White County, Illinois - Chapter 4: Reminiscences, 1883

By Hon. Samuel H. Mabtin

The following reminiscences were published in the Carmi Times , in December, 1879, over the name of u Ishmaelite." They are solidly full of interesting historical facts:

In August, 1830, two families of Henry County, Ky., concluded to make Illinois their future home. A boat was purchased of the following dimensions: fifty feet long, fourteen feet wide, six-feet high, with running boards on the sides and oars attached near the bow, hung on the gunwales for the purpose of rowing. The run¬ ning boards were to be used in propelling the boat up stream by the use of setting poles placed in the water from each side, with the upper end resting against the shoulder, the feet placed firmly against the cleats, then moving rapidly from bow to stern. A dis¬ tance of ten or twelve miles could be made in a day.

Port Royal, a little town on the Kentucky River, was the start¬ ing point. When the day came for embarkation, a large assembly of strong men, women and children lined the banks of the river to take leave of their departing friends. It was a solemn scene to behold. First, a regular old-fashioned Kentucky hand-shaking took place, and many a woman and maiden set up a wail of true heart-felt grief; the moistened eye of bold Kentucky men was spontaneous on that occasion, - men who had met the British and Indians at Tippecanoe, the Thames, River Raisin, and Lord Packenham's veteran hosts at New Orleans. And to those who were to take passage it must have been doubly sad, - the idea of leaving the land of orators, pretty women, fast horses and good whisky. But such is fate.

All ready. Our captain took command, cried, "All onboard! Turn her noddle loose from the shore." The order was obeyed, and our little boat set her face toward the setting sun, bound for the promised land, Illinois, then the El Dorado of the West. As we went dashing down the swift waters of the Kentucky, it was delightful to look upon the grand view presented. The high, solid walls of limestone upon either side, capped with the stately cedar, historic with once being the hunting ground of Daniel Boone.

Our first stoppage was at the month of the Kentucky River, where we landed at Carrollton , a little town in Gallatin County, Ky., and entered the waters of the beautiful Ohio. When near the town of Madison, Ind., my eyes for the first time looked upon a steamboat, the " Whig." From the noise she made, with fire and smoke in view, I supposed it was some monster that preyed upon the families of the sea, and in all probability all on board of our craft would be swallowed up without the benefit of clergy. To use plain Saxon, I thought it was the devil.

We reached Jeffersonville well and all in fine spirits. Here the women and children disembarked, and walked across the country through the beech forest to New Albany, a distance of some two and a half miles, while the men took on a falls pilot and descended the Ohio over the falls. While the women and children were seated on the bank of the river at New Albany, anxiously waiting for the coming boat, our eyes beheld her triumphantly riding the furi¬ ous billows and splitting the foaming waters. She came into port as safe as a " 'coon " and as sound as a " dollar." The women and children were taken on board. We all felt thankful to a merciful God for our safe arrival below the falls.

Supplies were purchased at Louisville, then quite a city, con¬ taining at least 10,000 souls. New Albany contained some 1,000 or 1,200, while Jeffersonville not more than 800 all told. At this time the General Government was digging the Louisville & Port¬ land Canal. It was thought by many that the undertaking would bankrupt the Government; but Gen. Jackson was President and, u by the Eternal! " it had to be put through .

Our voyage down the Ohio was pleasant but not fast. The shores on either side presented new houses and small farms, but no large towns. Brandensburg, Leavenworth, Troy, Cloverport, Rockport, Yellow Banks (now Owensboro), Newburg, Evansville, Red Bank (now Henderson), Mount Yernon - all small places, Mount Ver¬ non making the best appearance of all towns between Louisville and the mouth of the Wabash. We entered the latter about Oct. 1, and made a landing in the cane-brake on the Illinois side. All on board felt thankful to a kind Providence for our safe arrival in the promised land.

camp that night. All engaged in singing such blessed, old-fash¬ ioned hymns as, "Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb," etc. As for myself, then a small boy, I felt as if I could get down and kiss the ground.

On the following day we put our boat head up the stream with the setting brought in use. The running boards were kept warm by the tread of strong men. The Bone Bank was reached before night. The shores of the Wabash were one dense cane-brake. Only a log cabin, at long intervals, indicated that civilization had reached the shores of the Wabash. While the men propelled the boat, the women and children footed through the cane or walked the dry sand-bars that skirted the water. Our progress was slow, but in due season we reached the first serious obstruction, the Grand Chain. In approaching the Chain at that time from below, the deepest water was found between a small tow-head and the Illinois shore. We made a cordell out of a grape-vine and started to ascend the swift water that dashed over the Chain. When about over the grape-vine parted, and down went the boat with a rushing dive, stern foremost, against the shore, and came near being a total wreck; but fortune saved us. A second effort was crowned with success, and we glided up the stream.

New Harmony was reached, it being the first town on the Wa¬ bash and a place of much importance. It had been the headquar¬ ters of Rappe and his community, but had become peopled by the Owens and their followers - with such men as Jo Fontlerov, James Sampson, Geo. W. White, N. G. Nettleton and General Swift as the principal business men. From New Harmony we proceeded on our way, arriving at the town of Bon pas (now the farm of George Webb), which was then a village comprising about a dozen fami¬ lies. Geo. Webb, Sr., was the Postmaster; Edmund Covington, Abram Payne, Jesse Coulter and Mr. Finney resided in the place, with their families. Captain Robert Coulter lived on bis farm ad¬ joining the town. A tenant of his, one Orlando D. Lindsay, was a brother to one and brother-in-law to the other of the owners of our boat.

Remaining here two or three days, we again started for our in¬ tended destination - Palestine, Crawford Co., Ill. Upon reaching the Grand Rapids, to our great consternation, our boat drew more water than the river afforded, and with heavy hearts we dropped down the river to Mount Carmel, the Plymouth Rock of the Wabash Yalley. It is with no criticism that I use this term to- ward Mount Carmel, for its citizens at that time would have done honor and added respectability to any community in the civilized world. Here two horses were procured from the late Thomas S. Hinde, and the heads of the families made the journey through the country to Palestine for the purpose of viewing the country and obtaining assistance from their friends in Crawford County, to transport their goods and chattels to the place of destination. On returning to the boat, dissensions had set in and divided coun¬ sels prevailed, as one of the heads of families could see no al¬ lurement in the inviting fields of Palestine - "Too much ague, too much milk-sickness and bad water;" while the other family was bent on reaching their intended destination. The scriptural example was then followed out: "As the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together in Palestine, and as Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee," one family went to the north and the other to the south. The two hired men, Milton Dodd and Alex. Lawrence, re¬ mained with the boat. She was then headed down stream and des¬ tined for the mouth of the Bonpas Creek for winter quarters.

We made the landing within two days' run. We found Grayville at that time (November, 1830) to consist of the following: A small, white frame house, standing upon the site now occupied by the storehouse of Carey, Stewart & Lanterman, owned by James Gray and Robert C. Walden, and used as a storehouse. About five rods east of this was a log cabin, occupied by Henry Hardin and his young bride. Just south of where now stands Wm. Carrother's saloon, a small log cabin stood, occupied by Gray & Wal¬ den's negroes; and on the hill, about eighty yards southeast from the Grayville house (Mitchell), stood a log cabin, occupied by Richard McKinney and family. John Bell, a bachelor, had a cooper shop on the site now occupied by Mike Smith's saloon. The only road leading to this point was from Albion. It termi¬ nated at the mouth of the Bonpas. One mile west of the latter place, Henry Hardin had a cabin, on Congress land, now owned by Fifer.

We abandoned our boat and lived in the last mentioned house until spring. Milton Dodd settled just below New Haven, in Gallatin County, and died many years ago. Alex. Lawrence settled in Lawrence County.

o 1 Gray ville was then Congross land, and all east of Main street was covered with a thick forest to the river front. The entire clearing away of the timber would not have embraced two acres, all told.

Gray & Walden's principal trade wa9 exchanging their goods for venison hams, deer, coon and mink skins - summer coon, opossum and rabbit not in the market - with some mast-fed pork, then worth $1 .25 per cwt. Calico was thirty-seven and a half cents a yard, brown sheeting twenty-five cents a yard, and every thing else in proportion.

During the winter of 1830-'l, while we occupied the log cabin on the Hardin claim, we inide the acquaintance of our neighbors. Just to the west of us, on the farm now owned by Arthur Steele, there lived in a small cabin in a thick forest, Jacob Vineyard, a Prussian. His only companions were two large cur dogs and a tom-cat. Here he remained until 1836, when James Higginson entered the land and he left for Missouri. William Hallam then resided on the hill further west, a place still known as the William Hallam farm. William Bryant resided on the land since occupied by Samuel Hallam. These were our neighbors on the west. On the north Thomas Kellet, in Edwards County, occupied the farm known to this day as the Kellet homestead, and where his son, John A. Kellet, resides. Our nearest neighbor to the south was Richard Davis, a fine old Virginian, who lived in the same house now owned and occupied by Biral Crawford. William Dunlap lived just to the west, and still farther west was Peter Kershaw, who taught school for a living. He was a one-legged man, and a fine old English gentleman; was Justice of the Peace many years, and a leading man in the country. The Shawneetown and Vincennes State road passed by his house. He had a horse-mill, stood a stallion, furnished entertainment for both man and beast, and always stood on his side-board, as indispensable, a large, well filled, "big bellied " bottle of pure whisky. You could drink, or not, just as you pleased.

To the east was the settlemeut around Gray & Walden's store ; and William Martin (Buck) was residing on his farm which now is that portion of Gray ville lying in Edwards County. At that time he was the wealthiest man in all that section of country.

In February there was a total eclipse of the sun. It was so dark at 1 p. m. that one could not distinguish a white man from a negro fifty feet away.

When spring opened we became the tenants of Captain Robert Coulter, a man small in stature, but large in heart. A better man never Lived in White County. At lus house Major James Stephen¬ son then made his home. .Before commencing to put in our crop, my uncle (Thorn) hitched to the wagon a yoke of oxen and we set opt on our journey to mill. At that time grinding was done at Bedell's mill at the Grand Rapids, at Schree's mill at the foot of Harmony cut-off, on the Indiana side, at Leach's mill in Wayne County, or at the mill of Lowry Hay at Carmi. We decided on Hay's mill as the place to get grinding.

In April, 1831, I first saw Carmi. While waiting for our turn at the mill, we came over to town, as the mill was situated on the same site now occupied by George S. Staley's mill. We crossed the river on a ferry-boat run by Richard S. Graham, at the present iron bridge. While in town I bought a pocket-knife from Samuel D. Ready, a merchant. At that time Carmi did not contain more than 400 inhabitants all told. The most prominent in the place were James Ratcliff ("Old Beaver"), who was then Probate Judge, Circuit Court, Recorder of Deeds, Clerk of the Connty Commis¬ sioners' Clerk, and United States Postmaster. " Old Beaver" was the father of the whole county, and was a noble old Virginia gen¬ tleman. General John M. Robinson, another, was then a Senator in Congress. He took his seat the day that General Jackson delivered his inaugural address, and retired March 4, 1841. He sat in coun¬ cil with Webster, Clay, Wright, Calhoun, Benton and Felix Grundy. Colonel W. H. Davidson, Hon. Edwiu B. Webb, Dr* Thomas Shannon, the Weeds and Wilmans, and I think Thomas and Elliott Kerney,were also here at that time.

Carmi did not then present a very business appearance, but it was famous for the hospitality of its people. A large portion of the male population was in the habit of putting themselves outside of a good deal of whisky, - no doubt to prevent the ague, etc. ; and, in short, Carmi was inhabited by a very intelligent community* possessing some of the most brilliant intellects in the State. She could boast of her Wilson, Chief Justice of the State, Robinson, Webb and Davidson, all distinguished men in their day, and would not suffer by comparison in the present time with their sue eessers in position.

In 1831 there were but few houses on the road from Bonpas to Carmi. The farm now owned by John Cleveland was then owned by John Taylor, a Revolutionary soldier, who was wounded at

Camden. He was drawing a pension at the rate of $8 a month. He died in 1837, and was buried some 200 yards east of where Mr. Cleveland's house now 9tands, and within eighty feet of the Cairo & Vincennes Railroad track. No stone marks the spot where that patriot rests in the mother earth. James B. Davis lived on the farm now owned by Wm. Rudolph. The next was Richard Davis, and " Uncle " Sam Potter had just located on his present home¬ stead. Jesse Lay lived on the farm which is now the home of G. P. Calvin. Ben Anderson lived on the hill just opposite J. Ackman's house. Abner Driggers lived on the hill north of the Drig¬ gers' branch, and on the right of the road, near the creek, Wm. Whitnall, Sr. On the hill south lived James Davenport, and next came Samuel Hughes, whose house stood some 200 yarde south of the present school-house. The next place was Jack Mc- Cown's, since the home of the widow of George Clark. On the farm now the home of Solomon Charles, was then the home of James John¬ ston, Sr., " Leghorn." His house stood on the left of the road some 200 yards south of the present residence of Solomon Charles. John Hasty lived on the right of the road, on the place now the home of Stephen Fitzgerald. Major Alex. Phillips then lived in the house now known as the Clifford homestead. John Graham re¬ sided on the farm now owned by William Whiting, and Walter Higdon on the farm now owned by the heirs of James Endicott. At the farm of James Peacock, then to the right of the road, lived Brad. Randolph, a deaf and dumb man.

The next evidence of living humanity was the farm now owned by Buck Kuykendall, then occupied and owned by Aaron Will¬ iams. One of the Joneses occupied a house on the farm of North Storms. John Jones lived where William Jones now lives. A Mr. Giles lived on the farm then owned by James Gray, now the property of Geo. S. Staley.

This winter, proverbial for deep snow and cold weather, was of course much more severe in the northwestern portion of the Uni¬ ted States than here; still, it was definitely one of the hardest win' ters ever experienced here. Snow was deep, and a crust was out breaking through. In some places it was easy to chase wild animals down, the snow being so deep and theanimals so exhausted by hunger. Very many were thus caught and killed. The ground, before the snow fell, was frozen to the depth of three feet.

The summer of 1831 was pleasant, and people made good use of the time cultivating the rich soil, and they were rewarded with a bountiful harvest in this section of Illinois. But very little wheat was then planted. It was a rarity to see biscuit on the table. The more wealthy could afford wheat bread Sunday morning at breakfast, and on important occasions a chicken pie or a peach cobbler would grace the table for dinner; but the great mass of people were content with hog and hominy, corn dodger, bacon and beans, with milk or rye, coffee or sassafras tea, and those that desired, if good marksmen, could have fresh venison, wild turkey or squirrels at all times with but little effort, and wild honey was within the reach of all, both rich and poor. Everybody was honest and happy.

In July I was present and witnessed the first wedding that took place in the neighborhood after our coming to Illinois. The high contracting parties were Edward Feverston, of Edwards County, and Miss Sallie Kelly, of Kelly's Kingdom, on the east side of the Big Wabash. At that day Jacob Kelly had built himself a log house in the thick cane-brake on the river bank. He claimed all the domain from the mouth of the bayou at Webb's Ferry to the head of said bayou, near the island that stands on the Wabash to this day, to mark the original boundary of his domains. Miss Sally was his oldest child, a sweet maid of eighteen. On the day the wedding took place, the groom with his escort from Edwards ap. peared on the west bank of the river in the valley under the large overcup trees that then held undisputed dominion over the south¬ east portion of John B. Jolly's Oxford farm, with Elder Charles M. Whiting, the officiating clergyman, ready at hand. Two well-laden canoes shot out from the kingdom, with the bride and her attend¬ ants on board. A landing was effected without accident. The beautiful Sally ascended the bank with unfaltering step, looking more charming than Diana. She walked straight to the mark, and in the presence of a large concourse of people, Elder Whiting joined this young couple in the holy bonds of matrimony. Imme. diately after the closing ceremony, Jacob Kelly announced in a clear Kentucky 8 tyle: " Everybody cross the river to my house, where you will find plenty of whisky and something to eat. Come one, come all, and let no one stay back. " The canoes were kept busy transporting the large crowd from the Illinois to the Indiana shore for some time, and while this was progressing, a foot race was run, two gallons of rum being the stakes. Robert Williams and Sam¬ uel Potter were the contestants. The ground selected was the sand¬ bar opposite George W. Webb's farm, 100 yards the distance, to start at the drop of a hat. When these two gladiators stripped for the contest, I was delighted with their giant forms and manly bear¬ ing. At the starting time it was about twelve o'clock, and the sun came down on that sand-bar with fearful heat. They put their backs to the sun and ran to the north. At the drop of the hat off they shot like two mighty race-horses. Sam Potter came out four feet ahead and won the race.

I thought then, and still hold to the opinion, that he owed his success to retaining his shoes, while Williams ran in his bare fee and consequently sank deeper in the soft sand. By the time th race was over the rum was on hand, having been brought from Gray & Walden's store. We all took a drink and passed over the river to dinner. A general good time was had in that cane-brake that afternoon; it was impossible lor half the women to get in the house. A platform was laid with plank in the yard. Steve Her¬ ring was there with his fiddle, and he and Bob Williams furnished music for the dance. It would have delighted any one to witness Zack Boultinghouse, Robert D. Walden, Solomon Charles, Major Stephenson, Samuel Potter, Robert Coulter, Noah Davis, John Webb, James Calvin, and other men of their times, stepping time to the music with their partners in the mazy dance. I shall not personate any of the ladies who took part in that dance. Suffice it to say, their spotless fame stands out in bold relief as a rich legacy to the present generations. Mr. and Mrs. Feverston are living to-day in Southeast Missouri, in good standing both in re¬ gard to wealth and reputation. They have a large family, now useful men and women, and they add no discredit to their noble father and mother.

Some time in October, just before the election, the Whigs held a grand mass meeting at Carmi. A very large crowd assembled. Among the speakers who addressed the people on that occasion was Abraham Lincoln, he being one of the electors on the Harri¬ son and Tyler ticket. The Whigs were very much elated over their success at the August election, having elected their entire ticket in White County, from State senator down to coroner, and from the outlook then, certain of electing Harrison and Tyler, be came very arrogant and aggressive, and showed the utmost con¬ tempt for Democrats. On the night after their grand meeting, a drunken Democrat by the name of Iloskins was found in the streets dead drunk. He was stripped, tarred and feathered, and his clothes suspended high in the air upon the Whig pole, which occupied a place in the public square. The man was found naked in the streets nearly dead. By the efforts of Dr. Shannon his life was saved. Not a few Democrats in White County, when they heard of this great out¬ rage committed upon a poor, helpless drunken man because he was a Democrat, swore by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that they would never cease their efforts until the Whig party of White County was sent up as high as Iloskin's clothes; and well was that resolve kept - by men who dared to do right and vindicate their principles at any cost.

In June, 1S37, a melancholy accident occurred, which cast a gloom over White County. While George W. Webb with his wife and child were returning home in their buggy from a drive out to Judge Wilson's, the horse took fright and came dashing furiously down Main street in Carmi; when reaching the public square the animal dashed madly in the direction of the country, and when opposite the residence of Hon. E. B. Webb, the carriage was upset and the occupants precipitated with terrible force to the ground. All were taken up, apparently lifeless; but Mr. Webb and his little child rallied and were restored to life, while Mrs. Webb lost her life from that terrible ride. I well remember plow¬ ing that same gray horse until noon on Saturday, when I rode him and led a horse by his side from Bonpas to Carmi, put him in G. W. Webb's stable, remained all night and returned to Bonpas the next day. I never handled a more gentle horse in my life; and by the time I reached m v home, this same horse had broken up one of the happiest families I ever met.

The year 18J2 will long be remembered as a period of great suf¬ fering by the people of the whole country; and none were more pressed than the people on the Wabash. Three fourths of the business men had failed and gone into bankruptcy, turning over to their assignees a very large amount of debts due from their cus¬ tomers and debtors for collection. The result was, nearly every person was sued and their property sold under the hammer for whatever it would bring. Good farms would be 6old and bid in at the face of the judgment without regard to value. There be¬ ing no homestead law then in force, the result was, but few ever redeemed their farms; and no personal property being exempt caused great suffering with the masses of the poorer people. Good working horses have been taken from the plow and sold at consta¬ ble's sale for eight and ten dollars. The price bid was owing to the liberality and mercy of the plaintiff in execution, as there was no competition at constable's sale, for the reason that no person had money to invest. It was a square fight between debtor and creditor, and as a result, many a foul blow was ruthlessly struck beneath the belt at these sales by the creditor. Many a poor wo¬ man's childreu, when their last cow was driven from the door to satisfy some execution, were heard crying for milk by the creditor in execution as he was herding his cattle to drive home.

But with all the distress and sacrifice endured by the hardy men, to their everlasting credit, but one sentiment seemed to be the de¬ termination of all, that to work hard and raise good crops would bring relief. A. fine crop was raised, and the farmers built flatboats and floated their crops South to market. True, they received low prices, but they had something to show for their hard earnings, - gold and silver worth 100 cents on the dollar, not shin-plasters or Illinois money, worth thirty or forty cents on the dollar, or a note ou some broken merchant then going through bankruptcy. On their return these flat-boat men brought sugar, molasses, rice and coffee in large quantities, and supplied themselves and neigh¬ bors, and bid defiance to the merchants in the grocery line. The women, always willing to do their part in providing for the wel¬ fare of mankind, were nobly doing their whole duty, producing with their own hands good home-made clothing for the men, them¬ selves and children. They furnished full suits of jeans for the male portion of their families, and good linsey or cotton clothing for the females. But little business was done by the storekeepers, for the hard times had educated the people to live within their re¬ sources.

In 1840, throughout the entire Union, every branch of business was depressed ; banks breaking; manufacturing in all its branches, closing up; merchants, wholesale and retail, were driven to the wall; farm products were without a market, unless on credit and at starvation prices; no demand for labor, skilled or unskilled. Lam¬ entations of distress were heard on all sides, and the cry of the people was, " What shall we do to be saved from our sore afflic¬ tion! " The farmers of White County raised a splendid crop, the great bulk of which was sold to failing merchants, and the farmer had for his reward a note on some merchant, who in due season canceled the note by presenting to his former customer and friend a bankrupt certificate, made out in due form as provided for by an act of the Congress of the United States. There were a few farm¬ ers in this county who took upon themselves the responsibility of sending their products down the river by fiat-boat to a Southern market. They did not receive a fine price, but they had something to show for their labor, provided they had not received in exchange for their cargo wild-cat paper, such as Brandon, Miss., shin-plaster, or red-dog, or blue-pup, etc., as at that time the whole county was flooded with a worthless currency called money. The finale was that this great crisis carried down almost all the business estab¬ lishments in White County. It struck Carini with crushing force. Out of some dozen or more business firms, only G. W. Webb & Go. and Samuel D. Ready were left standing in good fighting con¬ dition; William H. Davidson was still in the field, but sadly wounded. Major Daniel Powell, at his farm in Indian Creek pre¬ cinct, stood the storm like the forest oak, bold and defiant, ready to say, " Lay on Macduff, and damned be him who first cries Hold, enough. "

At Phillipstown, Kellogg & Co. were driven into bankruptcy, and went to Texas to grow up with the country. At Grayville, it looked as though a cyclone had passed over the place with fearful force. Not one business house was left to tell the tale. On the shelves of all the business houses, enough dry goods could not be found to wad a shot-gun; and worst of all, the dram-shops went clean dry ! The only show for a Grayvilleite, to wet his whis¬ tle, was to visit the distillery at New Harmony, or go to Carmi; for at either place whisky was at that time a legal tender for all commercial purposes or social gatherings, and the result was that Grayville men formed quite an attachment for Carmi and New Harmony. Liberty (Burnt Prairie) yielded to the storm, and petered out, while New Haven (then a part of White County) was gun-shot and died hard, but finally gave up the ghost in 1842, Jesse Kirkham hauling the colors, while one general wreck of busi¬ ness met the eye, look which way you would.

There was a silver lining to all this woe. A great revival of the Christian religion was manifest throughout the country. All the meeting houses were run to their full capacity, and the ministers of the gospel were not allowed to let the grass grow under their feet, but kept busy in the service of the Lord. The result was that

The year 1844 will long be remembered as the wet season. All the Western rivers overflowed the bottom lands and caused a great loss of growing crops and domestic animals - horses, cattle, sheep, etc. Still the Wabash Bottoms escaped the delnge without a total loss of crops, and not much loss of stock. The dead town of Grayville showed some life in business. Samuel Lichtenbnrger and William Stone were each rnnning a light dry-goods store, and Samuel T» Mills (brother of Deacon John Mills, of Carmi) and Thomas Mat¬ thews were each running a liquor shop or grocery where a square drink of whisky could be purchased for five cents, and Daniel G. Hay and William Weed were running Elliott Kerney's steam saw¬ mill and turning out large quantities of tine poplar lumber. Gray¬ ville was taking new life and bid fair to regain her lost laurels in the business world.

The year 1849 was a plentiful and prosperous one on the Wabash. The hand of Providence seemed to reach forth to the assistance of all to plenty. All branches of business were active and paying good dividends to the capital employed. The farmers who tilled the soil were making money, besides improving their farms by adding new fields to their plantations. The only excitement that was moving the quiet of the people on the Wabash as well as in the hilly regions was the gold fever. The discovery of gold in large quantities had just been made public, and all the rage was, " Ho, for California, the El Dorado of the world I " Quite a num¬ ber of White Couhty's most useful and daring young men, as well as some brave old gray-headed fellows, set their faces toward the setting sun to try their luck in making a fortune. Their courage was highly commendable, even should they fail in a bold attempt to acquire wealth; and the result of these bold and daring advent¬ ures was, that but few bettered their condition in amassing a fort¬ une. The most of them returned to their first love, the shores of the great Wabash, much wiser, if not wealthier, men. Some few remained on the shores of the Pacific, and of them I have not learned of a single one that acquired a fortune. I am satisfied that the Wabash Valley is the grandest field for a young man to com¬ mence the battle of life. If he fails to become rich, or a great man, there is one thing certain, he can always have plenty to eat, and clothing enough to keep from freezing, besides having lots of fun, if he has in his bosom a good, kind heart. It has been my lot to travel from the East to the West, from the North to the South, from center to circumference of this great American Union. Tell me not of fine locations for homes; give me Egypt. It is the finest country in the United States for a poor man. It is a natural para¬ dise. Here you find all the boy babies born Democrats, for the very air is Democratic, and every person a natural Democrat. All stand upon a level plane. No aristocracy can abide in Egypt. It is true, occasionally a small nest of self-styled or cod-fish aristoc¬ racy may be found in the small towns, but they are powerless to do harm only to themselves, for they enjoy the contempt of all good people.

In 1849 the discharged soldiers who had served in the Mexican war received from the General Government their land warrants, and either made entry in their own names or transferred their warrants to 6ome other person, and the result was that a great quantity of land was transferred at the land-office at Shawneetown by the Gov¬ ernment to persons who laid their warrants on the public lands in Southern Illinois. Many valuable farms in White County to-day date their titles to these purchases. Ishmaelite , with these war¬ rants, purchased a full section of land in Edwards County, and to¬ day the same land could not be purchased for less than $30 per acre. When bought from the General Government it did not cost on an average over 85 cents per acre, besides the gratuity from the Government of 100 acres to each soldier who served in the Mex¬ ican war. This was the opportunity for prudent men to avail themselves of by securing a good home for life. But few profited by the generous act of the Government, and let their warrants go for a small sum of money, and of those who laid their warrants, many sold out their homesteads and became tenants of landlords. Such is the folly of life.

Early Market Prices

From an old memorandum book kept in this county in 1831-'33> we learn the following prices at that time for the commodities named: Corn, 15 to 37$ cents a bushel; wheat, 50 to 75 cents a bushel; salt, $1 a bushel; molasses, 33$ cents a gallon; coffee, 20 to 25 cents a pound; beef, 2$ cents a pound; whisky, 50 to 62$ cents a gallon, or 18$ cents a quart; raw cotton, 12$ cents a pound; fence posts, 10 cents each. From the same book we learn that one school at least was taught for $8 a scholar for a year's tuition. A year was probably about ten months.

Home-Made

To make shoes, some of the pioneers took cow-hide, got the hair off it by soaking it in wet ashes in a trough, then soaked it in oak bark, to make a kind of leather. Shoes made from this, when wet and dried, became as hard as bone. Sunday shoes were made of home-made jeans, and summer garments were often made of flax.

Let By-Gones Be By-Gones

Hosea Pierce in early day removed to Western Missouri, where he died, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. His two boys were named Russian and Prussian, generally shortened to Roosh and Proosh. The latter still lives, and is one of the old stock of men who " helped make the country," as he says. Some years ago he was in Evansville, where he met a man named Ledbetter. In earlier day, when Proosh's father was sheriff, he executed the sen¬ tence of hanging upon one Ledbetter. Proosh and the Evansville man introduced themselves to each other, when Proosh added, UI reckon my father hung your father." " Yes; I guess he did. Let's take a drink," replied Ledbetter. Proosh rejoined, " We can't help what our fathers did," and he readily enough proceeded to take the drink.

Romantic, But True

About 1815 a man named John Pond opened a clearing in what is now Indian Creek Township. In a few years he had neighbors, and the community was called the " Pond Settlement." One day in October Pond was called away from home to help some new¬ comer raise a cabin. He left his wife and two little boys at home, and was absent all day. On returning at night he found his wife killed and scalped in the cabin, and his two little boys scalped and lying in the corner made by the old-fashioned stick-and-mnd chininey joining the cabin wall. All three were lying in pools of blood which had poured from their ghastly wounds. Pond lost no time in calling on his neighbors, and before midnight a pursuing party of vengeance was formed. It was learned that three Indians of the Fe-anke-shaw tribe had been skulking about the settlement; and as this tribe was then living out in the western part of the State, in the vicinity of the Okaw (Kaskaskia) River and Big Muddy Creek, the chase promised to be a long one.

Three men - Pond, Hosea Pearce and Trousdale - were the party of men who proposed to have retribution. They were well mounted while the Indians were on foot. From indications it appeared that the killing had been done in the morning; and as this pursuing party could not start until the following morning, the Indians had twenty hours start. The trail was found by noticing the disturbed condition of the wild pea-vines in the little prairie westward. With eager heart and piercing eye the men pushed forward. The woods in those days were open underneath, there being but little underbrush, and the pursuers soon reached the Okaw. On the prairies the grass grew high, and a fugitive could be easily followed through them.

Not, however, until the fourth day did the party discove 44 fresh sign." The next morning at sunrise they found in the Okaw Bottom three Indians making their breakfast oft a wild turkey. Each white man picked out his Indian, and fired at him. One of the guns missed fire; two Indians fell dead. They hunted for the other Indian all day, but failed to find him, as he made for the river and they lost his track. The white party, therefore, had to return to their homes with their vengeance but partially satisfied.

A few years later the white population around Mr. Pond became too dense for him, and he moved farther west. The incident of the massacre and the pursuit faded away from the memories of old settlers, amid the bustle of the in-coming civilization. But years afterward still, when one of the actors in the foregoing scene, Hosea Pearce, had become an old man, he, too, felt that the country was becoming too thickly settled for his comfort, and emigrated to Western Missouri, where lands were cheap, of which he could obtain a plenty for the "boys." One of Trousdale's sons was with him. These two were away from home one day, and at night stopped at the house of a middle-aged man, living on a fine and well-furnished farm. After supper, in the course of conversation, the host ascertained the county where Pearce formerly lived.

interesting narrator, and be told the story as vividly as the facts would allow. Then the man said; " Well, stranger, I reckon that story is about as true as any you ever told." And as he said this he stepped to the high mantel-sheif on which stood a clock; this he opened and took out a little parcel wrapped in whitish paper that showed the marks of age and much careful handling. While he was doing this Pearce was getting mad at the doubt thrown on his veracity by the words of the man, who, as he stood slowly opening the little parcel and noticing the change in Pearce's countenance, said: " Now don't get excited at what I said. I only meant it to prove what I am going to show you is true." By this time he had taken from the paper a little tuft of flaxen hair which seemed to be grown from a piece of skin the size of a dol¬ lar. As he held it up lie said. " Here is the scalp of one of John Pond's boys;" and bowing down his head and parting the hair from the crown, revealing a shining bald scar, and placing his finger on the spot, he added, " and there is where it came from! " (Tableau.)

Old Hosea had forgotten that while both boys had been scalped, only one was killed, although both were left for dead. He had forgotten, too, that among the trophies of the dead Indians the things most highly prized by Pond were his Ik>vs' scalps, which he recovered.

Public Men

John Marshall, David Apperson, Samuel Hays, Leonard White and Samuel R. Campbell, were appointed commissioners Dec. 23, 1816, to receive subscriptions for the Bank of Illinois at Shawneetown.

Willis Hargrave and William McHenry, were the two mem¬ bers from White County in 1818, with about thirty others from other parts of Southern Illinois, who in convention assembled at Kaskaskia formed the Constitution upon which Illinois was admit¬ ted into the Union as a State. Mr. Hargrave also was Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1835.

The State banking law of 1819 designated James Gray, Leonard White and James Ratcliff as a commission to open the books for subscription of capital stock, commencing the first Monday of April, 1819.

An act was approved Feb. 26, 1819, appointing Samnel Hays, Stephen Hogg, Harrison Wilson, James Ratcliff and Leonard White commissioners to locate the "seat of justice" for Franklin County, sometime during the month of April following, and their reward was $2 a day for the time necessarily employed in this task, for twenty days or less.

March 24, 1819, an act of the Legislature was approved, grant¬ ing relief to Benjamin R. Smith, Sheriff of the County of White* who had collected the tax due from the county in money receiv¬ able at the land offices, which the latter refused to accept.

In 1827, Leonard White, John Black and Benjamin Cummins were appointed commissioners by the State Legislature to select and designate such portions of the Gallatin County Saline reserve, not exceeding 30,000 acres, as were suitable for water-works, Con¬ gress having assented to the sale of that quantity. The selection of these lands were to be of such as were least useful for salt¬ making, within the reserve, and the water-works were to be con¬ structed in such a manner as to promote (not obstructing) the navigation of Saline Creek. They were to select the situations for the water- works, and twelve acres of land for each situation. James Caldwell was appointed commissioner to sell the aforesaid lands.

First Events

The first birth of a white child in this county (within Mr. Land's recollection) was that of his sister Susan, in March, 1811, who afterward married George McHenry, and is now living in Whiteside County, Ill.

The first marriage was that of John Stom (or Stumm) to Patsey Poole, April 8, 1816. This, however, may not have been within the present limits of White County.

The first preaching in White County was at John Hanna's, by a Methodist minister. The Methodists and Baptists at first met at Robert Lands and held prayer-meetings.