Bloomington City Township (part 1 of 5)

Bloomington Township

The territorry now included in the township of Bloomington is a part of our common county, and as such entitled to its share in the interest attaching to the general history of our State and nation ; but when we take it upon ourselves to learn the history of the six miles square called Bloomington, we find it almost impossible to divest general history from the local interest of the tract of land under consideration. It would be pleasant to go back to the time when all the country, north of the Ohio, was a French possession ; to glance at its first American baptism, in the year 1778, when Gen. Clarke with his Virginians captured the whole region from the British, who had taken it all from the French in 1763 ; to learn something of its early history as a portion of Virginia after Gren. Clarke returned from his expedition, at which time the whole tract was a dependency of Virginia, called Illinois County ; to look at the same country jiears later, when it was called the Northwest Territory, and to follow its fortunes as the Territory of Indiana, then as the Territory of Illinois from 1809 down to 1818, when the State of Illinois entered upon its independent career. In all these varying changes, the little spot of land we are now examining had a territorial share, but was peopled only by wild and savage Indians, who may have been intelligent enough to know the French from the English, but who were not citizens of whatever power for the time being was in possession of the land. It was not till 1822 that the territory now known as McLean County possessed a single white inhabitant ; and when, in that year, the families of John Hendrix and John W. Dawson made a selection of sites for homes, they were the first permanent settlers in the county, and were also the first in Bloomington Township, of which we now propose^to give an historical sketch. We have a right to suppose that long previous to the date we have mentioned important events transpired here, in which white people took important parts. It was here in this very region that Gen Hopkins' army was embarrassed in 1813, ia his fruitless expedition from the Wabash toward the fort which was then standing at Peoria. It is probable that many a party of French and friendly Indians have camped in our old woods when on their way from Lake Michigan to Cahokia and Kaskaskia. Possibly the early Indian traders and hunters may have built trading-stations and occupied them for long periods, at points where our first settlers found partial clearings in the original forests. But perhaps it is not best to indulge ourselves in much speculation or supposition on these topics, as we shall find our path obscure enough, following as we go the best authenticated records that are now available.

We find that the first white men who made marks which have in any manner entered into history were the Government land surveyors, who commenced the work of dividing and subdividing the fertile acres of McLean County in the year 1821. The final survey was not completed until October, 1823, when Blooming Grove Township was surveyed by P. M. Hamtramack.

Our township has been situated in allegiance to many different counties. In 1817, Illinois being then a Territory, the county of Crawford was in power here. In 1819, a year after the State of Illinois had been admitted into the Union, Clark County had jurisdiction, while, in 1821, Fayette County was organized, extending northeast as far as the Illinois River, and to Fayette our first settlers owed allegiance. As understood at the time, Fayette reached to the Wisconsin line. This was the meaning of the act incorporating Fayette County, but as, by a previous law, Pike County included all north of the Illinois River, Fayette County could not enforce its claiiu to its most northern territory.

All this region of country now known as McLean County, east of the Third Principal Meridian, was situated in the county of Fayette, and thus remained until the development of the country several years later rendered it absolutely necessary that this immense tract should be subdivided into several counties. We will attempt to give the names of only a few of the first settlers of this township, mentioning some of the most prominent, but may, through inadvertence, omit others equally deserving. In 1822, John Hendrix and John W. Dawson, with their families, settled in the southern portion of Blooming Grove. There was with them in the same year a single man of the name of Segur, who, however, did not stay long in the settlement, he having sold his claim in 1823 to Mr. William Orendorfi". Mr. Dawson remained four years, when he removed to near the site of the old Indian town in Old Town Timber. During these four years, while his family lived at the Grove, there were no less than fifteen difi"erent families who made their homes here, so that Blooming Grove very soon became a wellsettled community. Mr. Hendrix is entitled to the honor of being the first settler, as Mr. Dawson's family did not arrive till after Mr. H. had been here some weeks. Of the family of John W. Dawson, who came in 1822, we will here remark that two are now living in the city of Bloomington, having moved from Old Town many years ago. The oldest is Mrs. William Paist, whose first husband was Maj. Owen Cheney. She was about eight years old when her father moved to the Indian town. She was a great favorite with the Indian squaws, who often carried her to their homes, keeping her for days at a time, where the little girl was greatly pleased and interested. Mrs. P. does not even yet appear aged - scarcely elderly. She takes a great interest in society, and it seems hardly possible that this active lady has seen the full growth and development of Blooming Grove, of Bloomington City and of McLean County. Her brother, John Dawson, is the next oldest pioneer now living in our city.

Mr. John Hendrix is deserving of mention, having been a consistent, devoted Christian, who planted early good seed that has borne many fold. He has been honored by havin"- the railroad station on the Central in the Orendorfi" neighborhood named after him as well as the post ofl&ce, and the true spelling of the name should be Hendrix, it being named for this good old pioneer. The first sermon in Blooming Grove was preached at the house of Mr. Hendrix, by Rev. James Stringficld, in 1823. Mr. Hendrix labored in- the settlement as a true Christian should, and very few who have lived in this county have left such a noble record. Men like Mr. Hendrix and Mr. Dawson should always be held in grateful recollection by our people, both of them having been men of "reat worth. With their two families, t\iey accomplished a great deal of good in forming and molding the tone of society during the first two or three years of the infant settlement. "They labored in every manner possible to induce the best class of emi"rants to settle as neighbors and used all the skill they possessed to persuade undesirable persons to move on or look further for more congenial neighborhoods. The strict, almost Puritanic, ways of the religious Mr. Hendrix naturally had the effect of impressing new-comers who were reckless and irreligious, with an aversion to his society, and would as naturally attract pious men, like Rev. E. Rhodes, who came in 1823 or 1824, and the influence of all these early settlers was of lasting value.

The influence of a few of the early pioneers in determining the class of settlers who were attracted to cast their lot in the same community, has often been referred to, but we find that in the case of Blooming Grove a great deal was accomplished in this direction, in the first two or three years of its development, and in this manner we account for the fact that at the time of the location here of the county seat, there was no settlement of equal power and influence anywhere between Vandalia and the Wisconsin line.

In the year 1823, William Orendorff and wife arrived, with Mr. Thomas Orendorff, then a young man of twenty-three. In 1824, Mr. Goodheart and W. H. Hodge settled at the Grove, and about the same time Mr. William Walker and family, and enough others to bring the whole number of families up to about fifteen by the end of the year 1824. There were no exceptions to the general good character attributed to all of the first families, thus giving illustration to the old saying in regard to " birds of a feather."

Our sketch, imperfect as it is, must not omit all mention of the Rhodes family. Ebenezer Rhodes came to the Grove in April, 1824. He was the first minister who settled at Blooming Grove, having been ordained in the Separate Baptists, before coming to Blooming Grove. Mr. Rhodes organized a small church at his own house, consisting at first of eight persons. This church held meetings at the house of John Benson and that of Josiah Brown, at Dry Grove. There had been occasional preaching before his arrival, but from this time forward he kept up regular ministrations. He appears to have been a natural missionary, and labored in all the young settlements within thirty or forty miles. No doubt he was induced to settle here by the presence of such men as John Hendrix, and the prospect that Blooming Grove would be the first settlement able to maintain a church and school ; and we thus see the good eff"ect of the high character of the pioneers of 1822, who attracted men like Mr. Rhodes, who in turn exerted a similar influence upon later arrivals. In addition to his service as pastor, Mr. Rhodes was a man of mechanical knowledge - could make spinning-wheels, seats and chairs, and, as early as the first year of his arrival, set up a hand-mill for grinding corn, and in the next year built one that was run by horse-power.

It would be pleasant to follow this good man in his various enterprise.*^, but space forbids. He was the father of Capt. John H. S. Rhodes and Jeremiah Rhodes, both of whom came here in 1824, and who were among the best of our pioneers. The latter is still living, a hearty old gentleman, a connecting link between the past and the present. He remembers well the condition of the country in those early days. When his father arrived, the Kickapoo Indians were plentiful in this neighborhood. Their chief, Ma-Shee-na, ordered the Rhodes family and others to the south side of the Sangamon River, declaring that he had never signed the treaty which gave the whites porsession of Blooming (then called Keg) Grove. It appears that the old chief was sick at the time the treaty was signed, but had sent his son to treat with the whites and sign the articles. Ma-Shee-na threatened to burn the houses of the families here, but finally compromised by allowing them to remain until fall. When one regards the treacherous nature of the Indians, it looks as if the pioneers of 1824 ran a great risk in remaining, under the circumstances ; but the chief appears to have been a pretty good sort of an

Indian, worthy of the confidence reposed in him, and, in the end, the settlers either completely won his good-will or, as is quite probable, so increased in numbers as to overawe the whole tribe. It has been a matter of some surprise to us that the name of this Indian chief, which we spell as pronounced, Ma-Shee-na, has not been preserved in this settlement. So far as we know, there is not in this neighborhood a single Indian name, with the exception of Kickapoo, which is the name of the creek that flows through Blooming Grove.

The Kickapoos, a few Delawares, and some Pottawatomies were very plenty from 1822 to 1829, and were generally very kind and friendly. The settlers became acquainted with them, knew their names, and in some cases formed friendships as permanent and kindly as many existing between the whites themselves. When the Indians left they were missed, and their absence as much regretted by some, as if they had been old friends. Most of them left before the end of 1829, though as late as the summer of 1832, there were enough in this region within one hundred miles of the Grove, to cause grave apprehensions, this being the year of the Black Hawk war.

Very few Indian traditions have been preserved, owing, probably, to the fact that the aborigines found by our early settlers were of a roving class, who came here from the eastern part of the State, taking fhe places of other Indians who had preceded them. Had our pioneers fallen in with Indians whose ancestors long resided here, we should probably be able to gather some interesting Indian legends. The Grove was known as Keg Grove until 1824, and, in fact, the old name clung to it at a much later period. It is said that what are now called Sulphur Springs - formerly known as Hinshaw's Springs - formed a common camping-place for hunters and travelers long before the first settlers arrived. It was usual for parties to travel from the Wabash River to the fort at what is now Peoria, or from Chicago to St. Louis. In either case, these springs were a convenient stopping-place.

Tradition asserts that at one time a party of white men hid a keg of rum at this point, probably intending to return for it in a short time. It was found by some Kiekapoo Indians, who, no doubt, then possessed the richest '- bonanza " of their whole lives. The remarkable " find " was reported to the Indians all through this region, who named this locality " Keg Grove."

The "first families" of our ancestors were not of the class who had any fancy for a name which suggested drunken Indians, rum, whisky or anything of the kind, and they believed it for the interest of the infant settlement that it should be reehristened, and to Mrs. William Orendorff is generally ascribed the credit of suggesting the name of Blooming Grove, which proved a very suitable and acceptable name. This was about the year 1824.

The first white female child born in McLean County was Elizabeth Ann Hendrix, daughter of John Hendrix, born May 3, 1823. The first death occurred in the family of Thomas Orendorff", it being one of his children, who died in 1825. Mr. 0. laid out a family burying-ground at that time, which has become an established cemetery - the oldest in the county. The first white male child born in this county (now living) is John Lewis Orendorff", son of Mr. Orendorff", who was born January 30, 1825. The first school was taught by Miss Delila Mullen, in the house of John W. Dawson, in 1823, and it consisted at first of only five pupils. About the year 1825, a log schoolhouse was built, the first in this county. The site is on what is now the Oliver Oren-

The first blacksmith at the Grove was the Rev. Mr. See, who lived in the Price neighborhood, and was here as early as 1826. He did Uttle jobs of such work, though he was a Methodist minister and a farmer.

Thomas Orendorflf was born August 14, 1800, at Spartansburg, S. C. He came to Illinois in 1817, when this was a Territory, having been present at the birth of the new State, as well as a prominent actor in its subsequent development. He lived in several different places, having moved from Sangamon County, 111., to Keg, now Blooming Grove, on the 2d day of May, 1823. Thomas OrendorfF was then a single man, and made his home with his brother William, who accompanied him. He made a claim near the Mason farm, about three miles south of the city of Bloomington.

October 5, 1824, he married Mary Malinda Walker, daughter of William Walker, one of our most prominent pioneers. This was the first wedding in Blooming Grove. The first in the county was the marriage of John Taylor to Temperance Stringfield, at Randolph's Grove in June, 1824. Rev. E. Rhodes married this couple, and at the «lose of the ceremony published a notice of the intended marriage of the young couple at Blooming Grove. He also posted written notices of their intention, and when the time arrived performed the ceremony. The newly-married pair moved into a cabin on Mr. Orendorff"'s claim, where they made their home for a number of years, until Mr. Orendorfi", in his anxiety to be near the open prairie, convenient to a good stock-range, 9 moved to what was then called Little Grove, nearly a mile east of Blooming Grove, five miles southeast of our city, where, with his venerable wife, he is still living, both being in comparatively good health. It is rare, indeed, that we can find a couple who have been married fifty-five years, and when we take into account the severe pioneer life they have led, their good fortune seems almost wonderful.

In Prof. Duis' "Good Old Times in McLean County," we read: "When Thomas and William Orendorfi" settled in McLean County, the old chief of the Kickapoos ( Mr. O. now thinks these Indians were Delawares) came with Machina (afterward their -chief) and ordered them to leave. But the old chief spoke English in such a poor manner that Thomas Orendorfi" told him to keep still and let Machina talk. Then Machina drew himself up and said in his heavy voice : ' Too much come back, white man, t' other side Sangamon.' Mr. Orendorif told Machina that the latter had sold the land to the whites ; but Machina denied it, and the discussion waxed warm, and the chiefs went away, feeling very much insulted. Mr. Orendorfi"'s friends considered his life very much in danger, and he was advised by Judge Latham, the Indian agent, to leave the county ; but he attended to his business and was not molested. At one time, an Indian called Turkey came to Mr. Orendorfi", and gave him warning that Machina would kill him ; but no attempt was made to put such a threat into execution."' Mr. Orendorfi" still remembers many incidents in relation to the Indians. He says at one time he was talking with Machina about killing people. " You wouldn't kill a white man would you ? " said Mr. 0. " No," says the Indian, " I go hell and damnation," indicating that he knew the penalty as taught by the missionaries. Mr. Orendorfi" 's memory, as also that of his wife, is now somewhat defective ; and when we consider their early, anxious experiences witli the Indians, their pioneer life, and their old age,, we only wonder at their being still alive and as comfortable as we now find them.

Mr. Orendorif was always one of the leading men of the infant settlement. When the plans for a new county were fully matured, he was selected with Rev. James Latta, to go to Vandalia to secure from the Legislature an act of incorporation. These county projects were very numerous at that time, one of the principal matters before the Legislature being the proper consideration of the many county and county-seut projects presented from the newly-settled parts of the State. Our committee urged their claims so successfully that the bill for the incorporation of McLean County was paiised by the house in the forenoon and by the Senate in the afternoon of the same day.

Mr. OrendorflF has held several oflBces, having been the first Coroner of Tazewell County in 1827, when by virtue of his oflSce he took the place of the County Assessor who had failed to (jualify, and he assessed the immense territory, making a trip on horse-back to the settlements toward Ottawa and Hennepin, on the Illinois River. He was appointed Assessor and Treasurer for McLean County at its organization, and often acted in prominent positions.

We cannot help regarding Mr. Orendorif with a feeling of veneration akin to reverence. Here is a man who came to Illinois when it was a Territory ; who has witnessed the full development of our wonderful State ; who was one of the principal organizers of McLean County ; who has seen the full growth of our city ; who represents the pioneers of Blooming Grove, being with his wife among the last now living. Bloomington should take delight in honoring these noble people, and should be proud to acknowledge its appreciation of their life-long services.

This couple are the parents of eleven children. John Berry Orendorfi", the oldest who lives on the farm adjoining his father's, is one of the best known of the large connection of OrendorfFs. The others are all well known and all highly respect'jd in their several homes, which are in a number of different States.

Esquire William OrendorfF's name will frequently appear in this history, as he was one of the leading men of this settlement, in fact, of Central Illinois. He transacted most of the public business of this precinct for several years. His children were fourteen in number, of whom three are living in this coujity. Oliver H. P. and John Lewis live in Blooming Grove, and are among the best known and most popular of our citizens. They have a brother at Cheney's Grove.

The early settlers found here an abundance of game, consisting of deer, turkeys, wolves and the smaller birds and animals. The immense prairies formed most admirable pastures for deer, while the groves were the skulking-places of the large wolves that were very plenty. Some of the pioneers were mighty hunters, while in every family a gun was kept ready for the valuable game that might at any hour come within easy reach. The venison of those early days was a very convenient substitute for the meat-markets of modern times, and though not quite so sure to be found when wanted, was, in many instances, almost as indispensable.

Deerskins, counskins and wolf-robes were important articles of commerce, and in the first stores kept a few years later by Allin, Covell and Gridley, these valuables were the leading staples, forming, with beeswax and honey, the most common payment from many a farmer who in after years sold his hogs and cattle by the hundred, though at the time we are now alluding to, from 1822 to 1827, there was no reliable market for these articles nearer than Vandalia, or the trading-points on the Wabash in Indiana.

A full statement of the trials and difficulties encountered by our pioneers cannot be given in this place, as we are simply chronicling events ; but we might mention a few of the obstacles which they suflfered from more than any others. The want of good markets, or, in fact, of any market at all, has been mentioned. The prairie fires were for years dreaded more than almost anything else. In early times, these fires would come rolling before the wind in the fall and spring, often sweeping away fences, farms or grain stacks, and causing severe losses. The settlers generally shared with each other after such disasters, dividing crops with those who had been unfortunate, or turning out day or night to fight fires, without the formality of an invitation.

But the saddest trouble of all was the malarial sickness of the early times. Nearly every family was afilicted, disease and death being faced by all who ventured to remain in this country in the early days when the prairie sod was being broken and subdued. After the prairie land was mostly improved, which brings us down as late as 1855, the health of the settlements grew better, and for the last twenty-five years there has been comparatively little malarial disease.

During the period that elapsed from 1822 to 1827, Fayette County had jurisdiction over all the territory now within the present limits of McLean County, and on north as far as the Illinois River. Vandalia, the county seat, was over one hundred miles distant. Blooming Grove could exert but little influence in so large a district, and its inhabitants urged the formation of a new county. For many years, the only official in all this region was Mr. William Orendorfi", who was commissioned in 1825, by Gov. Coles, Justice of the Peace of Fayette County. His jurisdiction extended almost indefinitely toward Wisconsin. The distance to Vandalia was so gi'eat that very few of the settlers ever visited the county seat, unless it was on business of the utmost importance. There was one important State election while our pioneers were residents of Fayette County - that of 1824.

At this election, there was great excitement on the slavery question. On its result depended the calling of a convention which would make the introduction of slavery possible, and by a close vote it was decided in favor of freedom. The sentiment of Blooming Grove was unanimously for freedom. The canvass of 1824, in the older settled portions of the State, was exceedingly bitter and animated ; but, in the natural course of events, people in a neighborhood which had only been settled two years could have had few opportunities for being acquainted with the politics of the State of which they had so recently become citizens.

The population of Illinois increased from 55,000, in 1820, to 157,445 in 1830, an addition in ten years of 200 per cent. Population was then most dense on the Ohio River and along the Mississippi in Southern Illinois. All of Northern, Western, and a portion of Central Illinois, was in the possession of the Indians, of whom those in the northern part were hostile, or in a quasi-hostile condition. When our pioneers arrived here, the Indians intimated plainly that they preferred to have no white men north of the Sangamon River. North of the Illinois River, the settlers did not dare to locate; and, from 1820 to 1830, the region of Central Illinois was almost debatable ground, only occupied by the most daring and hardy pioneers.

These pioneers flocked in rapidly, and took up the most desirable locations along the edge of the timher, holding every inch of ground once occupied, going forward with improvements and making homes for themselves and their families, giving this settlement, in the course of the few years during which we have watched its development, the name of being one of the best regulated of any in the State, and of possessing a remarkably enterprising population.

Fayette County was evidently too large to be convenient, and, in 1826, it was divided, Vermilion County having been erected in that year, including the territory now under consideration. No wonder that this division was called for, when Vandalia, the county seat of Fayette County, was distant over one hundred miles. No wonder that the first couple married on the Mackinaw dispensed with a license, and in its stead posted notices of their intention and called on a Justice to perform the ceremony without the authority of the too great county of Fayette ! Blooming Grove, for one year was in Vermilion County, though very little county business was transacted during that year by citizens living in this locality.

Blooming Grove contained about six thousand acres of the very finest timber to be found in the West. Nearly every acre was covered with tall, heavy trees, while the soil was of unrivaled fertility. It has been remarked, frequently, that nowhere in this State is there to be found such a large body of rich timber-land, as the general character of the soil, which is covered with a natural growth of trees, is not of the best for farming purposes. The sudden development of this beautiful grove is shown by the fact that, in 1827, it was the happy home of no less than twenty families of industrious, well-behaved settlers, most of whom were surrounded by all the actual comforts, even if they lacked most of the luxuries, of life.

These families formed at Blooming Grove a very important settlement, and began to be restive under the jurisdiction of Fayette County. In 1826, Vermilion County was formed, and its territory seemed to include the eastern part of what is now McLean. Our settlers, however, had little to do with either Fayette or Vermilion County, and it is difiicult to state the exact condition of affairs during this year. The records of the State Department at Springfield show that the most of the territory of McLean County was included in Vermilion County in the year 1826 ; but we find from a careful inspection of the official records of Fayette County that during the year 1826 this portion of McLean was recognized as being within the limits of Fayette. The old settlers state that their being included in Vermilion was some kind of a " fraud," and that they never were properly citizens of the latter county. It is an historical fact that Fayette claimed jurisdiction here down to the time of the organization of Tazewell County in 1827, and also that our citizens recognized the demand, and hence we do not see much force in Vermilion's " technical " claim. It appears that at the March term of the Fayette County Commissioners' Court in 1826, it was "ordered that all that part of the county north of Township Seventeen (17) shall compose an election district, to be known by the name of the Orendorft' Precinct, and the election therein to be held at the house of William Orendorff", in said precinct; and further, that William Orendorff, John Benson and James Latta be appointed Judges of Election of the same precinct." An election was held on the 7th of August, 1826, and, on September 4, at the County Court, the proper fees were allowed these judges, and also to the clerks of the election - William See and William H. Hodge " in State paper at two for one." William OrendoriF was allowed his fees for returning the election to the county seat at Vandalia - 125 miles - at the rate of 10 cents per mUe, also " in State paper at two for one." The records of this county do not show that our settlement had any county business until 1825, when Joseph B. Harbert was appointed Road Supervisor, and these few entries which we have given are all the items of business that appeared to be of any interest to the inhabitants of Blooming Grove, who were so far removed from the county seat. It is interesting to note how large a district was comprised within the " Orendorff Precinct " organized by the above-mentioned order of Fayette County. It included the northern portion of the present county of Macon, most of DeWitt, Piatt, McLean, and, in fact, a strip of country of the same width from east to west in Fayette County, and extending north as far as the Illinois River, or to the Wisconsin line, in Fayette County, was generally understood at that time to include all the territory between its southern boundary and the northern line of the State. It would be of great interest could we give the list of voters who attended this first election, but the papers have been lost or mislaid.

The records show that James AUin was one of the Fayette County Commissioners from 1822 to 1825, and judging from the frequency with which his name appears, he must have been a valuable member. He thus acquired influence and position, and when he moved to Blooming Grove at a later date, he was, of course, well known to our leading citizens. The books of the Circuit Clerk's office at Vandalia do not show that a single case of either criminal or civil action ever appeared there from this settlement, neither do the records give any evidence of the recording of deeds or mortgages. As the land-sales had not then taken place, there could, of course, be no use for such records. There are a few records of marriages, the last one being that of Jacob Spawr to Eliza Ann Trimmer, who were " published," no license having been asked for, and they were married by William Orendorff December 30, 1826. Blooming Grove, it appears, became known at the county seat in rather a vague and indefinite manner, but was too remote to receive much attention, 125 miles being too far even for those pioneer days. Fayette County was destined to be subdivided, and in its division our territory was to undergo several important changes of jurisdiction.

In the year 1827, the county of Tazewell was organized, and the career of Blooming Grove while under its control will form our next chapter.

When the new county of Tazewell was organized, in 1827, Blooming Grove was its most important settlement. W^e find its inhabitants had now no cause of complaint, as they were among the most influential of the leading citizens. The records of Tazewell County show that its first County Commissioners' Court was held April 10, 1827, at the house of Mr. William Orendorfl". This Court consisted of James Latta, of Blooming Grove ; Benjamin Briggs and George Hittle, from other parts of the county. Of the new county's first officials, John Benson was Treasurer ; Thomas Orendorfl", Coroner ; and W. H. Hodge, Sherifi" - all of Blooming Grove. The next meeting of the Court was held at the house of Ephraim Stout, at Stout's Grove, and the first piece of probate business transacted in the new county related to one of the residents of Blooming Grove - Mrs. Benjamin Cox.

Among the pioneers of Blooming Grove, we find no one more worthy of mention than Mrs. Benjamin Cox. Her husband had come here in 1825, had purchased of John W. Dawson an improved claim with a log cabin ; had returned to Ohio for his family and died within a few weeks after his return. His widow, the mother of eight children, determined on emigrating, and with this large family braved the dangers of the long road, and arrived at Blooming Grove, September 23, 1826. When we consider the difficulties which the stoutest men encountered at that day, the bravery of this lady entitles her to the front rank among our pioneers. April 25, 1827, we find from the Tazewell records, Mrs. Felina Cox, widow of Benjamin Cox, was appointed guardian of Aurelius, Benjamin, Nancy and David Cox, with William Orendorff and William Walker as securities in the sum of $1,800. Mrs. Cox came here when Indians were plenty; when only the bravest men had courage to penetrate into this wilderness, and she deserves to be mentioned among the heroines ot Illinois.

The first blacksmith on the south side of Blooming Grove was a man of the name of Dow, who came in 1829. The neighbors turned out and built him a shop, rejoicing at now being able to obtain blacksmithing near their homes. Mr. Dow only remained a short time. The first stock of goods was kept by Mr. Black, in 1828 or 1829, at the house of Mr. William Orendorif. The first shoemaker seems to have been Mr. William Orendorfi", who frequently made and mended shoes for his neighbors, who would gather corn or do some other farm work for him inpayment. The first blacksmith and carpenter work was accomplished in the same manner by the more ingenious of our pioneers, as during those early times, the mother of invention, "necessity," was ever present to stimulate all to deeds and works the actors hardly supposed themselves capable of performing. In fact, this statement is true even ih these times, when our statesmen, our generals and our capitalists arise from the most humble surroundings, brought to perfection by necessity, or in other words, by the genius of our free institutions.

Mr. William Orendorfi" was made Justice of the Peace in Tazewell County, and filled the office for many years. Judging from the early records he married a large number of young couples. He married the first couple that wedded in this region after Tazewell was organized, Abram Hobbs to Elizabeth Evans, June 25, 1827; Miss Evans was a daughter of the William Evans who afterward settled in what is now the city of Bloomington. The same year, he married Amos Lundy to Susannah Copes, August 16, and the next year, on the 1st of January, 1828, John Kimler to Mary Cox. The latter were residents of Blooming Grove, as were John Cox and Elizabeth Walker, who were married March 18, 1828. October 23, 1828, James Hodge was married to Minerva J. See. All these were married by Mr. Orendorff, who seems to have carried on a lively business. Blooming Grove was gay with weddings in those times - as James Benson married Polly Hinshaw, November 16, 1828; while January 1,1829, Henry Miller married. Temperance Evans, daughter of William Evans. This last was a real Bloomington wedding, the first, probably, that ever occurred within the present limits of the city of Bloomington. The bride of that day, now Mrs. Jane Whitcomb, is still living at Old Town, in this county. Three more weddings took place in the year 1829 - Richard Grass to Elizabeth Maxwell, William Maxwell to Mrs. Elizabeth Hobbs, and James Walker to Jane Brock. Within a little over two years, we thus find there were eight or nine marriages of Blooming Grove couples, indicating a degree of enterprise that has not been surpassed by any of the later inhabitants.

June 25, 1827, it was ordered that a new voting precinct, to be called Blooming Grove, be formed of all that part of the county, east of Range 3, and north of Town.

22. This voting precinct was therefore thirty-six miles from east to west, and extended from the south line of Bloomington Township, to the northern line of Tazewell County on the north. The first election was held at the house of John Benson, and the first Judges of Election were E. Rhodes, Henry Vansickle and William Orendorfi". This immense territory was erected into a road district, and Joseph B. Harbord was made Road Supervisor.

The first grand jurors from Blooming Grrove Precinct were William Orendorfi^, John H. S. Rhodes, William Walker, L. Hurst, Peter McCullough and William Gilston, whose names were drawn August 7, 1827. From this time until the year 1831, when the new county of McLean was organized, the residents of Blooming Grove transacted county business at Mackinaw, the county seat of Tazewell, only about twenty miles away, and the transition from the far- away county seat at Vandalia was found most convenient and agreeable. There was, in those days, but little business to be attended to, but it was promptly despatched. We find that the first road in this region was laid out in 1827, from "the upper point of Kickapoo and Salt Creek, to the northeast corner of Blooming Grove, thence to the Dry Grove, thence to Mackinaw to the east end of Main street." This was the first legal road in Bloomington.

One of the great difficulties of the pioneers, was the want of mills for making flour and meal. Most of the streams of this region are liable to go dry in summer, and were always a poor dependence ; but at this early time, very few good mills had been erected in this vicinity. It was no uncommon thing for teams to go to mill all the way to Attica, on the Wabash, in Indiana, distant 120 miles, or to Perryville, 110 miles. They often went to the Sangamon, over 50 miles, to the Kankakee, 70 miles, and to Green's mill, on the Fox River, above Ottawa, over 60 miles. When Whistler's mill was built on the Mackinaw, in Tazewell County, it was considered quite a convenience, although over 20 miles from Blooming Grove. Various were the expedients for dispensing with these long trips. One of them was pounding corn in a piece of hard wood, hollowed out on the principle of the pestle and mortar, and another was the horsemill. These mills were erected in nearly every settlement ; one being made here, a handmill, by Ebenezer Rhodes, in 1824, and one in the winter of 1830, a horse-mill, by Isaac Baker. The mill-stones were common "nigger-head" stones, from the surface of the prairie, held in a frame in such a manner, that a horse traveling in a circle would set them in motion. After the wheat was ground, the flour was separated from the bran by sifting it through a bottom of two cloths, by which the flour was separated. It was rather a wasteful method, and very slow, but it generally happened that the flour thus obtained made good bread. Possibly our modern " new process " flour, from the best Kansas wheat, tastes less sweet to our palates thar> did the home-made article of fifty years ago. Crushing corn, however, was the principal work of these mills. Small watermills were constructed, wherever there was an opportunity ; mostly, however, at a later day. There was even one on Sugar Creek, near the present city of Bloomington, built by Samuel Lander, which did good service foi several years, but later than the time of which we are now speaking. It stood but a short distance below the old Pekin road, and the old dam is still to be seen. A mill was built on the Kickapoo, and several on the Mackinaw, but the settlers, in 1829, longed for a reliable steam-mill that would never go dry. All these difficulties were met, however, by a cheerfulness peculiar to these pioneers. They were almost surrounded by Indians, of whose friendship they were never sure, being, in fact, in one of the frontier counties of the State, Woodford not yet being organized, the territory of Tazewell extending to the Illinois River, north of which was the disputed ground, where, in 1831 and 1832, Black Hawk's bands roamed and massacred at will, and the public mind was in constant alarm from rumors of anticipated outbreaks. There were also bold and venturesome settlers scattered along the groves and creeks of Woodford, at this time citizens of Tazewell, and also a few in the Vermilicm timber, in what is at the present time in Livingston County, but who were, at this date, included in the county of Tazewell. We shall see, in a short time, that at a later period Blooming Grove and its neighbors raised a company (if rangers for sixty days' service on the frontier of McLean, who, under Capt. J. H. S. Rhodes, performed good service from the head of Mackinaw to the Vermilion, besides hearing of more impoitant work in the Black Hawk war.

Our settlers were occupied in not only securing an education for their children, in clearing and fencing farms, raising food and obtaining clothing, but they were compelled to think of their defense against a common enemy, and we need not wonder that their lives were anxious and laborious. We are surprised that they found time to participate in the Presidential elections of 1824 and 1828, which took place during this period. Tradition informs us that the voters were generally Jacksonians - even as late as 1832, only six in the county having voted for Jackson's opponent. In 1824, the State gave two electoral votes for Jackson, and one for Adams, and the indignation of citizens in this part of the State knew nobounds when theelection of Adams was proclaimed. In 1828, the vote was for Jackson, with little opposition except on State and minor officers. Elections in those days were different from what we have seen in later years. People voted for men, and not as much for measures. Party lines hardly existed, or if they did, the State was so strongly Democratic that opposition was confined to a choice of candidates. Nominations were not made by conventions until in later times. Men became candidates and ran for office on their merits, and the result, perhaps, was about the same as now, though the means for accomplishing it might differ. To vote against a candidate partook of the nature of a personal affront, and many of the contests were peculiarly bitter and aggravating. Offices were sought for with as much avidity as at present. In the formation of new counties men saw opportunities for new offices as tempting, no doubt, for their honors as we have seen them in later times for their emoluments.

The center of population and influence was in the Orendorff neighborhood, about four miles southeast of our city, where, at William Walker's house, Mr. Allin opened a store late in 1829, where there was, as early as 1824, a log schoolhouse, and where, from indications, it was thought, as early as in 1826, quite a village might one day be built. Blooming Grove was, in 1827, well settled as a farming neighborhood. It was surrounded on all sides by a belt of farms, some of them quite large, all of them valued highly by their owners. These owners had most of them built comfortable log houses, had constructed many miles of rail fences, and had broken and cultivated a large area of prairieland. They were employed, as were all the pioneers of the day, in subduing nature, but with it all they were social and happy, having a care for the morals and education of their growing families, and making for the times one of the pleasantest settlements in the new and growing State. There was in the neighborhood more than the usual amount of warm-hearted friendship and neighborly affection. All were equal in social state and dignity. Fashion was not then the inexorable goddess we are accustomed to meet in these modern - perhaps we may add - these degenerate days. Our pioneers were proud to be attired in home-spun, woven by the busy housewife of the period, while such a thing as a carriage or buggy was unknown in Blooming G-rove. Husbands went to church on foot ; their wives rode the horses, carrying with them such of the children as were too young to make their way by walking. If the good wife was clad in a calico of durable texture and fast color she was as happy as the fine ladies of to-day robed in velvets and sealskins. The religion of the times favored a very rigid and severe adherence to plain and unadorned attire, making, as it would almost look to -us, rather a virtue of a necessity, although a few years later, when the rapid accumulation of wealth rendered display a matter of easy accomplishment, we shall find large numbers of the pioneers, from motives of principle, refraining as carefully from any vain show or unnecessary ornament as they did in the primitive times of which we are now writing.

For neighbors, the Blooming Grove farmers had the settlers in Eandolph's Grove, Dry and Twin Groves and Funk's Grove, voting in the same precinct with most of them at first, while they knew all the inhabitants along the Mackinaw, from its head to far below the old town of Mackinaw, in Tazewell County, with which county, it must be remembered, they were attached until a year after the period we are now discussing. The families at Cheney's Grove were also neighbors and friends, while people living in Macon and Sangamon Counties were almost as well known as those " around the Grove." Young women then thought nothing of a walk of five or six miles to make calls, while for visiting, a ride of thirty miles over the prairie was as easy as one could wish.

The early pioneers, those who came previous to October, 1829, could not obtain a legal title to their farms, as the General Government did not offer the land here for sale until October, 1829. Before this time all the land was held by " claims." The settlers had an agreement among themselves by which they allowed a man to " claim " about as much timber-land as he might need, generally not over 160 acres, upon which he might build his cabin and make his other improvements ; and woe unto the speculator or new-comer who should attempt to " claim" land already occupied by a bona-fide settler. Blooming Grove was nearly all taken by these claimants before the land came into market, and some of the prairie adjoining was, of course, taken in the same manner. These claims were bought and sold, the purchaser coming into possession of the improvements together with whatever rights were considered as appertaining thereto. Many quarrels ensued from this state of afiiiirs, though we do not find that Blooming Grove was the scene of any difficulties of much note.

When the land-sales came off" in October, 1829, at Vandalia, there was a gathering of pioneers from the townships off"ered for sale, at which no speculator was allowed to purchase until all settlers had made their selections ; rather a high-handed proceeding, as it would now appear, but one which was justified by the condition of the infant settlements.

The records at our Court House show that John Hendrix entered the first tract of land in the Grove, October 9, 1826 ; but as he purchased the adjoining eighty on the 9th day of October, 1829, at which time the land all came into market, there is almost a certainty that the first record is an error, and that he bought both pieces at the same time in 1829.

A tract of eighty acres was entered on the 9th of October, 1829, in the names of Seth and Isaac Baker. On the next day, October 10, it appears that no less than eighteen of the pioneers of Blooming Grove entered their farms, indicating that a jolly crowd went from here to Vandalia at that time. Within a short time after this, it appears, nearly the whole settlement secured their homes.

Many of our pioneers borrowed money at the exorbitant rate of twenty-five per cent interest, in order to secure their farms. There was at that time no usury law in the State. There were very few capitalists, money being very scarce indeed. Some of the early settlers found it impossible to hold and pay for their farms at these rates, although they paid such a low price for the land.

Quite a number of our pioneers borrowed money for their farms of Dr. R. H. Peebles, of Vandalia, and his name appears frequently on our early records. He was regarded as a man of wealth, having loaned money over a large area. We have stated that this region was taken ofi" from Fayette County, in 1826, and included in Vermilion County for a time. In 1827, Tazewell County was formed, as we have mentioned, and, in 1829, its boundaries were re-arranged, and the eastern portion of Tazewell, including Blooming Grove, was contained, nominally, within the limits of Vermilion from 1829 to 1831, but attached to Tazewell for county purposes. In the records of the County Commissioners' proceedings at Pekin, this district is often spoken of as the " attached " portion of Tazewell County. County lines were understood to be in a formative condition, and it was entirely uncertain where they would eventually be permanently established, and hence one can realize that there was great interest felt in all schemes for the formation of new counties. The territory under consideration was " in the market," so to speak - ready for any project that might promise to benefit the interests of Blooming Grove. For several years, there was quite a conflict between the interests of a portion of the people living in what was then the " attached" portion of Tazewell and those in the western part of the same county. The latter were not by any means united in their interests, as Pekin was aspiring to become a county seat, while Mackinaw was striving to retain the prize then held.

One of the last acts of the Tazewell County Court afi"ecting the interests of Blooming Grove Precinct was at the June term of 1830, when Judges of Election were appointed. They were John Benson, John Hendrix and John Cox. The election was ordered to be held at the house of William Evans. This being the year during which the project was carried out for the formation of a new county, and, having taken place after Mr. James Allin had opened his store at this point, it is altogether probable that Mr. Allin favored the holding of this election at the house of Mr. Evans, in order to enlighten the inhabitants of the Grove as to the eligibility of this locality as a site for the county seat, although the mere fact of his store being here might have been the main element of " centrality" that entered into the case. At all events, it is quite certain that this election at the house of Mr. Evans was the first public meeting of any kind that was ever held in the city of Bloomington.

We are now approaching the time when the new county of McLean was organized, and it is possible some of the actors may have been interested in the manufacture of new offices, as much as others were in the location of new county seats, and the combination of these inducements no doubt contributed to the formation of the county of McLean, as well as to the location of its capital, which was to grow into the thriving city of Bloomington. It will, of course, be remembered that Blooming Grove was in Fayette County until 1827, when the northern portion of Fayette was organized into the county of Tazewell, on the plea that the increase of settlement rendered it impossible to hold this region as a dependency - one hundred miles from the county seat at Vandalia. The new county, Tazewell, had its capital at Mackinawtown, only twenty miles distant, and hence our settlers had not the excuse of inaccessibility, as before. Other reasons, however, existed for the organization of a new county, a careful examination of which will show good cause why a new county should be authorized. Tazewell County, as it then existed, stretched from the Illinois River to the present line of Iroquois County, or in that neighborhood, on the east, and to the Illinois River on the west and north, an immense territorj', now occupied by about seven or eight counties. This district was rapidly filling with industrious settlers, and it was seen that new counties must be carved out of this territory at no distant day. The problem for those interested here at Blooming Grove was, to detach sufficient timber-land from Tazewell to form a good county. Prairie was then reckoned as so much waste - little better than a desert. After considerable scheming, a petition was taken to Vandalia by Thomas Orendorff and Mr. James Latta, who secured from the Legislature a law for the formation of a new county, to be called McLean, which was detached from Tazewell at the session of 1830 and 1831.

The name McLean was given in honor of John McLean, who had been a Representative in Congress, and was greatly respected. He had also been twice a member of the United States Senate, and died in that office in 1830 ; and his death being a recent event, it was natural that a new county should be named for the magnanimous, noble man, who never had an enemy in his life. The law provided that a Commission should meet in the new county and proceed to locate its county seat, which was accomplished, as we shall briefly relate ; but we will first take a view of what was evident to those who were actors in the events of the times.

We should also mention that by this time there were a number of families along the Mackinaw, a good many at White Oak and Stout's Grrove, while Dry and Twin Groves, Randolph's Grove, Old Town Timber, Buckles', Cheney's, and in fact all the groves were peopled with settlers ; and in some places there was still left good timber-land unclaimed, which, in a short time, as was well understood, would be as fully occupied with families as were the other tracts of timber in the county. lu all this district the only trading-place was the store of James Allin, removed from the house of William Walker to what is now Bloomington, and situated at what is now the southeast corner of Grove and East streets. Of course, Mr. Allin did not supply all the goods that were used, as Mackinawtown contained stores, while many goods were purchased at Springfield, at Peoria, and at towns on the Wabash and other places. But it was foreseen that the new county seat would be a place of considerable importance, even to supply the trade already existing, while with the increase of settlement expected, business would become at some future time, extensive enough to sustain considerable of a town.

Mr. James Allin had opened his store at his new location in 1830, and made a purchase of land where the city of Bloomington now stands. Before the law organizing McLean County was passed, Mr. xillin formed his plans to secure the county seat, though we cannot say just how much mention he made of his designs. The famous deep snow came in the winter of 1830 and 1831, and was the means of preventing the assembling of the county seat Commission on the " second Monday of February, or in five days thereafter ; " but as soon as possible, as they say in their report, they made their selection of the site for the permanent county seat of McLean County.

A location was shown the Commission in the OrendorflF neighborhood. At this time, in fact from 1823, William and Thomas OrendorfF were the most substantial settlers, or very nearly so, were very influential, and they were men who could, no doubt, have secured the county seat near them, in what was then the oldest and best settled part of the Grove, had they made the attempt. Mr. William OrendorflF remarked that he would not have his farm cut up by a little town, and made no effort, though importuned by some of his neighbors. Mr. James Allin was always grateful to Mr. Orendorff for the stand he took. It was agreed by all parties that the name of the new county seat should be Bloomington, and it was thus named in the act incorporating McLean County.

Mrs. William Orendorff, a lady of more than ordinary talent, better educated than the majority of the early settlers, and, withal, a person of fine personal appearance, appears to be entitled to the honor of changing the name of Keg Grove to Blooming Grove, in 1824. From this, the transition to Bloomington seemed very natural and proper, and the name met with very general approval all over the county.

The county seat of Monroe County, Ind., was named Bloomington April 10, 1818, over twelve years before our town was laid out ; so we cannot claim to have originated the name. There are now no less than thirteen Bloomingtons in as many different States, but our city is much the largest and most important of all.

A post office was established here, named Blooming Grove, with Rev. William See, Postmaster, on the 29th of January, 1829. Mr. See was the Methodist minister of this circuit for several years. He lived in this settlement much of the time after 1824, though in 1831, at the time of the location of Bloomington, he was living in Randolph Grove. Mr. See improved the Price farm on the east side of the Grove, and here the first post office was kept for a little over one year.

During the years between 1822 and 1831, all of Blooming Grove was either bought or "claimed" by settlers, and it was occupied by a class of hard-working, intelligent farmers, who were bent on clearing their land, making good homes for their families, with little thought of the glorious future in store for their settlement. Let us take a clear, unobstructed view of the condition of Blooming Grove Settlement as it existed in 1830, before McLean County was organized, when Bloomington had no existence, and in so doing we shall prepare our way for a better understanding of what followed. We have seen that the whole grove was occupied at the date we have selected. We find there were fifty families of whom we have learned the names, and it is likely there may have been a few others. The names of the heads of families are John Hendrix, Rev. E. Rhodes, Jeremiah Rhodes, William Orendorff, Thomas Orendorff, Rev. James Latta, Henry Little, John H. S. Rhodes, William Goodheart, William H. Hodge, William Lindley, Mrs. Benjamin Cox, David Simmons, John Benson, James Benson, George Hinshaw, Sr., William Chatham, Moses Dunlap, William Waldron, Anthony Alberry, William Thomas, John Canady, James Canady, Oman Olncy, Joseph Walker, Sr., William INIichaels, John Lindlcy, Joseph Bailey Harbord, Achilles Deatherage, William Walker Timothy M. Gates, William Lucas, John Cox, Dr. Isaac Baker, Maj. Seth Baker, 11. M. Harbord, Parr Rathbone, John Mullen, Michael Allington, Nathan Low, John Benson, Jr. and Benjamin Dcpew.

Of single young men living in Blooming Grove in 1830 and 1831, we have the names of David Cox, Aaron Rhodes, Samuel Rhodes, Joseph Walker, Jr., Wilson Lindley, Cheney Thomas, Solomon Walker, Hiram Harbord, Moses Baker, Elliott Baker, William T. T. Benson, Jesse Benson, William Olney, Sylvanus Olney, Franklin Gates, Timothy Gates, William Canady, John Walker, Johnson Lucas, John D. Baker, James Rhodes, James K. Orendorff.

It is possible some of the above may have been rather young to be called men at the time indicated ; while it is likely there were a number of young men living in the settlement whose names are not mentioned in the foregoing list.

The following heads of families were living within what are now the city limits of Bloomington before the town was laid out, in 1830, while it is probable a few others - among them Dr. Baker and Rev. Mr. Latta - should also be included in this list ; but we have placed them in the list of those living in the Grove. In the whole settlement, there were fifty families : Henry Miller, James Tolliver, James Allin, John Greenman, William Evans, John Maxwell, John Kimler and James Mason lived in what is now the city of Bloomington.

Of young men then living in what is now the city of Bloomington, we find William Dimmitt, William Evans, Jr., Frank Evans, William Durley, Merritt L. Covell, W. H. Allen, William Greenman, Esek Greenman, Samuel Durley, John Durley and Samuel Evans.

A few of the latter were hardly grown men. The Guthries were not living here till just after the sale of lots, in 1831, after which time, we find them in Bloomington settlement, though living at first in what is now Major's Grove. Adam Guthrie and his brother Robert E. were among the most active of our early residents.

We have taken a great deal of pains to ascertain the names of all heads of families who were here in 1830 and 1831, before the sale of lots, and believe we have obtained nearly a full list. Of the names given as single men we do not feel quite as certain, though it probably includes the most of those living here at the time. We have mentioned but few of those who were boys at that day, though it is evident there were a large number of children in the fifty families here at Blooming Grove. It is probable that the population of the settlement on the 4th of July, 1831, was between two hundred and fifty and three hundred - indicating a solid basis for the new town of Bloomington, which was about to'start upon its career of fame and prosperity. By this time, many of the farmers at the Grove were in quite comfortable circumstances, and their growing ability to purchase comforts and luxuries for their families formed a much better basis for the establishment of a town than was dreamed of by the most of the pioneers of the day.

We have thus sketched, briefly, the outline of the early history of Blooming Grove, and have tried to make it perfectly clear that it was a thrifty, well-ordered, substantial farming neighborhood, of itself almost sufficiently important to found and build a village of considerable future importance ; while its location was such that the surrounding settlements were tributary to Blooming Grove, as a natural center. Taking this view of the matter, we see satisfactory reasons for the locating here of the county seat of the new county, and can proceed from this point with the history of 'Bloomington, remarking that Blooming Grove, as a part of the precinct, afterward township, of Bloomington, has an equal interest in whatever we relate of historical events after the years 1830 and 1831.

James Allin

While we cannot pretend, in a work of this kind, to give much personal history, we will mention that the Hon. James Allin was born January 13, 1788, in North Carolina. After several emigrations, he found himself, in 1821, at Vandalia, then the county seat of Fayette County, which included a portion of the territory now in McLean County. Mr. Allin was one of those far-seeing, shrewd business men, who plainly saw that the rapid increase of population in the new State of Illinois would result in the formation of new counties and the location of new towns, and he early conceived the idea of being interested in some one or more of the future towns or cities of Central Illinois.

In November, 1829, he came to Blooming Grove with a stock of goods which he commenced selling at the house of William Walker, near Mr. Orendorff's, in the south part of the Grove. During the following winter and spring, he was forming plans for future action. He learned before coming here from Vandalia that schemes were being matured for the formation of a new county from the eastern part of Tazewell, and on his arrival, he was of great assistance to the Orendorifs, Mr. W. H. Hodge, Mr. James Latta and others, who were in the movement.

Mr. William Lindley, who is now living on the south side of Blooming Grove, states that early in 1830 Mr. Allin offered to buy his claim, which covered Mr. Lindley's present farm, stating that he wished to start a town. Mr. L. told him his land was too flat and wet for that purpose, but if he would come with him to the north side of the Grove, he would show him the best town site in the country. Mr. Allin came, and they found that Mr. William Evans, who had a "claim" on 1 GO acres, wished to sell, and a baro-ain was soon arranged. This Mr. Evans was not related to the other William Evans who built the first house in Bloomington. He soon moved away to Missouri, or somewhere else, and disappeared from our history. Mr. Allin built a house, which is still standing as a part of the family residence of Dr. Stipp, where he opened a store in one end of the building in March, 1830 ; and during this year he went forward with his plans for the formation of the county and the location of the county seat. David Simmons came here in November, 1830, and at that time Mr. Allin told him there would be a town where we now see Bloomington. The Legislature had not passed the act for the incorporation of McLean County ; but Mr. Allin was confident of the outcome of the plans which were being matured. During the following session«of the Legislature, Mr. Thomas Orendorff and Rev. James Latta went to Vandalia with a petition for a new county. Before they started, Mr. Allin rendered them valuable assistance by suggestions as to how they should operate for the passage of the bill for the new county. He had lived several years at the capital, and understood how these matters were managed in legislative halls. When the act passed, it named three men to locate the county seat, who were the parties Mr. Allin desired ; and when they met here they approved of the site, and reported in favor of locating the county scat " at the north side of the Blooming Grove."

Mr. James Allin donated twenty-two and one-half acres of land, to be divided into lots and sold for the benefit of McLean County. Of course he owned land adjoining that would be advanced in value, and he also intended to go on with his .store and general business. In advancing his own interests he also benefited the public, and he has always justly taken rank as a benefactor of the community, having been very popular to the day of his death. Mr. AUin was a far-seeing, shrewd business man, and was, in fact, a model speculator. He selected the prettiest location for a town that could possibly be found in the county. Blooming Grove and the prairie were adjoining each other; his donated land, or the " original town," was just on the northern edge of the grove, bounded by North, East and West streets, with Front street on its southern border. Three streets, Main, Center and Madison, ran through from north to south; while Front, Washington and Jefferson crossed from east to west. Front street was near the edge of the timber, a few noble trees of which are standing to-day in the front yards of the residences owned by Dr. Stipp, Mrs. W. H. Hanna, Gen. Gridley and Absalom Funk. The Court House square is in the center of the " original town," as Mr. AUin's donation is called. It is a remarkable fact that in Dr. Stipp's front yard, the place where trade was first carried on in Bloomington, where our early pioneers must have often tied their horses to young trees which are now of moderate size, may still be seen the nearest approach to our virgin forest of any to be found near the heart of the city, and that here the natural sod or turf has never been disturbed by the march of improvement, as is proved by the annual blooming of the little " Spring Beauty," which is found nowhere else in the vicinity except in Gen. Gridley's grounds.

With the noble trees of Blooming Grove in its rear, and the rolling prairie in the front on the north, the " original town " was a remarkable tract of land. From the square, the natural surface fell off in every direction, giving the best of drainage, while for quite a distance outside of the town the ground still continued to slope nicely, forming the best natural grades that could possibly be desired.

Mr. AUin had noticed that the roads of that day, which were many of them on the lines of the old Indian trails - the most natural modes of communication to be found in a new country - all centered at Bloomington. He remarked that the route from Chicago to St. Louis, here crossed the road from Columbus, Ohio, to Iowa and the West. Probably, he was thinking of the day when railroads would traverse these lines, and Bloomington be the railroad center it has since become through efforts inaugurated partly by Mr. Allin himself within two or three years of the founding of the new town. Inasmuch as railroads were at that date pushing on through Pennsylvania and Maryland, and the people already began to talk of turning the great national road, then building through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, into a railroad to be built and owned by the Government, it is highly probable, indeed almost certain, that Mr. Allin had formed plans for railroad lines that should have their crossings, if not their termini, here. We find that during the Internal Improvement craze in 1836, only five years after the location of Bloomington, railroads were projected from Chicago to Alton, from Cairo to Galena, which have since been constructed and passed through here ; while there was still another projected road to run from Bloomington to Pekin ; and, as Mr. Allin was one of the best thinkers of this part of the country, he may have thought of these lines when he first conceived of the location of the county seat at the north side of Blooming Grove.

In all the vicissitudes through which the new town passed, Mr. Allin never lost his faith in Bloomington. He seemed aware of the possibilities of the town, and was buoyed by an undoubting faith in its future destiny. He was assisted by such men as Messrs. Gridley, Fell and Davis, men of deep, broad views, who are entitled to rank with the foremost thinkers of the West - who are referred to as men of the greatest foresight ; but of these men, he was, at least, the peer, their equal in enterprise and activity, and their superior in faith and hope. In the mind of Mr. James Allin, Bloomington was to grow into one of the prettiest and most thriving cities of the State ; and no temporary discouragement could shake his belief in its glorious future.

To show that Mr. Allin's early eflforts have been appreciated by those who have reaped some of the rewards of his labors, we will refer to June 30, 1854, at the opening of the Pike House. This hotel was then thought to be a most magnificent structure, and which, built of wood, on the exact site of the present Phoenix Hotel, costing $25,000, was really a creditable institution. There was a gathering of our leading citizens on this occasion, when Mr. James Allin gave this toast : " My favorite daughter - Bloomington - a puny child and the object of intense parental solicitude, now springing up into a blooming and vigorous womanhood ; the idol of her father and the belle of the commonwealth."

In response to this, Mr. William Wallace gave, " The venerable founder of Bloomington - James Allin - a man never appalled by difficulty, and who never lost sight of the splendid future of our flourishing city in the dark hour of her trial." We are thus enabled to perceive that Mr. Allin was appreciated fully by those who lived and labored with him in the great work of founding and building the city.

He left no scheme untried that promised to benefit Bloomington, and in most of his projects he received the active and efficient aid of A. Gridley, Jesse W. Fell, J. E. McClun, M. L. Covell, David Davis, and others, who soon became citizens of Bloomington. There was built up a public spirit - a sort of buoyant hopefulness and cheerfulness - that is characteristic of Bloomington, and a willingness to work for one common object, that has been the means of securing our city many very important advantages, among which may be mentioned the railroad-shops, five railroads, and the Normal and Soldiers' Home in our sister-town of Normal, all of which were the direct outgrowth of the far-sighted, harmonious working of our leading prominent citizens of the past and present. Long may their successors follow in the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors, ever showing a vigorous harmony in laboring for the public good. Mr. Allin's efforts ceased not until late in life when he gently passed over the dark river May 5, 1869. He attended an Old Settlers' meeting in 1866, at which time the Bloomington Pantagraph, then edited by the author of this sketch, spoke of him as follows :

'* Mr. Allin's health is poor, and he has never recovered from a fall on the ice which severely injured liim about four years ago. He walks on crutches, and was assisted up-stairs by two men. He was complimented by the speakers as the man whose superior foresight pointed out Bloomington as the site of a future city when all around was an uncultivated wilderness. According to what Gov. Moore and Mr. Gridley said, Mr. Allin in his younger days was very much such a man as we occasionally hear of now in frontier places. He used every honorable endeavor to induce emigrants to locate in this county. If they wished to settle in the new town, Mr. Allen would sell them lots at a low price if they had money, and would sell them at a lower figure if they had a little money, or would give lots outright if they had no money, always stipulating that improvements should be made.

" It was such unremitting care and exertions, which, in the course of a few years gave this settlement a start that made it out of the question for any neighboring town to compete with it, and made it eventually a point to be aimed at by railroads which have now made Bloomington one of the thriftiest and best business places in the State.

" It must have been a proud day to Mr. AUin to meet so many old friends and neighbors, not one of whom bears the slightest grudge against him, and to listen to such eloquent and appreciative tributes to his life-long public spirit. With all his opportunities for building up a large fortune, Mr. Allin's valuable lands slipped from his hold in one way and another, to parties who could not or would not pay much for their lots, until, when property came to be really valuable, he had little left to sell. He, however, acquired a comfortable competency, so that his old age is pleasantly passing in the midst of a community he took such pride in drawing together. A more grasping man would have so hesitated to sell property that settlers would have been driven away ; and a less honorable man, if he had made more money, would have had fewer friends in his old age. Bloomington owes a debt to Mr. Allin which it can never repay."

Wars And Rumors Op Wars

The pioneers of Blooming Grrove cotild muster about fifteen able-bodied men as early as 1826, and formed the nucleus of a military company, ever ready for service against the Indians, and for mutual protection if needed. The Indians were friendly, but scarcely trusted, hence wisdom and prudence required constant watchfulness. The danger arose from the fact that the Winnebago Indians, in the northern part of Illinois, were treacherous and hostile, and might at any time embroil the friendly Kickapoos and Delawares of Central Illinois. In 1827 occurred what is called the Winnebago war, when the company at Blooming Grove, under Capt. J. H. S. Rhodes, came out. with other troops that responded to the call of Gov. Reynolds, and, to the number of fifteen, went as far as Peoria ; but the difiiculty was adjusted without their aid. The Black Hawk war and its many incidents will be treated more at length in other portions of this work.

During the years 1844, 1845 and 1846, the people of Illinois were greatly enraged by the actions of the Mormons, who, to the number of 15,000, occupied Nauvoo, making that the largest city in the State, controlled it by their elders, and, for quite a period, kept the whole of Hancock County under the power of their own government. The Governor twice called out troops to quell the disturbances, and, at one time, the Mormons displayed such powers of resistance that the residents of Bloomington began to make plans for voluuteerino; to assist the State ; but, fortunately, there was no call for many troops from this side of the Illinois River.

But when President Polk, in May, 1846, issued a proclamation calling for volunteers for the Mexican war, which was then raging, fixing the quota of Illinois at four regiments, the patriotism and warlike spirit of Bloomington were at once aroused. Volunteers flocked here from all quarters, and, with those who enlisted from this village, took a prominent part in the events of the Mexican war. Their exploits will be found given more at length in the history of McLean County, where Bloomington's share will be included in the county's record. The war for the Union will be mentioned but briefly in this work, it being more recent than the events this book was intended to describe.

The Frontier Service

We have stated that the early settlers of Blooming Grove found Kickapoo Indians here, who, under their chief, Ma-shee-na, were always friendly to the whites. Though at first they used some threatening language, they never committed any disturbance.

As late as 1831, these Indians had mostly left, though they appeared occasionally., traversing the country in all directions. One family seems to have been living in Bloomington after the location of the county seat.

McLean was a frontier county up to 1840, as the settlement of the State was progressing from the south toward the north, where the Wionebago Indians and others were less friendly than those in this region. The streams flowing to the Illinois in what is now Woodford and Marshall County, had a few settlers, while portions of Livingston, included in McLean till 1837, were beginning to have a few pioneers along the groves and bodies of timber skirting the Vermilion River, Rook's Creek and other streams. Not a single settler was ever killed by Indians in McLean County, so far as we have been able to learn, a fact that is quite remarkable when we consider the ordinary fatality of the frontier settlements through the United States.

But while our settlers were thus fortunate, they did not pass unheeded the calls from others less happily situated. When the Black Hawk war broke out in 1832, Bloomington and the surrounding country sent a whole company of volunteers, under command of CapL. Merritt L. Covell. A. Gridley was First Lieutenant, M. Baldwin, Second Lieutenant, and there were in all fifcy-six men. Each man furnished his own horse, gun, clothing and accouterments. These troops took part in what was known as Stillman's defeat, above Dixon, in what is at present Ogle County. But one man was killed from this company - Joseph Draper. A full report of all that happened on this expedition is published elsewhere in this work, and we will be content with a statement of facts in relation to the Indian troubles which have not been before presented to the public, but which have been gathered recently from survivors, and are here given for the first time.

When the troops from Tazewell and McLean Counties had returned to Ottawa and were there building a fort for the protection of the settlers, supplies arrived from Pekin and points on the Illinois River. Word was received that the people at Bloomington were talking of building a fort, and that there was general alarm along the Mackinaw and through the whole region from which the troops had enlisted. It was thought that the Kickapoos might have been tampered with by emissaries from Black Hawk, whose great success on the Rock River had, of course, emboldened him greatly. And no wonder that our volunteers were excited. They had left home, a short time before, fully persuaded that their own wives and little ones were safe ; and now to learn that there was danger in their rear, they were tremendously agitated. All the best horses and guns of the settlements, with the most resolute warriors, were thus absent from the point of danger, and the case looked desperate. Rumor, perhaps, slightly exaggerated the trouble; but, even at this time, with a full knowledge of the actual risk from the treacherous Indian nature, it looks as if these men had the best of reasons for their actions. Thirteen of them, headed by David Simmons, who is now living in Bloomington, determined to return home and guard the settlers, although their time of enlistment had not expired, and they ran the risk of being called deserters. Besides Mr. Simmons, we have the names of Bailey Coffee, Clem. Oatman, Isaac Murphy and James K. Orcndorff. On the second day after their start from Ottawa, they arrived at Bloomington, where they were met by the whole population and received with a perfect ovation of gratitude and thankfulness. Those men afterward all received honorable discharges, their action having been considered right and proper, even if a little unmilitary. In a few days, the balance of the company returned from Ottawa, and, in the mean time, authority had been given for raising a company of rangers for service on the frontiers of McLean County for sixty days. A fort was built near the east end of Mackinaw Timber, at Mr. Henline's, where the settlers living in what is now Lawndale, Lexington and Money Creek were in the habit of assembling for safety. The company of rangers made this fort their headquarters, and patrolled the region north, [ndian Grove, Rook's Creek, Vermilion Timber, and all places where the inhabitants were unprotected. Capt. John H. S. Rhodes was the commander, though Capt. Covell is given by some authorities as the chief officer. Volunteers also turned out who were not attached to the company, and Capt. Covell, fresh from Indian warfare, may have taken his turn at this service without having been mustered. A short time after this, a whole battahon was made up in this region for military drill, and of this regiment Capt. Covell was made Colonel, and he was after that made a General of militia. Owen Cheney was a Major in this regiment, and A. Gridley, Adjutant. Gridley was, at a later day, chosen Brigadier General of militia, and his title has properly followed him to this day.

The company of rangers did good service in guarding the frontier from Ottawa to the Mackinaw, though even at the time, opinions of the best informed were divided as to the real danger to be apprehended from the Indians. Probably, in this case, the thorough preparations made by our energetic frontier soldiers prevented a general massacre, and thus advanced the public interests and kept the settlements from suffering and distress. Even as it was, quite a large number abandoned their homes, preferring to be on the safe side of a doubtful question, some of whom never returned to the county. There were about fifty men in this company, most of whom were raised in Blooraington, Stout's Grove, and Old Town Timber.

By the latter end of summer, all danger of Indian troubles had vanished, as Black Hawk was captured, his bands broken up, and peace restored to our frontier - never to be disturbed by hostile Indians, though of wars and rumors of wars our pen must again make mention.

Bloomington has the name of being the best built city in Illinois, and it boasts a society as cultivated, as agreeable and as brilliant as any in the West. In the matter of buildings - business blocks, especially - it is undeniably the superior of anything in the State outside of Chicago ; but as to its social charms the question may not be so susceptible of demonstration. We who live here can at least make our claims, leaving others to settle their accuracy. We are content to reside in Bloomington, resting well satisfied with our surroundings, which, we may remark, are such as foster the social ideas we have mentioned. We can see that there are sound philosophical reasons for our boasts in the matter of good society. We know that it is reasonable to indulge these feelings, when we consider that Bloomington, for fifty years has absorbed good society from the East> the North and the South. We can see here representatives of the best society of at least twenty different States - the cultivated sons and daughters of a dozen European nations. These have made their homes here, bringing with them manners and customs as various as their differing nationalities. How natural that there should grow up a social system culled from the best of the different standards ? How easy to form thus a model for future generations ? Here we find the courtly Southerner - the careful Easterner, and the thrifty New Yorker, meeting in one social family, and the result would naturally be what we claim - a new society mor'j pleasant than either, with the best social ethics of all, mingled in one common fountain from which flow the elements of the best society in the land. Fifty years of this mingling process may be too short to perfectly illustrate its capabilities ; but in the course of time there can be no doubt Bloomington will be able to exhibit its best effects. Our " best society " is even now undergoing the transformation which is to make it in the future one of the most enjoyable communities in the land. Our space is altogether too limited to illustrate further what we have hinted at ; but the careful reader will perceive before we are through that we indicate a great variety of sources from which may proceed this cosmopolitan good society to which we have made reference.

On the 4th day of July of 1831, there was at Bloomington an auction sale of the town lots which had been donated to the county, when William Orendorff acted as auctioneer. This sale was quite satisfactory, and from its proceeds the first county buildings were erected. We will assume that Bloomington's baptism occurred at that date. On the 4th day of July, 1881, we shall call Bloomington just fifty years old, and we hereby make a motion in favor of holding a grand celebration^on that fiftieth anniversary. How the assembled multitude, July 4, 1831, would have stared could they have seen at that early day, what we gaze at daily unmoved - the elegant Court House that now graces the public square ? Suppose Mr. AUin had been able on that occasion to visit our Court House dome and view its present surroundings, what a sight would meet his wondering eyes ? Or, suppose one of us could then have stood where we should obtain a full view of the sights that were visible, what surprise and delight we should manifest? We should have seen, as before stated, the beautiful town site, smooth and free from buildings, as staked oflF by Dr. Baker, into lots, blocks and streets, covered with waving grass and dotted with beautiful prairie flowers of many hues, all in the full beauty of the early summer. To the south, in front, would be the bright, green wall of tall waving trees - Blooming Grove - the finest piece of timber in Central Illinois, slightly marred and cut by the axes of the first settlers - Evans, Allin, Dimmitt, Tolliver and Maxwell - whose cabins could some of them be seen from the town site ; while Mr. Allin's store and residence combined, which still stands as a part of the dwelling of Dr. Stipp, would be the most prominent object in the foreground. We should hear the bystanders all talking of the new county of McLean - of its new county seat - and wondering what the future might have in store for their adopted homes - or, possibly remarking upon the influx of emigrants that were stopping in their rich and promising district. We learn that emigration was pouring into McLean with the most wonderful rapidity, and that this stream increased until the year 183fi. From all we can now ascertain, it appears that in 1831 the population of McLean must have been nearly two thousand. At the election the previous year, 385 votes were polled in its territory, and in 1835, the county contained 5,000 people. A short time after the sale of lots in 1831, there were about one dozen families residing within the present city limits of Bloomington, which, added to those we have before mentioned as being established in the township of Bloomington - but living in Blooming Grove - made a population of perhaps three hundred persons.

Those who were living in the present city limits of Bloomington during the year 1831 are the following: Rev. James Latta, Dr. David Wheeler, Dr. Isaac Baker, William Evans, Henry Miller, David Trimmer, Solomon Dodge, James Allin, John

Kimler, Mr. Grreenman, James ToUiver, John Maxwell, and in the fall, Benjamin Haines. These were all heads of families, and there may have been a very few more at Little (now Major's) G-rove. We should also include the families of A. L)eatherage and Robert Guthrie, living there. In addition, of single men, there were William McKisson, William Dimmitt, William Evans, Jr., Samuel, William and John Durley, A. C. Washburne, A. Gridley and Merritt L. Covel. This indicates a population of about eighty within the present city limits during the first year of the existence of the new town, and we find it well started on its forward career.

From the first, as will be seen by what is now well known of the character of the early pioneers, Bloomington was fortunate enough to possess a good class of residents. There were very few of the temporary '' floating," " moving," irresponsible emigrants so often found in new towns. Nearly every one who arrived came to stay, a statement that speaks well for the young village. Bloomington has continued an attractive place for strangers down to the present time, and is well spoken of all over the State. No doubt the city owes much of its past and present prosperity to the fact of always having possessed a good reputation, an illustration showing that a good name is better than riches. In the year 1831, very little could be said of the business of Bloomington. There was a beginning here, little more. The new county of McLean had been organized, its machinery set in motion ; the town of Bloomington had been platted, lots sold, a few houses built, and several families established ; but there was little that could be called a town. The future contained great possibilities for the new place, even if the present witnessed the realization of but very little.