiMiri. The daugliters a^ked ft)r and received a lock of their hair for mementoes, and a parting kiss.

These partie.5 were indicted Apr. 1>5, lSf>4, for the murder of Peter (.-. Staats, an <>ld settler of Hadlcy township, on the road between New Salem and -Nfaysvillo. Staats was twice shot in the back, one Itall coming out at the breast. The accu8e«l took a change of venue to Adams countv and were finallv ac(iuitted.

was indicted April lit. 1>>04, for the murder of a Mr. (iard. Mav 21, followiiiir. he broke iail, and the shooting necessarv to his capture June 11, in Greene county, resulted in his death the next dav in iail.

were indicted the same day lor beiiia; accessory after the fact of the murder. Tliey moved their case to Brown county, and from the evidence elicited it ap]>eiirs that youui^ i\ro(jre, only sixteen years of age, luid killed Jolm Zift', living near Pittstirld. Mr. Moore's father and Zitt' Ifad a dispute about some wood which Moore had been cutting on land which Ziti' claimed and which Moore liad rented. Ziff struck Moore witli an ax, knocking him down and then stain[)ing upon him. Tlie lad seeing his father in this condition, ran up and struck Ziti' a blow upon the top of his head with the edjre of an ax, thus literally cleaving his head clear to his shoulders.

These men were indicted Nov. 29, 1861, for killing Cornelius Myers, Evans being a resident of Montezuma. They broke jail, and after several months Evans was recaj)tured in Tennessee. lie took a change of venue to Brown county, where he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced for twelve years in the State prison. There he became insane, and after his release he stole a horse, was arrested, and while in jail his insanity became so marked that he was finally sent to the asylum at Jacksonville.

This rascal, whose name was spelled half a dozen different ways, was indicted March 15, 1860, for the murder of Edward Garrison, of New Canton. The fatal deed was perpetrated by stabbing the victim with a pocket-knife, Sept. 19, 186T, he was convicted of the charge and sentenced to State prison for three years.

Although not strictly within the purview of this chapter, we may mention here, as the parties were both residents of Griggsville, this county, that Dr. J. II. Caldwell, of that place, went to Texas in May or June, 1868, employing a young man to accompany him, who,on the 24th of June, ni'irdered and robbed the doctor, but was summarily lynched by the infuriated people when the deed occurred.

These criminals were indicted Ai)ril 2<>, 1809, for committing murder in Brown county, as the result of an aflfray connected with the burning of show tents at Mount Sterling. A change of venue

This iiuiii was indicted April ('-. 1.^71, charfjed with the murder of a Mr. Kiinhall. at ('ockle-hur slouch, the prewdin^j; year. W'^ cban<'e of venue his case wa^s taikeu to the Rrttwn county Court.

was the h(»init'ide who heat to (h'atli .lames Sapp. June \'l, ISTI, near IMeasant Hill. At the first heatint: he left Mr. Sajjp lyin^ prostrate, and ituluced a Mr. McKenna to accompany hitn to the place, who trie<l to lift him up, when Douglas j^ave the poor victim several :id<litionaI Mows, from which he died a few days afterward. Douiila.-* and .McKenna were l»oth iirrested, hut the latter was dismis.-.ed for want of evidence ajjainst him. Dou^j^las was held for nuinslaiiirhter, the indictment hein^ ma<le Oct. I'i, 1S71. He N\as convicted and sentenced Nov. -_'!», 1*^71, for six and a half years in the penitentiary.

Sc[)t. 10, 1871, in Pleasant Vale t«»wnship, \Vm. Hall claimed that Slianiiahan had said something; mean ahout him, and j>rocceded to assault him witli a duh. The latter warded olf the l»l«»w, snatched the cIuIj from Hall, who then started to run away; Shaniuihan, however, soon overtook him, struck him on tin,' head with the club, kiK'ckini; him over into ji ijidly senseless, an<i Shanruihan tumlilinjj down with him. Hall's ankle was broken in the fall, and lie <lie«l soon afterward. Shannahati was arrested atid committed to jail, where he sufferetl frmu a feeble constitution and a diseased letj, which hail to Ih' amputated. He was indicted by the ffrand jury, Oct. lli, 1*^71, otjt he died liefore the trial t(»ok place.

Ti»e only e.vecution ever takin<; place in Pike county was that of Bartholomew P>arnes, Dec. 20, 1S71, in the Pittstield jail-yard, for the munler of John (tresham in Calhoun coutity. The suit was first instituted in that county, and a chaiiije of venue being taken to this county, the case was calleil at the session of the Pike county Circuit Court Nov. 27, 1871; and after a thorough trial the traveiso jury returned a verdict of i^uiltv of murder in the first de- Ijree. anil that he sln>uld sutl'er death by haiiiriui^. The particulars of the murder are well condensed in Judi^e Higbee's sentence given Dec. r», as below. The court-house was crowded to overHowinjjr with ladies and ijentlemen to hear the sentence (»f death pronounced upon the younw convict. At lUi a m. he was brouijht in to receive his sentence. Death-like stillness reigned within the room.

as the Jiidi^e, in a solemn an<l iinpre::^sive manner, addressed him, broken only by the prisoner, who, standinu^ with brazen effrontery, gave vent occasionally to protests of innocence. The Judi^e s.iid:

" In discharging tlie unpleasant duty required of me by the law, it seems proper that I should jilace on the tiles of this Court a brief statement of the facts an<l j)ro(>fs which render it the duty of the Court to pronounce a judgment which is to deprive a human being of his life.

" By the record in this case it appears that you were indicted at the ]\r;iy term of the Calhoun Circuit C^ourt, 1871, for the murder of John (Tresham,.aml the case was bi'ought here on a ciiange of venue for trial; that there is no prejudice in this county which wt)uld iuiuriouslv affect vour rights is sufHcientlv manifest bv the fact that the crime for which yon have been tried was committed in another county; and of the twelve jurors selected for your trial ever}' one has stated under oath that he never heard of the case until called into the jury box.

"From the evidence it appears that somewhere about the lirst of February last, for some cause (which is not apparent) 3'ou became very much enraged agrainst the deceased in the town of Pleasant Hill and threatened to whip him. When told by the town constal)le that that would not be permitted and that he would arrest you if you did not keep quiet, you said that you would see the deceased at same other lime and tear his heart out. On the 2Tth day of February the deceased, his son (15 years of age ) and yourself, were in Clarksville, Mo., and crossed the river on your return in the afternoon in the same boat, the deceased and his son within a wagon: and after the boat landed, as they were leaving the river for home, you asked the privilege of riding with them, to which tlie boy objected, his father being quite drunk at the time. You then said to them that if they would let you ride you would be quiet and peaceable; whereupon the deceased consented, and you got into the wagon and seated yourself on a board beside the deceased, the boy standing up in front driving. You had gone but a short distance when some words passed, but no blows or attem])ts to strike ensued, and you jumped out, saying, 'You board on which the deceased was sitting tipped up and he fell out on the other side on his back near the wagon and near to a fence. You ran back to the wagon and to where the deceased lay, and turning your back to the fence, you seized the rails with which to steady yourself, and with the deceased still lying on his back immediately in front of you, with the heel of your boot you stamjH'd his face, head and breast until you killed him. The evidence shows that in this brutal manner, and when the deceased was lying on his back ])erfectly helpless, in the pi-esence of his son and another witness who was near by, 3'ou stamped from eight to ten times, bre;d<ing his nose, cheek-bone and jaw, and crushing out one eye, and forced the heel of your boot through his skull into his brain

^r " While enj'ayred in this work of death, Mv. Ovler, who was a short distatice idf and saw it all, hallo )ed ami started to run to you. On seciii;; hini you jiMn|H'il over the fence and started to run. Vou Were pursued and eaj»tured in a. few minutes, and Mood was found all over the heel of vour hoot, with hair and whiskers still adherinir to it. Soon afterward you dechired that vt»u had not seen deceased on that day.

'- In answer to all tiiis proof you produced a single witness, your hrother, who testitietl that in the fall of ISGl) deceased nnide some threats against you, which, so far as the evi<lence shows, he never attempted to execute, lieyond this you offer no explanation or justification ot this dreadful crime.

*- Upon this proof the jury have found you guilty of murder, and their verdict declares that vou shall sutler death hv hanj'in:;. You have heen well defendetl hy able attornt-ys. fairly trit'd, and, as it seoms to me, properly coiivicteti; and it only remains now for tiie Court tt) pronounce the jud;^ment (»f the law, which is, to deprive you of your life, rnplea.sant as this duty is,! am not at liberty to shrink from it. ^ ou have deprived .John (iresham of his life b}' A foul ami brutal murder, and the law demands yotir life as the penalty. .\s the time which can be extended to ytui to prepare to meet this dreadful puni^hment is limited by law, let me .admonish yon not to spend it in vain cttorts to arrest y«»ur doom, but rather dev(»te every moment of the time allotted you to prt'jtare for the final trial wherein injustice is never done and where all must answer for every act of liis life. It is^the order of this Court, Bartholomew Barnes, that vou be taken from here to tlie countv jail of this county atid there confii]c<] until Friday, the twenty-ninth day of l)eceml)er, 1*^71, and that between the liours of 10 o'clock a. m. and 3. r. .m. of said day, in said jail, and in the |»rescnce of the witnesses retjuired by law, han<^ed by the neck until you are dead."

" The dreatlful ti ay having arrived, a large crowd gathered around the jail, which increased constantly jis the hour of execution approached. There was no disturbance, however, the anxiety of siispen-e seeming to pervade the throng and keej) them (juiet, and waiting almost with suspended breath until the tragedy was over. The execution was delayed until afternoon in order to give the prisoner all the time possible. Al)out half past one, or later, in company with the j)hysicians, the jury and others, we were admitted to the Stieriti'^s room and waited the last preparations for the linal scene. The leave-taking of the brother and sister and relatives of the prisoner we did not witness. At aboiit a quarter past two the great iron door leading from the Sheriffs room into the hall of the jail was unbarred, and thu?e in waiting entered the hall and took places in front of the scaffold and waited witli unc()vered heads the appearance of the prisoner. AVc need hardly tell our readers there was stillness in that company and that all sound was hushed except the loniif-drawn breathintrs of men who knew they stood in the chamber of Death, that a livin<^ mortal man was soon to be his victim, and that a fellow being was within a few moments of eternity and judgment. There was the scaffold, rather a rough-looking structure, and of larger dimensions than we had expected to see; above it, from a pulley fastened to a beam, hung a rope apparently about half an inch in thickness, with knot and noose on the end of it.

"As we stood there contemplating the scene, and held our watch to note the time, some few remarks were made in a wliisper and several times a reporter asked us, ' What time is it now V Seventeen minutes past two, eighteeu minutes, nineteen minutes, each elapsing minute increasing the anxiety of suspense and expectation; twenty minutes, and the Sheriff and prisoner, accompanied with deputies and ministers, appeared on the corridor and descended one flight of stops a:;d ascended the other which led to the scaffold. The prisoner was pale from long continement, but we could not say that he flinched or quailed at the sight of the gallows or when standing on the platform. AVlien his eyes first caught sight of scaffold and rope there was an expression of surprise which was momentary, and that was all. He was well dressed in a black suit with a tine shirt, white stockings and slippers, and looked like a gentleman. He was told to be seated on a seat of boards that had been prepared, which he did. Revs. Priestly and Johnsey, Methodist preachers, sitting on each side of him. They sat only for a moment when deputy Landrum told him to stand up, which he did. They both stood close to the grat-d window when the death warrant was read to him by Mr. Landi'um distinctly, but with evident emotion, and was heard by the prisoner attentively, but without any manifestations whatever. When the read iiiij; was over and Mr. Landrum had folded the paper, ' Let us pray ' was announced, and a prayer was ])ronouiiced by Rev. Mr. Johnsey, which to our ear was somewhat i>eculiar if not poetical, the prisoner all the while uttering fervid ejaculations, such as, 'O Lord, have mere}- on my soul!' On rising from his knees after the prayer he deliberately stepped forward, and taking the rope in his right hand, passed the noose into his left and seemed to take a careful look at it. lie was then told, if he had any thing to say, to say it now. He hesitated a moment as if not fully comprehending what was meant; but upon being told a second time, he said, ' Well, I say that I believe all my sins have been pardoned; and I thank the jailor for his kindness to me, and I hope that no one will ever again be hung.' He was then told to take farewell of all; and having shaken hands with the ministers. Sheriff and attendants, he asked leave to pray once himself, and was told to do so, when, krieeling down with his face toward the window in the west, he said, as we understood, ' O Lord,

I pray tlieo to forgive my sins, to save my sunl and take me to liOHven,' repeatiui; the jtotilion>, as we tliou:^lit, twii'o or more. lie then arose and stepped forward <tn the trap, anil the rope was j)ut over his head and adjusted ahout his neck, and the bhick C5ap drawn over his face, his hands and feet havinir been previously tied, he all the while pravinir. '() jj.»f<l, 8ii\e my soul."

"This was the most solemc and anxious moment of the exeeution, both to the «looineii man and to the h>peetaitors. There stood a nuin on the imniediate confines t»f two worlds, just ready to step into eternity and know the ;^raiul secret; ojdy one moment nmre to live in this life.

'* Tiie eap was drawn over liis face at twenty-tive minutes past two; the ela|)sing seconds now scomed as loni; as nunntes; the Sheriff' and an attendant were the last to ct>me down from the ste|)S. Tiie fatal lever whieh should spring the trap wjis at the bottom, concealed by a piece of carpet. * What time is it now?' said the reporter to us. Twenty-tive minutes and fifteen seconds ])a8t two, and quick as a flash the man who was standing on the scall'old and still having, ' O Lord, save my sold,' <lropped till his head hniig m«»re tlian six inches l>elow. There wat* no noise more than the sudden tightening of the con! with a heavyweight would occasion. A trap door swung into a niche prepared to receive it ami renniined there. The rope had been ]>erfectly tested and <lid not stretch the least. The tall was more than six feet. His neck had been instantly broken and all pain was t»ver. The victim diil n<»t struggle at all. At the end of tlie first minute there was a slight motion of the feet and limbs, swaying slightly, which was continued until after the end of the second minute, and evidently caused by muscular contraction. At the end ot three and a half minutes there was one violent and last cimlraction of muscle; slioulders heaved and the whole b(»dy was lilted up, ami then relapsed and liung motionless; at the end of twenty minutes the doctors pronounced i'arnes dead, and at the end of twenty-tive minutes the body was cut down and laid out, while a further examination was made by the doctors, who pronounced his neck broken and his life to be extinct; at the end of thirty minutes from the time of the drop and within about five minntes of '.i o'ch)ck he was pinced in a collin and at «)nce carried ont and delivered to his relatives to be Uiken to Pleasant Hill for burial."

The preparations for the haniring had been very complete, and there was not a single mistake or slightest failure in any particular; and Sheriff McFarland deserves praise for the manner in which he bore himself and performed his melanciioly duties.

'Barnes ma<le a "confession '' in which he insisted to the last that he tlid not mean to kill Gresham, and claimed that he was. drunk and did not know what he was about. The warrant was printed it a very large plain hand b}' the pen of doctor J. J. Tojdiff, who was Circuit Clerk at the time.

cousin of the precedint;, was indicted Nov. 29, 1871, for the murder of McLciuijhlin, in Detroit, on the sixteenth of that month. The name of the murdered man was ascertained only by its being marked on his arm with India ink. Both the men had been in a saloon drinking and had had a quarrel about a red ball. McLaughlin shook his fist in Barnes' face and told him not to open his face again about it. He turned around, and when his eyes were averted Barnes jumped to his feet having a knife in his hand which he swung with great force, the blade striking McLaughlin's face a?ul neck, severing the jugular vein and windpipe and completely cutting his throat. Barnes then made a back stroke which missed McLaughlin, who then staggered into a back room and fell dead. Barnes was immediately arrested and committed to the Pittslield, jail where, sometime after his indictment, he gradually wasted away with pulmonary consumption and died.

were indicted in the Pike Circuit Court Oct. 18, 1872, for manelaughter. April 11, 1873, Connor was acquitted and Berrj- was convicted and sentenced for one year.

On the night of May 3, 1872, George DeHaven, of Barry, was killed on a shebang boat just above Florence, by Peter B. Ford. Two disreputable women and two or three low-lived men were on board. " Tack," Henry Schaffner and DeHaven came on the boat, which was owned by the Fords. After drinking awhile Tack hauled open his coat and declared he was the best man on board, and attacked Elisha N. Ford. At the same time DeHaven sprang at Peter Ford with brass knuckles on one hand and a cocked revolver in the other, pointed at Peter's breast. Peter knocked the revolver aside and shot DeHaven, who died in about 20 minutes. Elisha and the two women were arrested, but after examination were discharged. Peter was also arrested, and indicted Oct. 21, 1872, for murder, was convicted, and "sent up" for 18 years. A motion for a new trial was made, but denied, and the sentence was executed.

At Pleasant Hill, June 22, 1872, L. J. Hall, a grocer, had a controversy with a Mr. McGinn, when a young man named James Ray interfered, knocking McGinn down with a beer glass and beating him and stamping u]ion him, Hall meanwhile keeping off all who wo\ild interfere. When the beating ceased McGinn was found dead. Hall then gave Pay some money, telling him to make his escape, which it seems he did most effectually. Hall wa' arrested, and examined, but acquitted of being an accessory. McGinn left a wife and eight children.

Iiistoky Of Pikk Cointy

At }i [-hiceciilUMl tlic'Ciitntll", i»n tlio Siiy Levee, it> tlie.ppriii^jfof 1S73 were two lur;;*' squads of men at work. Tlieoue workiii'^lii'^lier uj> tlie river reoeivcil^J.OU j)er tla}' to each inai) ami tliose l>elo\v received $1.75. Alter tljose al)ove had Ctiini)leted their work, their eiiij)U)yer8 ti)ld them they eoiiM «ro and work with those helow if they were williiif^to work at the same rates. They all went to work, l)Ut alter awhile became dissatisfied with the wa<;e.>, threatened tostrike, and made a good deal of disturhance. Their employers dischar^i^ed several of the rinj^-leaders who still continued to make trouble. When ^)aydav arrived the strikers drank a ^jjreat de:il, came to the jd:ice of wi»rk and were determined, us they said, to t-lean out Harris, the time-keeper, and StHj)leton, the '' walking-boss." As the two latter were coming from the store after dinner, the mob of strikers fell upon thi-m and Harris and Staoleton botli tii'<fd at t!ie first mm. Tat \'.ini,'han, killin";him and slightly injuring another man. Tins proceeding deterred the rioters from any further aggressions. Stapleton and Harris were arrested, but to keep them safe from the rioters they were lodg:*d in the jail at Pittslield. They were indicted Aj»ril \2 lollowing, tried, ctmvicted of munler, and July 1 both were sentence*] to State prison for one year.

Near Mebo, Feb. 5. I'^T^. a number of young people assembled at the house of Mrs. MeKtv, for the purpose of taking ]>art in a dance. Among those present were Andrew Hamilton and Clift«)n U. Daniels, both young men and sons of well-known farmers in the vicinity. During the dance a quarrel arose between Hamilton and Daniels, when the former drew a revolver and shot Daniels in the neck at its juncture with the che.«»t. The wounded man staggered against the wall and fell dead almost instantly. Hamilton immediately fled, and, so far as appears from the records, has never been captured.

A man named Davis got to peeping around Mallory's liouse at night to see some girls, and Mai lor}', discovering the fact, ran out with a gun and shot Davis as he dodged behind a cedar bush, and killed him. This occurred at Barry. MriUory was indicted (Jctober 14, 1S70, for manslaughter. The case dragged alon": in the Oi»urts until April 6, IS78, when the accused was acquitted.

About four miles northwest of Kiiidcrliook a quarrel took place, March 4, 1877, between two jouno^ men, Geo. llaskins and a Mr. Simpkins, orii:;i!iatiMi; in a controversy about a doi^ bitin:^ a sister of Simpkins. A tussle ensued durim^ which Simpkins was stabbed with a knife, and from the eti'ects of the wound he shortly afterward died, llaskins was arrested, and A]>ril 10, 1877, he was indicted ^ov murder; but the trial resulted in his conviction for manslaughter, and Oct. 19, followini:^, he was sentenced to two years, imprisonment at hard labor. He was only nineteen years of age and Simpkins seventeen.

This ruffian and a Mr. Hamilton were attending a dance near Nebo in the spring of 1878, where they drank and quarreled until Fowler cut Ilajnilton across the arm with a knife, and the latter bled to death. Fowler was arrested and A])ril 6, lb78, was indicted for murder. Before his trial he escapeil from jail, but V(duntarily returned and delivered himself U]">. The trial resulted in his conviction and sentence to confinement in the State prison for two years,

James A. Brown was murdered Ticar his own door in Montezuma March 11, 1878, shortly before daylight, Jan, 25 preceding he had been waylaid, drugged and robbed by two men in a small wood near his home, and lay exposed all night in a stupid condition until found the next morninj;, and was restored to consciousness with much difiicultv. Thomas McDonald was afterwai'd iirrested and identified as one of those two men: the other culprit remained at large. Mr, Brown and Ids friends had feared that an effort would be made to prevent him (Brown) from appearing at a certain trial, and the tragedy just mentioned showed how well grounded tlieir fears had been. For several nights preceding the murder noises had I)een heard in the vicinity of the residence of Brown, and lie went armed. About 4 o'clock that morning (Monday) he stepped from his house to an out-house a few yards distant, taking his rifle with him. On his return a few minutes later, and when within two or three paces of the door, he was shot, the ball entering the back of the head and coming out toward the front. Hearing the report the family rushed out to find the victim lying where he fell, and in a few moments he ceased to live. Excitement became so intense that the SheriftMiad to obtain assistance from the State Government to aid in keeping the peace. The excitement was greatly intensified by a report that the Sheriff intended to remove the prisoner from the Pike county jail to another county. McDonald was tried and found innocent. A full account of his case is given in the history of Pittsfield.

A iimnber of people giith(?re(l at the houso of A[onte Gant about ten miles south of Pittstit'M, on Christmns ove, to liave a dance, ami wer - enjoyiiii; tlnMiiselvea in the usual way, when some of the boys askdl Andrew Main (commonly denominated "Coon Main ") to call oil* a set. Main refusing, they said they could get along well enough without him. He thought tliisa good time as any to whip some of the b<»ys, ami, the quarrel ct)ntinuinir for e-ome time, he eommiMiced striking them. Main struck Williams, knocking him down. Williams then Citmmenced stabbing at Main with his pocket knife. Main got hold of a long iron poker and commenced Btrikinj; at Williams. About thin time the landlord interfered and turm t| tluMu from the house, whetj the latter and his brother Colonel immediately left and were followetl by Main and two or three others. Then Colonel Williams shot Main with a revolver, and he and his brother immetlialelv ran awav, no etl'ort i>eing made at the time to arrest them. The woimded man tlu n retured to the hou?e, lav down on a betl, savin;; that Colonel Williams had shot him, and died about five hours afterwanl. Williams has been arrested, and is now in the Pittstleld jail awaiting trial.

Log Cabins

We shall, in this chapter, give as clear and exact a description of pioneer life in this county as we can find language to picture it in, commencing with the time the sturdy settlers first arrived with their scanty stores. They had migrated from older States, where the prospects for even a competency were very poor, many of them com:ng from Kentucky, for, it is supposed, they found that a good State to emigrate from. Their entire stock of furniture, implements and family necessities were easily stored in one wagon, and sometimes a cart was their only vehicle.

As the first thino: after thev arrived and found a suitable location, they would set about the building of a log cabin, a description of whicli may be interesting to the younger readers, and especially their descendants, who may never see a structure of the kind. Trees of uniform size were selected and cut into pieces of the desired length, each end being saddled and notched so as to bring the logs as near together as possible. The cracks were "chinked and daubed" to prevent the wind from whistling through. This had to be renewed ev^ery fall before cold weather set in. The usual height was one story of about seven or eight feet. The gables were made of logs gradu illy shortened up to the top. The roof was made by laying small logs or stout poles reaching from gable to gable, suitable distances apart, on which were laid the clapboards after the manner of shin<jlino:, showins: two feet or more to the weather. The clanboards were fastened by laying across them heavj- poles, called "weight poles," reaching from one gable to the other, being kept apart and in their place by laying pieces of timber between them called "runs," or "knees." A wide chimney ])lace was cut out of one end of the cabin, the chimney standing entirely outside, and built of rived sticks, laid up cob-house fashion and filled with clay, "r built of stone, often using two or three cords of stone in building one chimney. For a window, a piece al)Out two feet long was cut out of one of the wall logs, and the hole closed, sometimes with glass, but oftener with greased paper pasted over it. A door- way WHS iilfit) cut tlirou^lj one of the walls, and the door was made ot" 8|)lired chilli toardf* and himi^ with woodi'n hin<i;es. This was opened hy j)nllin<; a k'alher hitch-ntrini; which raised a wooden hitch iiisidf the «ltM»r. For security at nij^ht this hitch striiii; was puHeil in, hut for friemls and neighbors, and even strangers, the " hitch string was always han^itii^ out," as a welcome. In the interior, upuji tine side, wjis the hui^' tire-]tlacc, hirgeeimugli to contain a hack-hii; as hig as the str«»n«jest man couhl carry, and holdin<j enough wtuid to supply an ordiiiary stove a wi*ek ; on eitiier side wore judes atid kettles, and over all a mantul on whicii was placed the tallow dip. In tuie corner stood the larger he I for the old folks, under this the trurnlle-hed f«»r the chihlren; in another Corner stojid the <dd-fiu>hioned, large sj)inning-wheel, with a smaller one hy its side ; in aiiother the pine tnhh', around which the family gatlu-red to j»artake tif their plain fotxl ; over the door hung the ever-triiNtful rilleand powder-horn; while around the room were scattered a few »plinl-l>ottnme<i chairs and three-legged sto«ds ; in one corner was a rufle cuplM>ard holding the tahle wan-, which cx)nsisted of a few cups and saucers and hluueilged plate>j, standing singly on their inlges aijain>t the hack, to make the display of tahle t'urniture more conopicuous.

These simple cahins were inliahiteil hy a kind and true-liearted people. They were strangers to mock mo<^e^ty, and the travtler, seekini: Indginnps tor the night or desirous of spending a few days in the community, if willing to accept the ru«le <'trering, was always welcome, although how they were disputed of ar night the reader may in»t easily imagine ; for, aa dcscril)ed, a single room was made to serve the pur|M»se of kiteheti. dining room, sitting-room, hedroont, and ]>arl<ir. and tnany families consisted of si.x or eight members.

K«>r a great man; n luit tew thought it advirsahle to attomj»t farming on th«? prairie. To many of them the cultivati«»n o!" tlie prairies was an untried experiment, and it was the prevaling opinion that the timber would s«Kin become very scarce, - a fear 80on proven to l>e without toundation. Another obstacle that was in the way for a great many years, was that no plows suital)le for breaking the i>rairie land could be had. The sod waa very much totighor then than it was in after 3'ears when the stock had pastured the prairies and kille«l out the gni^s to ecune extent. It would he astonishing to the younger residents to see the immense crops of f)rairie grass that grew nj»on the fields which are to-day in such a ligh state of cultivation. It grew in places six t<» twelve feet high. It was these immetise crops of gniss that furnished the fuel for the terrible tires that swept over the prairies during the fall. Then, again, there was so much of the ])rairie land that was considered too wet to be ever suitable for cultivation. Many of the <»lder settlers now living well remember when farms that are now in the highest state of cultivation were a vast swamp. Thei'e was another drawback in tlie settlement of the prairies, and tliat w.-is the great labor and cost of fencing. But the principal reason for locating in the timber was that many of their cabins were poor, half-finished affairs, and protection from the driving storms was absolutely required. The timber also sheltered stock until such times as sheds and out-huildings could be erected. That the time should soon come when intelligent, enterprising farmers would see that their interest lay in improving prairie farms, and cease clearing fields, when there were boundless acres jtresentiug no obstacle to the most perfect cultivation, argues nothing in the policy of sheltering for a time in the woods. In regard to the pioneers settling along the timl)er, we often hear remarks made as thouirh the selection of such locations im})lied a lack of judgment. Those who are disposed to treat it in that manner are asked to consider carefully the above facts, when thev will conclude such selection arirued in their fav(»r. Clearing of timber land was attended with much hard labor. The underbrush was grubbed up, piled into heaps and burned. The large trees were in man}' cases left standing, and deadened by girdling. This was done by cutting through the bark into the wood, generally through the "sap," all around the trunk.

Milling

No't the least of the hardships of the pioneers was the procuring of bread. The first settlers must be supplied at least one year from other sources than their own lands. But the first crops, however abundant, gave only partial relief, there being no mills to grind the grain. Hence the necessity of grinding by haiul power, and many families were poorly provided with means for doing this. Another way was to grate the corn. A grater was made from a piece of tin, sometimes taken from an old, worn-out tin bucket or other vessel. It was thickly perforated, bent into a semi-circular form, and nailed, rough side upward, on a board. The corn was taken in the ear, and grated before it got dry and hard. Corn, however, was eaten in various ways.

Soon after the country became more generally settled, enterprising men were ready to eml)ark in the milling l)usiness. Sites along the streams were selected for water-pnwer. A person looking for a mill-site would follow up and down the stream for a desired location, and when found he would go bef)re the County Commissioners and secure a writ n^ (id quod damnum. This would enable the miller to have the a<ljoining land t)fticially examiiied, and the amount of damage by making a dam was named. Mills being such a'great public necessity, they were permitted to be located upon any person's land where the miller thought the site desirable.

The Hominy Block. - Before giving the particulars of the anecdote about to be related it would be well to describe the hominy block, for there are thousands in this county, doubtless, especially of the rising generation, who have never so much as heard of the hominy block. It consisted of a hole bored or burned in the end ot" a log or stump, basiii form, in whieh the corn was placed and then jioundetl with an iron wed«je, block ot' wood or a rolliuij pin. Sometimes the pounding ii]»j>aratus consi>tcd of a lon;^, heavy l»loek of Wood attached to a sprintj-pole above, which lessoned the labor of prejiarin^ a meal. The one wo have in qucstioti consisted of a ourned-out place in the top of a stumjt, a licaw block or ])i»le attachtil to a transverse spriti^-ivde, but was run l)y water power instead of tlic common way. This hominy i»lock was made and owned by Anuisa Shinn. who resided in <»r near Kinderhook ti)wnshij>. Mr. Shinn would fill the block with corii at nii;ht, set it in motion, and by mornin;; it would be pulveri/.t-il and ready to be made irito bread for breakfast. There came a time, however, when Mr. Shinn and family preferred to fast, for at least one meal. Sfjuirrels were quite numerous in those days -far more than they are at present - and one evenint; after Mr. Shinn had set his mill in motion as usual, a s«|uirred hopped U|>on the e*ige of thu block and be^n wistfully to scrutinize the corn below. Finally he concluded to have s<^>me; and while the hammer was n|>, jumped into the he hu^e poi; e nii^hl tlie regularly descending into the block, thoroughly mashing and mixing the squirrel and the corn. When .Mr. Shinn came down the next morning for his meal ho found a conglomerate of squirrel and meal.

Many interesting and ludicrous incidents are relato»l in reference to going t»» mill, waiting fi»r grists, etc., many of which are greatly overdrawn. Harrison Henry, now <lecease<l, often related an im'idciit that, althotigh tintrue, was commendable for its witticism ami application to the mills of pioneer days. He woul<l tell the fltory of himself in the following language: '' I went to Mr. Kveritt's mill (an overshot water-mill) one day, and remained until night for my turn. When my turti cnme Mr. Kveritt tilled the hopper with corn, atid taking me with him to the house, retirc<l for the night, leaving the mill V^ do the work alone. During the night I was awakene*! b}* the l)arking of Mr. Everitt's dog. This annoyed me not a little, but I fif>ally fell asleep again. In the early morning when 1 awoke, I heard the almost stead}* barking of the dog, and went down to the mill to learn what it was barkifigat. On arriving there I found that the dog had eaten all the meal and was barking tor more! He would wait until a littie meal would come down, when he would ravenously lick it up, and then look up the spout and bark tor more!" Mr. Henry would continue: "I don't tell this incident to injure the mill, for it was a vcr}' good and faithful mill; it grinds away faithfully on one grain until it finishes it, antl tiicn jumps right on to another."

Xativk Animals

meiit were the deer, wolf, !)ear, wild cat, fox, otter, raccoon, woodchiick or gronnd-doiir, skunk, mink, weusel, niuskrat, opossum, rabbit and squirrel; and the j)rincipal feathered game wei'e the <|uail, prairie-chicken, and wild turkey. Several of these animals furnished meat for the early settlers; but their principal meat did not consist long of game. Pork and ])onltry were soon raised in abundance. The wolf was the most troublesome animal, it being the common enemy of the sheep. It was quite difficult to protect tlie sheep from their ravages. Sometimes pigs and calves were also victims of the Wolf. Theij" bowlings in tlie night would t)fton keep families awake, and set all the dogs in the neighborhood to bai-king. Their yells were often terrific. Says one settler: " Suppose six boys, having six dogs tied, whipped them all at the same time, and you would hear such music as two wolves would make." To effect the destruction of these animals the county authorities ofiered a bounty for their scalps; and, besides, big hunts were inagurated for their destruction, and " wolf hunts " are prominent among the memories of the early settlers. Such events were generally turned into a holiday, and everybody that could ride a nag or stand the tramp on foot joined in the deadly pursuit. A large circuit was generally made i)y the hunters, who then closed on every side, driving the hungry wolves into the center of the corral, where they were despatched. The return home with the carcasses was the signal for a general turnout, and these '- pleasure parties " are still referred to by old citizens as amnng the pleasantest memories of early life in Pike county. Many a hungry M^olf has been run down on the prairies where now* is located a town or a tine farm residence. This rare old pastime, like much of the earl}- hunting and fishing the pioneers indulged in here, departed at the appearance of the locomotive.

Bee-Hunting

During the early settlement of this part of the State, one of the prevailing customs of the poineers was "bee-hunting." Often a small company M-ould travel many miles into a wild, unsettled conntr}'. in search of the sweet, flavored honey of the wild bee. Large trees containing many gallons, and often a barrel, were frequently found by bee-hunters. Th.e little, busy bees would be carefully watched as they liew heavily laden with the richest extract of the tlowers that were purely native and unknown to the present generation. They always tooka "bee-line" for their homes. This was a correct guide to the sturdy hunter, who had studied with care the ways of the bee and by their knowledge took advantage of the little insect. Once on the trail, good bee-hunters were almost certain to capture the'rich prize. After the bee-tree was discovered it was no trouble to get possession of the honey. The tree was felled, and the hunters would rush for their booty ere it was lost by running out upon the ground.

The pioneer was more tVeely ami heartily social with liis tVieiidg, and Colli toward his oneinios, than we m-lmu to he at the ]>rei?i'nt day; anil he shtnved what race he heloni^i-d to l»y his ellorts to establit^h reli^iou;*, philanthrojdc and educational institutions. The yoiinj^ folks, we have no dotiht, found njany ways of robbing old rime of loneliness. It wonhl be unfair to suppose thcni, esjMJciallv the ladies, destitute of fashi(»nal»le aspirations, but the nieana for ;^audy display were very nuieh circumscribed in those days. The male attire Consisted chierty of buckskin, or homespun cloth, - we mij^lit add h<>me-woven, tiie loom being far more common in or iiear tiieir rude huts than the piano or ori;an. They were not, however, <lestitute of mu^ical ta.-te, and many of their Vocal performaiu'es would compare favorably with our present choirs. We may safely say they gang with the spirit. Most of the ladies, "al-o, wore ht>mespun, which they manufactured from Wool, thix, c<»tt«.n, and the bark or lint «»f the nettle, cidored with such ingre<lient8 as nature j>rovided, without the aid of art. \ ft w even adopted buckskin, llow many yanb of the latter artichj were re(piired for a fashinnable dre.-- in those times, or in what particular ^tvle it wa* cut and trimmed, we are not informed, and mu^t leave tlie ladies to draw their own conclusions. These dresses certainly were durable, and shieldeil the wearer in out-door exerci>es ineitleift to the planting, attending and gjithcring of croj b, in which jiursuit the ladies in all new countries ashist.

.Vrjother of the prevaiiiing fa^hi--ns wivs of that of cjirrying firearms, made necessary by the presence of roving bands of Indian-, most of whom were Oblensiblv friendly, but like Itidians in all times, treacherous ajul unreliable. Th<'^>e trilx-s were j)rincipally I'ottawatomies. There were also in the northern ]>art i»f the State several trilH;8 of hostile Indians, ready at any time to make a murderous, thieving raid upon the white settlers; and an Indian war at anv time was an ae -epted j»robiibility ; a?id these old settlerij today have vivid recollections of the Hlack Hawk and other Indian wars. And, while target practice was much indulged in as an amusement, it was also necessary for a j)roper self-<lefen6e, the settlers finding it i: -y at times to carry their guns with them when they went to i,.. i.eircorn. In some instances their gun» »j were stackeil in the tield and the lalKjrers worke<l f<»r a certain distance aronnd them, and then moved the guns to a certain |>ositiott i| and again proceeded with their work.

These were oidy a few of the hardships incideJit to pioneer life, ,| wliicli was largely made up of privatiiuis, inconveniences and dangers. They had lew labor-saving machines and no reliable markets. Even communicjition by letter with their distant friends and relatives was rendered difficult for want of proper mail facilities, and J Sometimes for the want of money to pay the postage on the letter* i sent to them, - the postage then being twenty-five cents for a single J

The earliest settlers of the county went to St. Louis with what little produce they luid to sell, and the merchants bouglit all their goods in that city. Soon, however, Louisiana became a market, and produce was wagoned to that city and from there sent south \/ on the river. There was at that time no sale for corn, or com- })aratively none, and wheat would bring but a small price; so that re;dly there was no impetus given to the raising of ij^rain of an j sort, except fur home consumption, until the advent of the railroad. At that time improvement began. The great resources of the county which had scarcely supplied more than home demand were then turned to supply the wants of thousands. That (occasion, the advent of railroads, was the commencement of agricultural development. It was the commencement of the manufacturing institutions the count}' can now boast of; it was the building of her thriving cities and towns; indeed it was the beginning of progress.

One of the earliest steam-boats in tlie Illinois river trade was the steamer " Exchange," which plied between St. Louis and Peoria. She was familiarly known as "the Shingle Weaver," so called from . the fact of her carrying upon her hurricane deck a machine for cutting shingles, which was operated by the machinery of the boat, cutting whenever the boat was in motion. Shingle timber would be obtained at the wood-3'ards along the river, and market found for the manufactured goods at St. Louis. This boat was an especial favorite with the people of this county, many of whom would, when desiring to take a trip by the river, wait for her coming, and most of the early stocks of goods for the eastern part of the county were shipped on her; she also carried most of the county's "beeswax " and other products to their market.

"When the first settlers came to the wilderness" says an old settler, " they all supposed that their hard struggle would be principally over after tlie first year ; but alas! we looked for 'easier tiines'next year ' for about ten years, and learned to bear hardships, privation and hard living as good soldiers do. As the facilities for making money were not great, we lived pretty well satisfied in an atmosphere of good, social, friendly feeling, and thought ourselves as good as those we left behind when we emigrated West."

Chills And Fever

One of the greatest obstacles to the early settlement and prosperity of this county was the "chills and fever," or " ague," or " Illinois shakes," as it was variously styled. This disease was a terror to -y new comers. In the fall of the year everybody was afflicted with it. It was no resj)ecter of persons; everybody slux^k with it, and it was in every person's system. They all looked pale and yellow as th()U»^h they were frK-tliitton. It whs not eoiitnij^ious, hut was a kind (»t'miH8nm rtoatiiii^ Mrouiid in the iitiijosphere and alisorhcd into thu system. It contintied to l»e ahsorhi-d from dav to dav, and week to wl?t'k, until the whoU» body corporate became charged with it as with electricity, and then the shock came; and the shock was a re<;nhir shake, with :i tixcd bc<^innin«j^ and an endiiiij, comini; on each ^\iiy^ or each alternate day, with a regularity that was surprisin<^. Alter the shake came the fever, and this "last estate wiis worse thafi the first. " It was a burning, hot fever and lasted for hours. When you had the chiJI you couldn't <;et warm, and when you liad the fever yuu couldn't ^et cool. It was e.xeeedin^lv awkwanl in this respect; indeed it wai«. Nor would it stop f<»r any sort of continjijency. Not even a wedding in the family would stoj) it. It was imperative anti tyranniail. When the appointed time c.ime aroutid everythin;; else had to Ik* htopped t<» attend to its demands. It di<ln't even have any Sunday or holidays. After the fever went <lown you still didn't feel much better. ^ on felt as though you had gone tiirough some sort of collision and came out not killed but badly demoralized. You felt weak, as tluiugh you had run too tar after something, atid then didn't catch it. You felt languid, stupid and sore, and was down in the mouth and heel and partially raveled out, so to speak. Your back was out of fix and your appetite was in a worse condition than your bacL, Your head ached and your eyes had more white in them than usual, and altogetlicr you felt poor, disconsolate and sad. You didn't think much of yourself, and didn't believe i>ther jK'oplo did cither, and yon didn't care. You didn't think n)uch of suicide^ but at the same time you almost made ui> your mind that under certain circumstances it was justitiable. ^ on imagine*! that even the dogs looked at you with a kind of selfcomjducency. You thought the sun had a kind of sickly shine ha<l tlie strength and means, you picked up Hannah and the baby and y«»ur traj»s, and went back '* yandcr " to Injianny, Ohio, or old Kaintuck.

The above is no ])ictnre of the imagination. It is simply recounting what occiirre<l in hundreds of instiinces. Whole families would sometimes be sick at one time, and not one member scarcely

Cooking

To witness'the various processes of cooking in those days would alike surjirise and amuse those who have grown up since cooking stoves and ranges came into use. Kettles were hung over the large fire, suspended on trammels which were held by strong poles. The long-handled frying-pan was used for cooking meat. It was held on the fire by hand ; or, to save time, the handle was laid across the back of a chair. This pan was also used for baking short-cake. A better article was a cast-iron spider, which was set upon coals on the hearth. But the best thing for baking bread was the flat-bottomed bake-kettle, of greater depth, with closely fitting cast-iron cover, and commonl}' known as the "Dutch oven." With coals over and under it bread and buscuit would quickly and nicely bake. Turkeys and spare-ribs were sometimes roasted before the fire, suspended by a string, a dish being ])laced underneath to catch the drippings.

The agricultural implements used by the first farmers here would in this age of improvement be great curiosities. The plow used was called the bar-share plow. The iron point consisted of a bar of iron about two feet long, and a broad share of iron welded to it. At the extreme point was a coulter that passed through a beam six or seven feet long, to which were attached handles of corresponding length. The mold-bi)ard was a wooden one split out of winding timber, or hewed into a winding shape in order to turn the soil over. Sown seed was brushed in by dragging over the ground a sapling with a bushy top. In harvesting the change is most striking. Instead of the reapers and mowers of to-day, the sickle and cradle were used. The grain was threshed with a flail, or trodden out by horses or oxen.

The men were not called upon to endure alone all the hardships and labor of frontier life. The women also had their physical labor to perform, and much of it was quite arduous. Spinning was one of the commun household duties. This exercise is one which few of the present generation of girls have ever enjoyed. The wheel nsed for spinning flax was called the '' little wheel," to distinguish it from the " big wheel," used for spinning yarn. These stringed instruments furnished the princijial music of the family, and were operated by our mothers and grandmothers with great skill, attained without pecuniary expense and with far less practice than is necessary for the girls of our period to acquire a skillful use of their costlv and elegant instruments.

Tlie l«iuin was not less necessary tli.tii the wheel. Not every houee, however, in which sj»innin^ was done had a lonni; but there were alwavs gome in each settlement who, besides doin^ their own weaviii";, did some for others. Settlers, having succeeded in spite of tlu' wolvL's in raisinij sheoj>, cimmenced tJie miinn("actiire of wonlon cloth; wool was carded and made into ndls by hand cards, and the rolls were spun on the " bi»; wheel." Weoccaiiionully find now, in the houses of the old settlers, one of these bij; wheels, sometimes used for spinniii;^ and twit^titii; stockin<^ yarn. They are turned with the hand, and with such vcK»city that it will run itself while the nimble worker, by her backward step, draws out and twists her threa<l nearly the whole l»ni;tli of the cabin A connnon article woven on the loom wa> liiiM-y, alsi> called linsey-wotdscy, the chain ))einf; linen and the tilling woolen. This doth was used for dresses fur the girls and mothers. Nearly all the c othes worn by the men were also home-made. Iw^irely was a farmer or his son seen in a coat made of any other. If, occiisionally, a young man appeared in a suit of "boughten " chuhes, he was suspected of having gotten it for a particular occasion, which occurs in the life of nearly every man.

N«»t until the settlers Inul supplied ihenuelve* with the more useful articles of cluthing and with edibles of various kind?*, did wheat bread bec<»me a common article of food. It is true they had it earlier, but this wa« only served on extra occasions, as when visitors came, or on Sumlavs; and with this luxury they would have a lit tie " store cotfee." '* The little brown jug " found a j»lace in alnxtst every home, and was often brought into use. No caller w:is {>crmitted to leave the house without an invitation to partake of it* contents.

The history of pioneer life generally presents the dark side of the picture; but the toils and privations of the early settlers were not a series of unmitigatetl suft'erings. No; for while the fathers and mothers t«>ile*l hard, they w«'re not averse to a little relaxation, and had their sea>ons of fun and eni«»yment. They contrived to do something to break the monotony of their daily life and furnish them a good, hearty laugh. Among the more general forms of amusement were the " cjuilting-bee," ''corn-husking." "ap))le-paring," '* log rolling '' and "house-raising." Our young readers will doubtless be interested in a descrii)tion of these forms of amusement, when labor was made to afford fun and enjoyment to all participating. The ''<j nil ting- bee," as its name implies, was when the industrious qtnilities of the busy, little insect that "improves each shining hour" were exemplified in the manufacture of quilt*? for the houseludd. In the afternoon ladies for miles around gathered at an a]»j>ointed place, and while their tongues would not cease to play, their hands were as busily engaged in makiiii; the quilt; and desire was always manifetted to get it out as (juickly as j)0S6ible, for then the fun would ben^in. In the evening tlie gentlemen came, and the hours would then pass swiftly by in ])Iaying games or dancinar. " Corn-luiskiiigs " were when both sexes united in the work. Thev usuallv^ assembled in a large barn, which wasari-an<jed for the occasion; and when each gentleman had selected a lady partner the huskin<; beo^an. When a lady found a red ear she was entitled to a kiss from every gentleman present; when a gentleman found one he was allowed to kiss every lady present. After the corn was all husked a good supper was served; then the "old folks" would leave, and the remainder of the evening was spent in the dance and in having a general good time. The recreation afforded to the young people on the annual recurrence of these festive occasions was as highly enjoyed, and quite as innocent, as the amusements of the present boasted age of refinement and culture.

Furniture Of The Pioneer Cabins

The furniture of the cabin was as primitive as the occupants. In one corner - perhaps in two or three corners - were the bedsteads. These were your genuine "cottage bedsteads," made by boring one hole, say four feet from one corner of the cabin, into a " house-log," another hole, say six feet from the same corner, on another side; opposite these holes was set an upright post, usually a section from the body of a peeled sapling; in this post two holes would be beared at any desired height, aiid at right angles with each other; poles were inserted in these holes, making in this manner a square frame; over this frame was laid a covering of clapboards, or, as some denominated them, " shakes," and on top of this platform the bed was spread. The chairs were not exactly chairs, but three-legged stools or puncheon benches. The cupboard was literally a cupboard, being a puncheon supported by pins driven into holes in the house logs at some convenient corner. The boxes which had held the family dry goods while en route to the new country generally furnished the table, and a trough or troughs the meat and soap barrels. Hollow logs sawed into sections and provided with a puncheon bottom furnished a receptacle for meal, potatoes, beans, wheat, "and sich like truck" - to use the pioneer vernacular. The table was bounteously supplied with "samp," "lye hominy," "corn pone," honey, venison, pork, stewed pumj>kin, wild turkey, prairie chicken and other game. Wheat bread, tea, coffee, and fruit - except wild fruit - were luxuries not to be indulged in except on special occasions, as a wedding or gala day. " Samp " was quite a frequent dish. It was made by burning a hole into some convenient stump in the shape of a mortar; this hole was filled with corn and pounded by a large pestle hung like theold-fashioned well-sweep pendent from a long pole, which was neai'ly balanced on an upright fork. This pole luid a weight attached to one end and the pestle to the other; the weight would lilt the pestle, while manual force was expected to bring it down. When the " samp " was pounded sufficiently, it was washed and boiled like rice.

culled. Exclian<^ing tlioir soldiers' uiiifortne tor citizens' drees, most of tliem fell back to tluiir old vocations. - on the farm, at the for^^e, at the bench, in the simp, and at whatever else their hands found to do. Brave men are honorahh' always, and no claes of citizens are entitled to greater respect than tlie volunteer soldiery of l*ike county, not alone hecause' they were soldiers, but because in their associations with tht'ir fellow-nu'ii their walk is uprii^ht. and their honesty and character without reproach.

The soldiers of Pike coiintv met at the conrt-hoiise Ati;:. 23. 1^(I»'.. The mt'ctirji; wa-^ called to order by Maj. T. W. .lones, when Dr. E. M. Set-ley was called to the chair, and James 11. Crane was aj»- pointed Secretary. Tiie ttbjcct of the meeting was to t-ake measures tor raising funds for the erection of a monument. Elaborate re^olutions were a<loj>ted with r«'ference to the loyalty and tidelity of the soliliery, etc., and symjiathy with the sutiering, the witiows and orphans etc.; and committees of soldiers, Hve in each township, were appointeil t > solicit donations. A central c^jmmittee for the county was also appointed, and li committee to solicit $10,(iO() from the county tnasury. Consi<l»'rabh' enthusiasm was manifested in this work e>f love, and a wish to hojjor the hert»ic dead, the citizen soldiers who yieldetl their lives a sacrifice to their country, but nothing definitely toward the final carrying out of the project was overdone. Although no nmrble pile ri>es heavenward toeoiiMnemorate the fallen hemes, yet we know that the memory <»f their valor and heroic devotion to our country will nover fade in the minds and hearts of the citizens, and that their love and gratitude are as 8'rong and undying as though a monumciit of stones were piled up as high as I'.uIm 1'- tower.