Mays, Illinois

The prairie may be said to have been literally full of snakes, among which was the deadly rattlesnake. In plowing the prairie for the first time, each furrow made would drive the reptiles nearer and nearer together, as the furrows from either side approached each other. Near the last, when the unplowed had become a narrow strip, the gi*ass seemed to be moving with the wriggling things. Most of the prairie snakes were harmless, but the rattlesnake was greatly feared on account of its venom. But few, however, among the large number who have felt the poisonous fangs of this reptile were fatally injured. A true homeopathic remedy, " similia similibus curantur ,' was discovered, and applied with perfect effect. This was nothing more nor less than a production of the prairie, where the venomous reptile was found, and which had been introduced and largely manufactured by one Marrs, of Edgar Township. To fill the patient's hide full of sod-corn whisky, then, was this noble remedy ; and the poison in the one seemed to neutralize the other. As soon as the patient began to feel the bite of the wliiskv more than that of the snake, he was considered out of danger. There is a coincidence, here, between this remedy and the illusion of the victim of drink when he imagines that he has " snakes in his boots," which we have not time to stop and investigate, but which we leave for our readers to reflect upon.

Passage source: The History of Edgar County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County--its Cities, Towns, &c. : Directory of Its Tax-payers; War Records of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics; Map of Edgar County; History of Illinois, Illustrated; History of the Northwest, Illustrated; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &c., &c. Illustrated, published 1879.

And now, to our readers, especially the old settlers, with whom we have had 30 many pleasant chats, we are about to say good by. Our short acquaintance has been so pleasant that, in leaving you we feel great regret that our inter¬ course has thus suddenly terminated. But a few more short years, and you and we will join the ranks of the other old pioneers who have crossed the waters to a newer and better country, and there we will renew this acquaint¬ ance, and perhaps again converse upon the scenes and incidents of this life, as we have upon the earthly past.

Passage source: The History of Edgar County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County--its Cities, Towns, &c. : Directory of Its Tax-payers; War Records of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics; Map of Edgar County; History of Illinois, Illustrated; History of the Northwest, Illustrated; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &c., &c. Illustrated, published 1879.

WILLIS BRINKERHOFF, farmer, P. O. Redmon ; was born Sept. 9, 1853; is a native of Edgar Co., Grand View being his native township ; lived there with his father until 1875; then came to his present residence. Was mar¬ ried Oct. 7, 1875, to Miss Araminta M. Hanna, of Edgar Co. Has a good commonschool education ; began business for him¬ self in 1875, at farming, which business he has since followed ; he is still a young man, full of life and ambition, stands well in the community, and bids fair to become one among the leading farmers of Edgar Co., being honest, intelligent and indus¬ trious.

Passage source: The History of Edgar County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County--its Cities, Towns, &c. : Directory of Its Tax-payers; War Records of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics; Map of Edgar County; History of Illinois, Illustrated; History of the Northwest, Illustrated; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &c., &c. Illustrated, published 1879.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Buck Township - it names this place 9 more 9 times.