Dixon Township (part 3 of 4)

John Dixon, was born In the village of Kye, West¬ chester Co., N. Y., October 9, 1784. On reaching his majority he moved to Now York city, where for fifteen years, he was the proprietor of a cloth¬ ing store and merchant tailoring establishment. In addition to the successful proseention of busi¬ ness he was nntireing in his efforts for the promo¬ tion of temperance and religious interests, and in this connection became one of the active .mem¬ bers and'directors of the first Bible Society organ¬ ized in the United States. This was organized February 11, 1809, under the name of the "Young Men's Bible Society of the City of New York." While thus engaged, premonitory symptoms of pulmonary disease manifested themselves, mak¬ ing a change of climate necessary. Under the advice of his physician he disposed of his inter¬ ests in the city, and in 18-10, in company with Mrs. Dixon and children, and his brother-in-law, Chas. S. Boyd, and family, (now of Princeton, Illinois,) set out for the then Great West - the Western prairies. Leaving New York in a covered wagon drawn by a single team, the emigrants passed through the States of New Jersey and Pennsyl¬ vania, to Pittsburgh, and there purchased a flat boat on which they embarked with their team and effects, and floated down the Ohio to Shawueetown, Illinois, then a little landing. Here they disembarked with their horses and goods, and after disposing of their boat, proceeded with their wagon north-west through pathless prairies and unbridged streams, to the vacinity in which is now Springfield. The prairie, now the present site of the State Capital, was then an open wild, without a human dwelling, though a few pioneers had reared their cabins in the bordering wood¬ lands. On Fancy Creek, nine miles from the pres¬ ent site of Springfield, Mr. Dixon, made his home at the close of his journey of over seventy days. Sangaman county was not then set off, and nearly all Central and Northern Illinois was embraced in the connty of Madison. Early in the next year Sangamon county was formed; and the first court in the new connty, was held at the house of John Kelly, the oldest settler near the site of Springfield. John Dixon was appointed foreman of the Grand Jury. In 1825, Jndge Sawyer, whose cir¬ cuit nominally embraced Northwestern Illinois, requested Mr. Dixon to take the appointment of Circuit Clerk and remove to Peoria, then often called Fort Clark, which he did, receiving also from Governor Coles the appointment of Recorder of Deeds for Peoria county, then just formed. Northern Illinois was not then divided into coun¬ ties, and within the territory attached to Peoria county were the voting precincts of Galena and Chicago. This whole region, which now em¬ braces thirty counties, then had but 1,238 inhabi¬ tants. While Mr. Dixon was at Peoria, the Gov¬ ernment established a mail route from Peoria to Galena, crossing Rock river at the present site of our city, and going by way of Gratiot's Grove, in Wisconsin, to accomodate a little settlement there; mail,to be carried once in two weeks on horse back. Mr. Dixon threw in a bid for the contract, which was accepted. In order to secure a passage for the mails over Rock River, he in¬ duced a man by the name of Ogee, a French and Indian halt-breed, to establish a ferry at the point of crossing the river. This done, the travel to and from the lead mines so rapidly increased, that Ogees coffers became full - too full indeed for his moral powers to bear; the result was constant ine¬ briation. To avoid the delays in the transmition of mails, which these irregularities entailed, Mr. Dixon bought the ferry from Ogee, and April 11, 1830, removed his family to this point. From that date the place, as a point for crossing the river, became known as " Dixon's Ferry." At that time a large portion of the Winnebago Indians occupied this part of the Rock river country. Mr. Dixon so managed hiB business relations with them as to secure their entire confidence and use, have gone to build up the general interests of friendship, which on the return of the Sacs and the city. In 1838, when the general system of

Foxes, under Black Hawk, in 1832, proved to be of inestimable benefit to himself and family. He was recognized by them as tho "red man's friend," and in accordance with the universal practice of the race, who always give names to persons and places, descriptive of some incident or attribute pertaining to them, called him "Nadah-churahsah," - " Head-hair white," in allusion to his flow¬ ing white hair. It is also their custom to run compound words or sentences together, as in the case of this name, pronounced by them, "Xa-chnsah." Mr. Dixon's influence over the moral hab¬ its of the Indians of the Rock river valley seri¬ ously curtailed the profits of the few Indian trad¬ ers who had established posts there. They found but a poor market for the whiskey with which they were wont to defraud the Indians out of their furs and other pelts. Owanico, or " Jahro," the Winnebago chief, who claimed and proved to be tho "fast friend" of Mr. Dixon and family, became an active and energetic disciple of tem¬ perance. The advent or Black Hawk with his six hundred warners, who were marching from the Des Moines river, in Iowa, up this valley, and who encamped at a spring a few hundred yards above the ferry, (now flooded by the back wqter of the mill dam) gave the Winnebago chiefs abundant opportunity to manifest their " fast friendship for the family of Mr. Dixon. The former tribe were intending to take forcible possession of some territory on the upper Rock, embracing the Ki-h waukee country, claimed to have been given them by the Pottawatomies. They were followed from Rock Island by General Atkinson with an army of regulars and volunteers, which compelled them to move north. Leaving the Rock at Fort Atk>nson, in Wisconsin, they struck across the country to the Wisconsin river, thence to the Mississippi, intending to cross the stream near the month of the Bodax, (Bad Axe) and return to Iowa. But at that point they were overtaken and severely pun¬ ished. During the campaign Mr. Dixon's inti¬ mate knowledge of his country, and of the char¬ acter and habits of the Indian race, enabled him to render important services to the country. This seems to have been appreciated, and to have gain¬ ed for him the personal friendship and esteem of gentlemen of world-wide reputation. Among these were Colonel Baker, who was killed in the early part of the Rebellion, Albert Sidney Johnston, Zachary Taylor, Robert Anderson, afterwards hero of Sumter, Jefferson Davis, Abraham Lineoln, General Winfield Scott, and others. He entered the land upon which the mpst valuable part of the (now) city of Dixon stands, and in 1835 laid it off into town lots. In this connection it may not be Improper to say that all the lands thus subdivid¬ ed were disposed of from time to time, and the avails, instead of being hoarded up for individual internal improvements in the State were adopted by the Legislature, and a vacancy occasioned by the death of Colonel Stevenson occured in the State Board of Commissioners, he was appoint¬ ed by Governor Duncan to fill the vacancy, and subsequently elected by the Legislature a perma¬ nent member of the Board: and although subse¬ quent experience showed that the State had under taken too much, resulting in failure, careful invest¬ igation manifested the fact that the business of the State Board had been honestly and faithfully executed. While serving as commissioner an incident occured to Mr. Dixon that will not be out of place to notice in this connect'on. The pay rolls of the companies were made out and signed, and awaited Mr. Dixon to pay them off. It was his duty as Commissioner to draw the money at Springfield and pay the men. He had intrnsted his draft on Springfield for collection to a contractor named Hamlin, who absconded with the proceeds, §11,500. James P. Dixon and Smith Gilbraith started in pursuit, traveling by stage coach through many of the Eastern States, but returned without success. Soon after James and Elijah Dixon renewed the search, traveling in Canada and the Eastern and New England States, striking his trail once in Connecticut, bift again losing it. they returned to Dixon without recov¬ ering anything. In the meantime Mr. Dixon had raised the money and paid the amount to the State. Sometime afterwards Hamlin drew a prize of $25,000 in a lottery. With this and his other illgotten gains, he returned boldly to Galena, and opened a store. Mr. Dixon at once institued suit and recovered judgment for the $11,500 and inter¬ est. The sheriff closed out all of Hamlin's goods that he could get possession*of, which paid the costs and expenses of the search for Ham' in, and a few hundred dollars of the stolen money. In 1840 Mr Dixon visited Washington with applica¬ tion for the removal of the land office from Galena to Dixon, and General Scott, and perhaps other army officers, personal friends of Mr. Dixon, who had become familiar with the topography of the country during the Black Hawk war, promptly interested themselves in his behalf, and introduc¬ ed him to President Van Buren, who at once signed the order for removal. O I his domestic life it is becoming to make but bare mention. His wife, formerly Rebecca Sherwood, of New York, a lady of superior mental capacity and energy, shared with her husband the toils and privations inci¬ dent to frontierlife, and exerted a moral and relig¬ ious influence, which will be felt in this region for all time. She, with all her children, ten in num¬ ber, passed away before the husband and father. Mr. Dixon continued to live here in the city that he loved, where for nearly fifty years he had walked the Indian trail as well as paved streets, until his death, which occured Thursday, July 6, 1876. His death was expected, as he had been gradually failing for several weeks; yet when the muffled tones of the hell, on Thursday morning, announced the sad news that the beloved founder of our town had passed away, it carried sorrow to every heart, for young and old alike had learned to love and revere him as a father. His city made suitable arrangements for the funeral which occured on the next Sabbath. The services took place at the north front of the Court House, where platforms and seats had been erected for the pur¬ pose. Early in the day delegations compossed of civic societies from neighboring cities arrived, each headed Dy a band of music. Many of the stores aud public buildings were deeply draped in mourning. The body was laid in state at the Court House, under guard of Sir Knights Templar. The remains retained the pleasant features of life, aud were looked upon for the last time by teu thousand people, who "loved with a love that was more than love," the good Father Dixon. The honor shown his remains in death was truly a worthy remembrance of a long life of purity and goodness. It has been the custom and incliua - tiou of the human race from the earliest histori¬ cal ages, to pay honors at burial ceremonies of military heroes and political leaders, and the men of wealjh have ofteu been thus honored and fol¬ lowed to their graves by the multitudes, but seltiou and general marks of respect tendered to a man in the common walks of life as was witness¬ ed at the obsequies of Father Dixon. It was em¬ phatically an ovation of tne masses, aud especially of the old settlers of this aud adjorimng counties, who came to pay their respects to the last on earth of Father Dixon. It would reasonably be supposed that a man so universally loved and respected at his death as was Father Dixon, never had an enemy in the world, but this was not so, - at least in his earlier days - for in his long and active life he had battled earnestly and unflinchingly against evil in every form, and by such firm¬ ness for the right he did, as might be expected, antagonize men who could not understand, or if they understood, had not the souls to appreciate those noble characteristics which raised him far above ordinary men. Yet it can truly be Baid that "none knew him but to love;" or "named him but to praise," because those with whom he had met in the strife incident to life were at last led to acknowledge the nobleness ol his character. It was not alone that he was unselfish, hospitable, kind and generous, patriotic and loving, which gained him the respect of all, but it was that when in active life, he was always unswervingly for the cause of human progress and the right, and stubbornly opposed evil. Though his wife had passed away more than twenty-nine years before, and he had outlived all his children, and it could long since truly be said that

Yet he was surrounded by kind and loving hearts and willing hands that administered to his every want. It was well, as a lesson to the generation of man coming after him, that such marked respect should be paid to the closing life of such a man. It was well that such a concourse of people should assemble here as had never before congregated in one day in this his own city. It was well that the Oourt House and other public buildings should be deeply draped in the habili¬ ments of woe, for a truly good man lay dead in its halls.

At a citizen's meeting, held on Friday evening, after Father Dixon's death, the following memorial was prepared and spread upon the records of the city:

In Memory Op John Dixon

We, the people of Dixon, called upon to mourn the departure of him who gave our city existence and its name, desire to place among its records this testimonial of our appreciation of his virtues. His neighbors, many of us have known him for a third of a century, who, during all that time, have looked up to him, and have loved him as a father,with one accord, have assembled to pay this tribute to his memory. John Dixon, after a life extended far beyond the life ordinarily assign¬ ed to man, at the ripe age of nearly ninety-two years, one half of which had been passed in this town so loved by him, which he had made, has departed from the scene of his earthly labors. Having long outlived all that were, by the ties of blood, nearest and dearest to him, his weary pil¬ grimage at last is ended. He has gone to the summer land. . A man of great strength of mind, force of character, and determination of purpose: yet he has lived and died without an enemy Forgetful of himself, he lived for others, a pure and unselfish life. He was that noblest work of God - an honest man - and ho has "So lived that when the summons came to join The innumerable earavan, that moves To that mysterious realm where each shall take

11c went, not as the quarry slave of night, Scourged to his dungeon; but sustained aud sooth'd By an unfaltering trust, approached the grave Like one that wraps the drapery of his couch Around him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."

Born at the close of the Revolution and rocked in his cradle when the "cradle of liberty " was swinging to and fro with a new born nation, Father Dixon was imbued with all those noble principles of patriotism characteristic of that age, and which he retained through life. He lived to see his country grow from a vast wilderness, with only about the number of inhabitants contained in our State, to a great nation of forty millions.When he was born there was hardly a white inhabitant in all the great, states of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and indeed the entire North-west, now the most flourishing part of the United States. A dozen years before the American colonies were the most loyal part of the British Empire, and on the political horizon no speck indicated the strug¬ gle that had just closed and established the great Republic of the world. There were then only about half a dozen newspapers in this vast country, while railroads, telegraphs, and steam engines had not entered into the remotest conceptions of man. It is in deed a very pertinent fact, in this connection, that when Fulton took his first steam - boat up the Hudson on a trial trip, John Dixon was a passenger, and paid the great inventor of steamboats the first money as fare ever received as a return for his immense expenses and time. So it was our own father Dixon, who paid the first steamboat fare ever paid; who was the first patron of steam, that now earns, every moment , its millions of dollars. Fulton at first refused to receive the money, but Father Dixon with his inate principles of justice, insisted that he should, and it was only by his determination to be just that gave him the satisfact ion of being honored, as we said. He lived through a history in which has been allotted more important events in their bearing upon the ifappincss of the world, than any other which has elapsed since the creation. Now he has gone down to his grave full of honors, such as any hero of any age might envev.

By Dr. Oliver Everett

In looking over, recently, some old papers, I came across the subscription paper for building the first school house in Dixon, and have thought that it would not be without interest to many of your readers. This paper was got up in Janu¬ ary, 1837, and contains many names familiar to the old settlers. The subscription paper reads as follows:

We, the subscribers, agree to pay the sums sev¬ erally attached to our names, for the purpose of erecting a school house in the town of Dixon. Said school house shall be for the teaching of Primary schools, and shall be open for religions meetings of all denominations, when not occupied by the schools.

Said house shall be one story high and at least forty feet by twenty on the ground, and shall contain two rooms which shall be connected by a door or doors, as may be thought proper.

The subscribers shall meet on Monday, the 20th day of February next, at 6 o'clock, P. M., and choose three trustees to superintend the building of said house. The trustees shall have power to collect the money subscribed, contract for and purchase materials for said house, and employ workmen to build the same. They shall sec that it is done in a plain, workmanlike manner; so far as the funds shall warrant.

It will be noticed that many of the subscribers were persons living some distance in the country and of those who came to the county during the next season. The reason that Father Dixon's name was not at or near the head of the list is, that he was away that winter'to Vandalia, then the Capi¬ tal of the State. It may also be noticed that the matter dragged somewhat, as such enterprises often do, and the ladies took it np, Mrs. Dixon giving the largest subscription on the list and Mrs. Hamilton a generous amount. Again it may be noticed that one John Q. Adams, not our present John Q. Adams, but an unworthy bearer of a great name, in subscribing put two 00 where the dollars ought to have been, making his subscription but ten cents. When his attention was called to it he said it was just as he intended to have it. Ilis name was dealt with as was fashionable at that time; it was expunged.

The old school house was built during the sum¬ mer of 1837 of the size and form specified in the subscription paper, about twenty rods west of the cemetery, on or near lot one, block sixty-nine, now occupied by Harry Smith. It was built per¬ fectly plain, without a cornice, and enclosed with undressed oak siding and a hard wood shingle roof. The inside consisted of two rooms, one six feet by twenty extending across the end of the building; serving as an entrance way or vestibule to the main room, which was twenty by thirtyfour feet, with three windows on either side and one at the end of the room apposite the entrance. It was plastered on the inside with a single coat of coarse brown mortar, and was warmed during winter with a wood fire .in a large box 6tovo. In 1839 it was moved down on to the north end of lot five, block seventeen, on the east side of Ottawa -street, just south of the residence of Dr. Nash, now occupied by Daniel McKenney, fronting to the north upon the alley. There it remained for several years, and was used for school house; meeting house, and court house, (the. first three terms of the Circuit Court of Lee County were held in it.) Elections and political meetings and conventions.were held in it, and it was always used for what ever other purpose the people might

The old school house was very plain, rough and uninviting to look upon, but there are many re¬ collections associated with it which are always dwelt upon by the early settlers with great in¬ terest, and should make the memory of it dear to the people of Dixon. It was within its rough brown walls that the venerable and re'vered Bishop Chace, then Senior Bishop of the American Episcopal church, first preached to the scattered members of his fold as were hereabout, and broke to them the bread of the sacrement, and where Rev. James De Pui, a man ol rare culture and gentle and genial social qualities, preached for more than twelve months. It was there that the Methodist and Baptist churches of this place were formed and nurtured in their infancy.

the foremost laborers in the great and beneficent, organization to which they belong, then in the vigor of early manhood, each preached his two years there. The Rev. Thomas Powell, a devoted missionary of the Baptist denomination, well known among the early settlers of .no inconsider¬ able portion ol the State for hip indefatigable and fauhlul service in the religions interest of the people, then often living remote from each other and either destitute or but poorly supplied with competent religious teachers; often held services in the old school house, and officiated at the for¬ mation of the Baptist Church of Dixon. Also the Rev. Burton Carpenter, the remembrance of whose labors here is cherished by many of the old set¬ tlers, and, who, in the high standing he afterwards attained in the denomination to which he belongs, aud in a life of great usefulness in another part of the State, he has not disappointed the expecta¬ tions of his early friends; commenced his labors in the ministry aud preached about three years in this same old school house. During nearly the whole time religious services were held in the old school house, the Methodist and Baptist congre¬ gations occupied it alternate Sundays. The Metho¬ dist clergyman preaching at Inlet Grove or Sugar Grove, aud Mr. Carpenter at Buffalo Grove the intervening Sabbaths.

In the spring of 1840 there was a convention of the Whig party of the Jo Davies Representative District, which embraced the whole North-western part of the State, held at the school house, aud Thomas Drummond, known in this generation as Judge Drummond of the United States Court at. Chicago, then a young lawyer of Galena, was nominated as a candidate for member of the house of Representatives in the State Legislature. He represented an extent of territory now constitu¬ ting nearly two Congressional Districts. Among the teachers in the old school house was the late lamented W. W. Heaton, whom the citizens of Dixon have seen rise by his industry aud legal acquirements, from the school master's chair to the bench.

In the beginning of the year 1843 the Methodist church was finished aud dedicated aud the Court House was so tar completed that the courts were held in it aud was used for religious aud political meetings, and the old school house tell into com-

Sometime during the year 1844 it began to be noised about that John Van Arnam claimed the old school house as his property, as he had pur¬ chased the lot upon which it stood. One day the people were notified that upon a tap on their win¬ dows the night following, they might know that they were wanted at the school house and the less said about it the better. Upon arriving there we found it surrounded by a great crowd, busy at work. Some were raising the building with crow bars and levers, others adjusting planks and roll¬ ers under the sills. There was that prince of .

Old Settler Record

movers of old buildings, N. G H. Morrill, as usual directing operations, not giving authoritative orders to others, but by taking hold and showing them how, by doing the major part of the work himself. The industrious crowd tugged away in silence or talking in whispers or suppressed tones, now moving the heavy oak building an inch or two and again making a more fortunate move and getting ahead several inches or one or two feet, until it was thought the building was entirely over the edge of the lot, but by pacing from the street and making observations in the dark it was thought best to give it just another little shove to make the thing sure. So all took hold with a will, and the old school house began to move again upon the rollers and made a lunge of twelve or fifteen feet, creaking and groaning as it went, as if conscious of the ignoble uses of trade to which it was destined, for the time came, my pen grows shaky as I write it, when it was used lor liqnor selling. Upon this last-move of the old school house every tongue seemed loosened, and all gave vent to their satisfaction in a wild shout or cheer, which rang through the darkness and by its heartiness (so I was informed) quieted the fears of some of the ladies whose husbands had at the tap on the window, so misteriously bounced out of bed aud^left them with¬ out saying a word. About this time Mr. Morrill, upon a vote of two freeholders at an election held for the purpose of voting upon the question of building a new school house, was building the stone structure for that purpose back of the Nachusa House, so the old building was sold and moved down on to the corner of Main and Henne¬ pin streets, and was used for various purposes of trade, and finally burned in the great fire on Main street in 1859.

Old 8Ettler Record

Company A, of the Thirteenth Infantry Illinois Volunteers was organized at Dixon, Illinois, April 22, 1861. The regiment was organized under the Ten-Regiment Bill, for three months service, at Dixon, May 9, 1861, and mustered into the United States* service May 31,1861. The regiment organ¬ ized with 970 men, and was composed of compa¬ nies from Dixon, Sterling, Amboy, Rock Island, Sandwich, Sycamore, Morrison, Aurora, Chicago, and DnPage. Sunday, June 16, the regiment was ordered to Caseyvifle, Illinois, by rail; July 6, to Roila, Missouri, by rail; October 10, 1861, ordered to Springileid, Missouri; November 10, 1861, ordered back to Roila; remained during the winter in Roila.

March 16, 1862, marched, via Springfield to Pea Ridge, Arkansas; thence, via Keitsviile, to Balesville; and thence to Helena. Arkansas, arriving on the 14th ot July, 1862.

The regiment was actually first at Chirkasaw Bayou December 27, 1862, and the assault on the 29th. Participated in the battle at Arkansas Post, January 11th, 1863; Jackson, Mississippi, May 14. 1863; siege of Vicksburg and asault, May 22, 1863; siege of Jackson, July, 1863; Tuscumbia, October 26 and 27, 1863; Lookout Mountain, No¬ vember 24, 1863; Mission Ridge, November 25, 1863; Ringgold, Georgia, November 27, 1863; and Madison, Alabama, May, 1864.

Transferred to Bowen's Cav (now Tenth Missouri) August 1, 1861. Discharged March 17. '63, to accept nosition as Hospital Steward. Discharged October 10, 1861; disability.

Discharged September 19. 1861, for habitual drunkenness. Veteran. Transferred to company I. Fifty-sixth Illnois Infantry. Mustered out June 18. 1864. as First Sergeant.

One Hundred And Fortieth Infantry Regiment

The One Hundred and Fortieth Infantry Illi¬ nois Volunteers, -went in camp at Dixon, about the 1st of May, 1864. The 16th of June the regi¬ ment was ordered to Springfield where they were immediately sworn into the service (100 days) and orderd to Paducah, Kentucky. The regiment was mustered out the 26th of Oct., 1864. The officers andmen enlisting from Dixon were as follows:

Battery F. First Illinois Light Artillery, was Was engaged in the siege of Corinth, and June recruited at Dixon, Illinois, in January 1862, by 9th, marched for Memphis, arriving on the 18th. Captain John T. Cheney, and was mustered in at November 26th, moved from Memphis, and arriv- Springfield, February 25th. ed at the Tallahatchie river. December 2d. On

Moved to Benton Barracks. Missouri, March 15, the 11th in Denver's Division, went on the Yowith four six pound guns. April 1st, was ordered cona expedition, returning to Tallahatchie river, - 1 - tiling, Tennessee, and arrived and finally to Holly Springs

Dixon Volunteers

Transferred to Co. E. Absent, sick, at M. O. of companv, Transferred to company I. Mustered out Julv 26, 1865. Transferred to company B. Mustered out July 6, 1865. Discharged February 16, 1862; disability.

By J. Tiiaup Lawrence

Palmyra of old had her historian, why should not the glories of this, the modern Palmyra be also recorded - particularly in this second century of the great Western republic? And though her young life scarce numbers forty summers, how great the change since the ploughman first made long furrows in her back and the woodman struck his axe in the sugar bearing maples. Connect not the name, dear reader, with visions of shady groves of waving palms, with bubbling fountains and breezes laden with the scent of the myrtle and orange, the lime and the almond - none such are to be found in the place whose history I am re¬ cording, and such visions would soon fade before the furious blasts of our Northern winters, with the air filled with snowflakes, and the leafless trees swaying under fierce assaults of Boreas. No warlike Zenobia leads us on to victory, but in her stead we follow the mildei divinities, Ceres, Pomona, and Flora. Thin# not, however, because we can boast of noae of these things in which lay the beauty of ancient Palmyra, the modern has no charms of her own. These are to be found in her broad fertile plains, once cov¬ ered with a profusion of juicy grasses aud flowers of every brilliant hue - in her stately groves of maple and walnut, of ash and oak - in the iinpestuous rush of the chrystal Rock River, rolling her tide to join the Father of Waters, her surface broken with the sportive gambols of bns9 and perch, the leaping sturgeon and rushing pike - and even in the silver thread of Sugar Creek, which once could boast of turning a saw mill.

Palmyra is situated in the extreme north-west corner of Lee county, aud contains thirty-three sections of land, almost every acre susceptible of cultivation, the surface is sufficiently rolling to insure good drainage, aud from its containing so large a proportion of timber, was one of the first settled towns in the county, as, in the absence of railroads to transport fuel and fencing, wood was indispensable to the early settlers. This town was formerly a part of Jo Davies county, which then embraced all the north-west part of Illinois - Lee, Carroll, Ogle and Whiteside. It then form¬ ed a part of Ogle, with the county scat at Oregon, which gave such dissatisfaction to this portion of the county, that in 1839 the present county of Lee was formed, with the county seat at Dixon. The first settlers in the town of Palmyra were the

Morgan family - old Mr. Morgan aud his sons, Harvey and John - with 'whom came Benjamiu Stewart. This was in the springof 1834, two years after the war with the Sacs and Foxes. The only white man in this part of the county was Mr. John Dixon, settled at Dixon's Ferry. Numbers of Iudinus, principally Wiunebagos, still remain¬ ed here, hunting in bands through the country, having their headquarters at Prophetslown and Freeport. They were, however, quite pcacable, though occasionally stealing few potatoes or some corn. The Morgans aud Stewart settled ou the south side of Sugar Grove, aud Iu the autumn of the same year aud early in 1835 several others came in - Wright aud Tomlin, of the present Myers' farm; Capt. Oliver Hubbard; John 11. Page and Fellows; Absalom Fender with a large family, and W. W. Betlica; Daniel Ohrist. and Mr. Thummel, a brother of the C. B. Thummel: Harris; Keplinger: Nathau Morehouse; Sales; Thomas, with his two sous, Enoch aud Noah, who settled in tne south-west corner of the town, iu Walnut Grove; two brothels, Sandy aud Elkauah Bush; and Martin Richardson. Of all these early settlers there only remain at present, living iu the town, Mrs. Tilton, the widow of Capt. Hubbard, and W. W. Bethea. E. B. Bush and Tomlin were the first justices of the peace. Bush, however, never qualified. They were succeeded by Harvey Morgan and W. W. Bethea. 'Squire Morgan remained for many years the factotum of the town, serving as justice of the peace, probate justice, aud town clerk. The first teaching of the young idea, not how to shoot, for that was learned readily euougb, but of the mysteries of the nlpliapet, was given by Mrs. Hubbard; but no regular school was established until 1838, when a frame build¬ ing, never finished, wus put up. Iu order to accomodate the greater number, this was built in the center ol Sugar Grove, about a mile and a half from any dwelling. Here lor two winters, 'Squire Bethea birched the boys, aud coaxed the girls.

E. B. Bush was the fust postmaster. I suppose his duties in the wilderness were not very onerous. He had, however, a deputy by the name of Kel¬ logg at Bufliilo Grove. Martin Richardson told me that on one occasion Bush was going to settle with his deputy, and, said he, "As he thought old man Kellogg was kind ot ugly and might cut up rough, he would have me go 'long with him. : nd said I must carry a pistol. By gonnus t 1 never felt so mean In my life. I kept a rammin the cussed thing into my pocket, blit it would keep a pokin' out, and I thought every one I met would see what I was carrying." However, old man Kellogg did not cut up rough, and they had no occasion to use the pistol. This Richardson was a most favorable specimen of the Western pio¬ neer - a short, stout mail, with a fiery red face, the most gleaming white teeth, and an immense shock of irrepressible straw-colored hair, that seemed to bo constantly trying to push his hat of his head - an excellent farmer, the beet of neigh¬ bors, and the most liberal of men; yet he dearly loved a free fight, where every one was at liberty to "go in." I remember on one occasion, when he was no longer young, a young fellow by the name of Heickns commenced blackguarding him while he was engaged in polling a ferry-boat, thinking himself safe, as Richardson was some distance from the shore. The old man jumped into the river, waded ashore, ran down Heiekus, and seizing him by his flowing hair, administered several hearty kicks. Sued before the squire, lie was fined $5,00. "This," said Heiekus, as he put

This E. B. Bush, of whom wo purchased the squhtter's right to the claim he occupied, invest¬ ed a large portion of the purchase money in ma¬ chinery for a saw mill, and also one for the man¬ ufacture of castor and linseed oil. To obtain grist for his oil mills he induced a number of the neighboring farmers to devote a large portion of their lands to raising flaxseed and castor-oil beans, promising them a dollar a bushel for either of l hese products This, in those days of moneyed 1 scarcity, seemed a sure road to fortune, and we went. at. with a will. The crop was a splendid one, but in the absence of threshing machines, how to separate the seed from the flax was the query. We tried tramping it out with horses, as we did Ihc wheat and oats, but the flax was soon troden into ropes which entangled the horses' feet, and we had finally ro abandon it altogether. Xor were we more successful with the castor beans; some small quan itv was gathered in bask¬ ets, and as they were pleasant to the eye and the palate, many chfldren required no more castor oil that, season. About the time of harvesting the beans, Bush's money gave out, aud the bulk of the crop rotted on the ground. He bad taken in as a partner a young man whose contribution to the joint stock was a colt valued at thirty dollars and muscle for the hard work. When the business Sailed this partner sued him for wages, and the case being referred "to three men," as was the custom of the day, they awarded him half wages. This was in 1841, and was, I believe, the first attempt at manuacturing in our neighborhood.

But to go back to our infant settlement, in spite ol an occasional scrimmage, the greatest cordiality prevailed among Hie few inhabitants of the town. Old settlers always look back with fondness to the good old times, when snch universal friendly feeling existed. The prairie once broken, the crops grew almost, without labor, as there were so few weeds and the land so fertile. What few supplies they needed, or could afford, such as flour and groceries, were hauled by ox teams from Peoria, aud their own produce brought a high price among the miners in Galena. Some of the new comers brought nothing with them but mouths to feed. Of such was Sales, of Sales' Spring. To buy a bushel of corn he had to split one hundred rails. Taking his corn home, he cut a hole in a log, over which he fast¬ ened u spring pole with an iron wedge inserted in the end of it. Working the pole up and down, he mashed the corn; then Hilling it, the finer portlous he used for meal aud the courser for hominy. He was a great hnuter, and as game was very abundant, the river full of fish and covered with ducks and geese, he and his family suffered no lack. There was no grist mill nearer than Peoria, until Joseph Wilson, an old Brandywine miller, came to settle on the Elkhorn Creek, when the settlers turned %>ut in a body and put up a log mill on the Elkhorn, u short distance above the present mill. It wns a rough looking structure, bnt I have never lasted finer flour than Joe Wil¬ son made from the splendid winter wheat of those days. Until flouring mills were erected In Dixon, however, owing to the dryness of the creeks in summer, we were often obliged to go as far as Aurora, on the Fox River, to get wheat ground.

Dan. Obrist was drowned while seining in Elkoru creek, aud was succeeded by his brother Abram, who pat up a saw-mill on Sugar Creek. This was a great accomodation to the settlers, who could thus get flooring, door and window frames for their log houses, instead of having to hew them. They could even build frame barns - the first I believe, being built, aud is stiil stand¬ ing. on the Seavey place, then owned by Ben Stewart. On these occasions the whole settle¬ ment would be called upon to help raise. There would be lots of hog and hominy washed down by copions libations of Fred. Dutcher's pure corn whisky, andt he barn would bo duly raised aud then christened by breaking a bottle over the purlin plate, Abner Moon or Ruben Eastwood being generally chosen to perform this ceremony, on account of their stentorian voices.

A man hearing the name of Smith was the first blacksmith in the settlement. He soon left and was followed by James Carley, who for many years sliod (he horses, sharpened the ploughs, sighted the rifles, and did nil the thousand and one jobs of tinkering that the people could not do for themselves. He was a most skillfull work- man aud a great power in the settlement, for on the approach of winter there would be such a demand for his services in shoeing horses, that turns Would be engaged sometimes a week in advance, and woe betide the man that did not stand high in his good graces. Carley took his pay in kind - wheat, corn, pork, otc. - and conse¬ quently, though burning his own charcoal, lit furnished no iron, and it exercised all his ingenui¬ ty to convert the various scraps that were brought to him into the required shoe, etc. I remember on one occasion his usual blasphemy found unus¬ ual vent at being required to forge a horse shoo out of a broken monkey-wrench. A curious at¬ tachment existed between Carley and a poor slave of the bottle by the name of Beach. This Beach belonged to a highly respectable family in the East, and had received an excellent business education. He kept Carley's hooks, which were models of neatness. He also blew the bellows and fetched the whisky from Dixon. Old settlers will ever remember this mass of rags and pim¬ ples, his head crowned with a dilapidated old stove-pipe, always filled with greasy newspapers, which he greedily devoured when lie had leisure.

By the spring of 1840, the settlement had gained considerable accession to its members and con¬ tained about sixty voters. In addition to those I have already named, there were fonr families of Martins, two of Powers (distinguished as Yankee and Kentnck), (wo of Lawrences, Graham, Law, Baker, Hutton, Gnston, Holly. Coe, Mnllcr, two of Johnsons, Parks, Beede, and some others.

The failure of the Uuited States Bank had caused numbers of local hanks to spring into ex¬ istence, which flooded the country with their worthless paper, and gave great apparent prosper itv to the country; but by the year 1840 all of these, together with the State Bank of Illinois, had passed out of existence, and hard times set in. Emigration was checked and theirbeing.no longer any demand nearer than Chicago for the surplus produce, the price of wheat fell from $2.00 per bushel to 25 and 30 cents, corn from a dollar to 10 cents, beef and pork to l'.i and 2 cents per pound, and even these prices were nominal, wheat being the only article that would sell for cash. This was hauled to Chicago in loads of thirty and forty bushels, and sold for (53 to 75 cents. The farmer gerierally took with him his own provis¬ ions, grain for his horses, scythe, axe and auger; slept under his wagon; and calculated that the trip, which generally required a week, should cost him nothing but his time. Some were tortuuate enough to secure a return load from the store¬ keeper, at the rate of 40 cents per hundred fts., for a distance of 116 miles. The proceeds of the trip were carefully hoarded for the land sale. But If profits were small, expenses were equally small. Few had a hundred dollars invested In farm machinery. Beyond the iron in the plow share, the steel in the hoe, axe, scythe, and blade of the "turkey wing cradle," all was of,wood, ar.d generally home-made. Taxes were merely nom¬ inal, three commissioners, an assessor and col¬ lector doing all the business of the county. I have an old tax receipt for $1.60 in full on a farm of 420 acres, fairly stocked for that day.

A man dressed ns his fancy dictated - some en¬ tirely in buckskin of their own tanning. The appearance of one figure I shall never forget as he went about dressed in the remains of what had been a bright-colored dressing gown, the gift of a city friend; on his head a coonskin cap, with the tail hanging between his shoulders; mocassins, and a long rifle, with spotted fawnskin pouch.

We had a weekly eastern mail, carried from Chi¬ cago in the Frink & Walker coaches, on Saturday. On that day all those who had reason to expect letters met in Dixon to get their mall and exchange drinks at a little building near the ferry, called "The Hole in the Wall." Here we also met many of those curious waifs and strays of society, of which Dixon, like all frontier towns, had her full share. Among them was a man by the name of Truett, who had shot an editor of a paper in cold blood, but had escaped the rope. An old gentle' man had been introduced to him without hearing Ills name distinctly, after some conversation with him, said to his introducer, "Who is that fellow, Billey, you introduced to me? "Oh, that," said he, "is Truett - Truett who murdered Dr. Early." His horror on hearing this was most ludicrous. "Shaken hands with a murderer!" he exclaimed, "Good God! shaken hands with a murderer! Bring me some water." And he continued to turn his hands over and over and vociferate for water until a basin full was brought, and he was enabled to wash "out the damned spott."

But enongh of the old days, Palmyra has her full share of the prosperity of the country which she has aided so largely to develop. The log houses of the early settlers have given place to numer¬ ous tasty dwellings and commodious barns; the many neatly painted school houses show the regard paid to education. Among them is a fine brick building intended as as a graded school put up at a cost of $3,000. On the grounds in front of this stands the monument erected to the memory of those sons of Palmyra whose blood enriched the Southern battle fields - sons who Palmyra has always freely given when her country called for them. In addition to the usual country shops, Mr. John Lord, a son of one of the early settlers, has built up from small beginnings an extensive wagon and carriage shop, which from the excel¬ lence of the material and workmanship lias at¬ tained a great reputation as well outside as in the town. Mr. Abijah Powers, a settler of '38, has not only added many fair acres to the original claim, but was the first to introduce the fine Short-horn cattle into the county, and has now a numerous heard. For many years the farmers were a rich source of plunder to the numerous fire insurance companies, but in 1865 the Palmyra fire insurance company was originated by an association of a few farmers. This company which insures nothing but farm property and country school buildings, is managed by a Presi¬ dent, secretary, and treasurer, and thirteen mana¬ gers. It has insurance on $965,175 worth of prop¬ erty. Insures for $3 per $1000, with membership fee of $1. The insurance is perpetual and their is no further demand on the insured except in case of loss by fire, when a pro ratio assessment is laid. How slight this tax is may be judged

Palmyra

In these western towns settled by persons from so many foreign countries and parts of the Union, the effects of our form of government and institu¬ tions are seen in the most fovorable light. Here the poor emigrant, finding no bar to the acquisi¬ tion of property and pursuit of happiness, rapidly develops into the well-to-do American citizen. The New Englander losing his narrowness, while retaining his thrift and intelligence, finds here a wider field for their exercise, and the Southerner, still liberal, acquires industry, economy and edu¬ cation.

By John K. Robinson

Emigration to the Northern part of Illinois before the Black Hawk war, was almost entirely confined to the mines at Galena. The rich farming lands of the prairies and river valleys had received but little attention; only a very lew attempts had been made to improve claims and make homes away from the Galena section. Early in the sum¬ mer of 1837, Mr. O. \V. Kellogg, traveled by wagon from Fort Clark, now Peoria, to Galena. He reached and crossed Rock River a few miles above the present city of Dixon. Passing up the valley of the Pine Creek country between Polo and Mount Morris, he touched the western part of West Grove, then proceeded north to Galena. Mr. Kellogg was the pioneer traveler over this route and thus marked out a course of travel which became known as "Kellogg's trail." A large number of fortune hunters on their way to the mines, passed over this trail the summer and fall of the same year. Belore this trail, the road connecting the mines with the settled por¬ tions of the state, passed by Rock Island. As the Country became better known, the Kellogg trail was thought to pass too far east to be the shortest route to the mines. In the spring of 1828, "John Boles, who was trave'.iugacross the country," says The History of Ogle County, published in 1878, "left the.beateu trail some miles south of Rock River and crossed that stream just above where it is now crossed by the Illinois Central railroad at Dixon. He then passed up through the country, about one mile east of Polo; thence north to White Oak Grove, and so on to Galena. This trail imme¬ diately came to be the popular route of travel and was known as "Bole's trail." Crossing Rock River In the early times was a remembered feat, as the report of Col. Strode shows in a letter written to the Governor of the State, giving an account of his command swimming the river at Dixon in 1827. The method of crossing the river with teams before the establishment or a ferry was primitive and simple. On arriving at the place cf crossing, the wagons were unloaded and the loads carried ovci in canoes by the Indians, the wagon was then driven with the side to the stream, two Wheels lifted into a canoe then shoved a little out into the river, and another canoe received the other wheels, when the double boat was paddled or poled to the other side; the horses were taken by the bridle and made to swim by the side of the canoe, cattle swam loose; then commenced the lifting out of the wagons and reloading, and the journey was renewed, all hands happy that the task of crossing the river was completed. Once James P. Dixon, well acquainted with the hard¬ ships of crossing, arriving on the banks of the river with the mail wagon, called for the Indians for their assistance but received no answer; vexed at their delay and their arrogance when they did assist, he boldly unchecked his horses, so as to give them a chance to swim, and crossed the river with the mail ajid wagon in safety.

With the establishment of Bole's trail, the site of Dixon became a fixed place for the early travel¬ ers to cross the river. This was often attended with a great deal of inconvenience. The Indians were not always present or in readiness with their canoes. When the river was low it was easily forded, but this was not always the case. It seems the first attempt to establish a furry at this place was made by J. L. Bogardis, of Peoria, who sent a couple of men here in the summer of 1827, or very early in the spring of 1828, for that purpose; a shanty, 8 by 10 feet, was erected on the bank of the river and work oil a boat soon afterwards commenced. When the boat was about half com¬ pleted, the Indians set fire to it, and told the builders to "go to Peoria." The two men hastily gathered up their kits and departed. In the spring of 1828, Joseph Ogee, an Indian Interpreter and Trader, settled here, erected a log house, and established a ferry. Ogee had married a Pottawottomie woman, and had adopted many cus¬ toms and habits of the Indians, and was unmo¬ lested by them - remaining in possession of the ferry until he sold out to John Dixon. Father Dixon's object for changing his home from Boyd's Grove, where he had'a short time before taken up his abode, was to occupy a more central position for his mail contract. He arrived at the ferry with his family the 11th of April, 1839. His hair was then as white as in the last year of his life. His personal appearance was almost un¬ changed from 1821 to 1876, his hair being white through all these years; age dealt kindly with him. The year previous to Father Dixon's taking possession of the ferry, a third trail had bceh established from Ogee's Ferry to the mines. This trail ran by the house of Isaac Chambers, in Buf¬ falo Grove, where Mr. Chambers had erected a tavern and opened a road through the timber, about two miles distant from the Boles trail on ths

Early Times At

From 1829 to-1835 the travel crossing Rock river at the present site of Dixon was extensive. In early spring the emigration to the lead mines was one perpetual rush - like in character to the gold fever of later years. It swept over Rock River in swarms of from five to twenty teams a day through May and June; then again there was a mighty stream Southward during September and Octo' her. Among the many passing through we had of ministers: John Sinclair, John T. Mitchell, aud Erastus Kent, all honored as faithful men and able ministers; judges: Thomas Ford, after¬ wards Governor of Illinois, and Young; lawyers: Mills and Sheldon; and black legs whose name is legion. Accommodations were furnished the trav¬ elers as far as the beds, bedding, and table room of the "tnvcrn ' would reach. Between the two houses forming the long, one-story portion of the building was a ten or twelve foot hall with a door way at either end, facing the north and south. Enterteriug the hall from* the south; on the west was the family sitting room, on the east was the travelers' and hired help's room - each room eighteen feet square. The furniture of the west room consisted of two beds, qnite a number of chairs, and a table extending clear across the room, where the meals were taken in cold weather; in warm weather the meals were taken in the hall. The east room contained four beds, one in each corner. When driven to extend this bed room, the "Shake-down" was resorted to, which was of common occurrence. A .Buffalo robe or Bear skin spread on the soft side of the floor, with a blanket or quilt for covering, made a bed good enough for any body. The floor was often covered in both rooms, and the hall filled to overflowing, with these hastily and easily prepared beds. Floor-room was not always of sufficient proportion to accommodate the entire party; the remainder encamped all about the premises - there was room enough out doors for all. Owing to the base of supplies being so distant - Peoria ninety miles, and Galena sixty-five miles - we were often driven to extremities. No weather or bad roads satisfled hunger or stayed travel. Armies, feeling this gnawing, grow restless and insubordinate. Our own family and travelers gave vent to human nature without stint. Few conld take in the difficulties of having the whole of a large caravan to feed. The Inlet stream was nnbridged and' frequently swimming, and in that direction onr supplies were often crossed under water before it reached us. Onr horses were taught swimming aud became proficients in that calling. I have been employed a little below the present road crossing Inlet Creek, swimming horses'and wag¬ ons across one way and back the other, for more than two hours at a time, and once safely swam a four-horse team attached to a wagon loaded with lumber, across the stream at the imminent risk of myself and team. Mail stages were three times submerged and ruined in Inlet. North¬ ward, Apple River and both Plumb Rivers were alike difficult to cross and much more dangerous, as the crossings were bad and the current rapid.

Father Dixon did his trading with (he Indians as a matter of necessity. lie had lived at Peoria and learned the character of the average trader and determined to deal more justly with the Indi¬ ans than had been done. lie ingratiated himself with them as their advisor and friend, strongly urging them to a civilized life and habits of sobriety, diligence and honesty. The store room in which he traded with the Indians, was in the East building, (the-two story house) where he sold powder, lead, shot, wampum, tobacco, pipes, shrouding, (a course cloth) blankets, guns, beads, needles, awls, knives, spears. Muskrat aud Otter traps, calicos, etc., and but one thing at a time. Why? The Indian is a thief always and every¬ where. In retnrn he had their furs, dressed deer skins, moccasins, and fancy articles made by the female portion of his traders. These found a ready market in Galena, Peoria, and St.Louis.

Directly after taking up his permanent home at Dixon's Ferry, and while coining down the river from the place of ferrying, Father Dixon heard his Indian name excitedly called 1 out. Turning around he saw a naked savage within one hundred feet of him, running towards him with a Muskrat spear* and gesticulating angrily. To defend himself unarmed was impossible; to flee cowardly. He took in the danger bnt his manhood refused to carry him out of danger, as his fleetness would have enabled him to do. He boldly faced his adversary, but before the Indian had an opportunity to through his spear, his arms were securely grasped by some of the Indian spectators, wno interfered for Dixon's safety. After the drunken debauch was over, the Indian asked an interview with Father Dixon, which he refused him until the baud to which the Indian belonged interceded for him. Much ceremony suits the Indian; the talk commenced, when the Indian, whose name was Dah-shuu-egra, acknowledgedhismurderous intention; "that bad whisky made bad Indian," and asked forgiveness. He asked Father Dixon what he would have done, if he had thrown the spear and missed his aim. In reply Father Dixon said: "Had you thrown the spear and missed me, the spear would have pass¬ ed by me and I should have reached it first, and should have killed you on the spot with your own spear." His coolness in the hour of danger, and this open avowal of a determined man to deleud himself aud repel force by force, were qualities that the savages could fully understand and appre¬ ciate. It established Father Dixon's character among the Indians as a White Brave.

While Father Dixon carried the United States, mail from Springfield to Galena the streams were unbridged, not even "corduroyed;" swamps un¬ drained; roads almost impassible; houses few and far between. Snow storms were more severe and the cold more intense than in later years. In the winter of 1830 and '31, (the winter of the deep snow) the snow averaged three feet tieep from New Year's day to the 15th of March. No track was kept open from one settlement to another, and it was with great difficulty that roads were kept open even ,in densely settled districts. Fifteen and eighteen to twenty-seven miles was the usual distances between the homes along the route. On one of the longer routes during this memorable winter, Father Dixon and some of the stage passengers were so benumed with cold and nearly frozen, as to be unable to get out of the conveyance. After a good warming and hot coffee, however, all were able to resume their journey.

During the Black Hawk war Father Dixon had the contract for supplying the army with beef the final battle of the Bad Axe river. Ills place on the march was in the rear of the army, and from the time Wisconsin river was crossed until many times he was left so far behind as to be out. of supporting distance. It so happened on the march,that at one time midnight was passed before he came to camp. He was hailed by the sentenel with the snap of the lock of the gun in the sentenels hands, and these words: "Who comes there." Father Dixon, replied: "Major of the Steer Batalion." The soldier gave the order: "Major of the Steer Batalion, march in." This sally of wit on both sides, was the foundation of Father Dixon's military title. Another time he had been off the trail hunting one of his beeves, and on again returning to the trail he suddenly found himself face to face with two Indians, who were as much astonished a( the meeting as he was. It was no time for ceremony. All were armed; Father Dixon lowered his gun and walk¬ ing about , five rods, gave his band to the nearest savage, saluting him in Winnebago. The Indian replied in Winnebago. Father Dixon and both the Indians were alike overjoyed at this unex¬ pected good fortune - Father Dixon, that he was permitted to save his scalp for another day; the Indians that they had found some one understand¬ ing their own language, under whose influence they could safely be introduced to General Atkin¬ son, for whom they had Important dispatches. Their life was endangered to be seen by a soldier, and they felt their peril and were in serious embarrassment about how to opproach the army.

Father Dixon's age, and experience with all classes of men, should have qualified him to safely criticise - and distrust humanity, hut he he had no apprehension of imposition, he took human nature as it fell from the hands of the iflnitely Good. His estimate never tallied with the evil; never tired of being wronged, and as a consequence he was often disappointed in men. Obliging to all; hospitable and kind to the needy and helpless in every condition, he often trusted strangers and travelers from whom he never received any thing in return. It was no unusual thing, when the circumstances of trav elers were told Father Dixon, for him to allow his ferry and hotel bills to remain unpaid, and to give them provisions aud funds necessary to complete the journey - many dollars were given away in this manner. His unselfishness manifested itself in good will to all men; the Indian, or the child, looked to him for favors and kindness and was not turned away empty.

Mrs. Dixon was one of the few women, who could and did adorn any position in life in which she was placed. Her person was rather under size, exhibiting no marked peculiarity. She was intelligent far above the age and circumstances surrounding her. and had a warm heart aud ready hand for every good word and work alike. Devout and fervent in all the holy exercises of religion and morality; ardently attached to the church (Baptist) to which she belonged, she gave her hand to all .who bore the name and character of that great Christian body. Her moral worth, talents, virtue, aud her whole life, was one of devotion to Christianity. She was Solomon's ideal of glorious womanhood before he was cor¬ rupted by the the false glare and glitter of a false religion and an impure life. I record her life as the one to whom I owe more than any other, except mother and wife. As an early reminis¬ cence of Mrs. Dixon's rare tact and knowledge of character, shall I venture to write that in the dead of winter, proceeding the Black Hawk war, the Prophet, from Prophets Town, Black Hawk, and a chief from Rock Island, whose name I have for gotten, held a council at Dixon's Ferry, and then and there negotiated with the Potawattomies for the occupancy of the Spotted Arms' town near the present site of Rockford. Meal time came three times a day, to which the chiefs at the Council fire, were invited as guests of Mrs. Dixon. She presided as waiter, and to allay any fears of her guests, sat down and ate aud drank with them. The perfect lady was reminded by Black Hawk, as spokesman, of her goodness, and he called the attention of the other chiefs to her care and politeness to them.

In the early times, the settlers of Buffalo Grove- Grand Detour, Dad Jo's, Palestine; Inlet, Melug in's, Paw Paw, Franklin, and Gap Groves, were our nigh neighbors. When I came to the county, in May 1832, the nearest settlement north of Dixon's Ferry was at Buffalo Grove, where lived Mr. Reed, O. ,W. Kellogg, and a Mr. Bush, and their families. They were enabled to escape the Impending storm at the commencement of the Black Hawk war, by flight, mostly under great losses and deprivations. Mrs. James Dixon, (yet living, in Dixon,) was one of the fugatives of that period. Dad Jo was also at the grove bearing his name, twenty miles south of Dixon, and was one of the good, jolly men who had made their homes along the route of the early thoroughfare between Peoria and Galena. Dad Jo had an nncommonly lond voice; it was often remarked in that day that "we knew they were alive at Dad's this morn¬ ing, we heard him calling his hogs; just twenty miles away." After Indian troubles had ceased, settlers commenced to arrive, and civilization began to assert its own in the "neighborhood" of Dixon's Ferry.

In 1833, the last week of December, Zachariah Melugin, with myself as his only assistant, built the first house in Lee County, outside of Dixon, at the grove that still bears hie name. There was no other settlement made in Lee county that year. The families of Gilmore and Christance came to Meluglns Grove in the spring of 1883. Mr Melngin lived but a few years after coming to the county.

1834 opens a new era in the improvement of Northern Illinois. In April, Issac Morgan and his sons Harvey and John, began the improve¬ ments at Sugar Grove. A number of other fami¬ lies arrived in the fall of that year and early in 1835. Adolphus Bliss began the settlement of Inlet Grove in May or June of 1834. Ozra Wright and two or three others came that sun^ner or fall. Benjamin Harris, with his father and brother and a large train of relatives, moved to Paw Paw Grove. Mr. Jillett and Levi Kelso, Esq., made improvements at the north side of Paw Paw Grove, also ot the same year. Esq. Kelso deceas¬ ed at Mendota in 1880.

In the summer of 1834, Mr. Bush, a brothar-inlaw of Judge Logan, lately passed away in Chi¬ cago, located a farm and ferry at the termination of the river timber below Dixon, north side of the river, on the farm now owned by J. T. Lawrence.

The same summer I improved a place on the north side of Rock River, two miles below Dixon, and was joined afterwards by two of Fathr Dixon's sons. It afterwards was known as the Gla'ham

Autumn of this year, (1834) Mr. Hollingshead made arrangements for the erection of a log house, south-east of Grand Detour, which was built in January of 1835. Mr. Hollingshead did not like the country and soon returned to Ken¬ tucky. Esquire Chamberlain, for many years one of the County Commissioners of Ogle county, bought the place, and lived their until he died at a ripe old age.

In 1834 a Mr. Kirkpatrick attempted to start a town, one and a quarter miles below Dixon, on the place now known as Dr. Everett's farm. It was called Burlington. Kirkpatrick employed an old man by the name of "Tutt" Baker to establish a ferry at that point. Neither this nor the ferry started by Bush, proved successful, and was soon abandoned.

The second house erected on the present site of Dixon, south side of the river, was either James P. Dixon's or a house erected on cornor of Water and Galena streets, by Judge Wilkinson. These two houses were put up so near in point of time that I can not now determine which had prece¬ dence. The latter building was moved from the Kirkpatrick place, which bad been purchased by Judge Wilkinson.

In 1835 Judge Wilkinson purchased an interest in Dixon, and during the same year erected a saw mill, where James Hatch's residence now stands, at the foot of Peoria steeet. Mr. Talmage and other mechanics from Buffalo, N. Y., came to Dixon to perform the work. After its completion the saw mill was run a short time by Huff & Thompson. It was afterwards used for a distillery and vinegar factory.

Mr. Smith Gilbraith also bought an interest in Dixon in 1835, and until his his death in 1843, figured prominently in the public affairs of the

Mr. Joseph Crawford, the first County Surveyor of Ogle, then of Lee county, arrived in Dixon in the spring of 1835, and improved a farm near Grand Detour. The two Cutshaws, carpenterswgre also arrivals of that year.

Mr. Hawley improved a farm at the ten-mile grove, about three miles from Sterling, in 1835; others settled near Sterling on the north side of the river.

The aged Mr. Badger with several sons located near the present city of Amboy, Benjamin Was¬ son, Asa Searls, Joseph Doane, and John Dexter, were domiciled in that vicinity the current year.

Mr. Wiley settled in Franklin Grove, and was one of the contestants of an early claim trouble. Father Dixon was one of the arbitrators. The quiet way of settling the matter was its strikeing feature.

Other improvements made as early as 1835 in the near vicinity of Dixon, were the Woodford farm, by a Dr. Forest, from Kentucky; the True¬ man farm, by George A. Martin. E. W. Covell also improved a place on the north side of the river, and Caleb Talmage, a farm about a mile south of Dixon. In the town, Dr. Forrest had erected a log house on the corner of Water and Ottawa streets, and John Wilson, a black smith shop on Main street.

The first sermon preached in Dixon was in the fall of 1834 (not 1836 as stated on the 4th page) by a Methodist Missionary, named Segg. His field of labor extended from Apple River to Prophetstown. He made the circuit once in four weeks. He celebrated the marriage of James P. Dixon and wife, at Buffalo Grove, that winter. Rev. Segg died in about eight mouths after he came to the circuit.

Mr. John K. Robinson was a teacher in the family of Father Dixon, prior to the Miss Butler mentioned on page six, having acted in that capacity in the winter of 1833 and '34. Children of Mr. O. W. Kellogg, of Buffalo Grove, were mem¬ bers of the school. It was the custom for a few years, for Mr. Kellogg to employ a teacher one winter, when Mr. Dixon would send his children to Buffalo Grove, and for Mr. Dixon to employ the teacher the next winter, when Mr. Kellogg would send his children to Dixon's Ferry. The teacher and one of the scholars, Mrs. E. B. Baker, are the only survivors of this first private school, in Dixon.

Corrections of Stillman's defeat, page 28, sec¬ ond columu - But one Indian was killed and no prisoners taken, in the dash of the whites at the commencement of the fight: the first news of the rout of Stillman's command, was brought to Dixon's Ferry by a youth, not over seventeen or eighteen years of age, not by the "Kentucky lawyer" mentioned iu that connection. It is cer¬ tain that eight, out of the eleven men killed, were killed on the west side of the creek, and belonged to Captain Adams' command. To their honor be it said, this command made a stand as none others did.

J. K. Robinson, and a father and son by the name of Fowler. On the 23d oi May, a party of ten men left Dixon's Ferry lor the purpose of burying the body of Durly. They were accompanied by Felix St. Vrain, and six others, who were to take dis¬ patches through to Galena. The ten men return¬ ed to Dixon in safety after the burial, the others went on towards Galena, and were attacked by Indians, as stated on page 29.

The Volunteer troops were mustered out at Dixon,s Ferry, at the close of the Black Hawk war, and not the "United States troops," as stated on the 31st page, first columu.

The sketch of the present institutions of Dixon was prepared and printed in June, 1880. This ex¬ planation is due from the fact that the description was written in the present tense, and several changes have taken place, especially in the officers ol the various civic societies, before the date ol issuing the book, December 9,1880.

The statement on the 36th page of the number of graduates from the High School since 1864, should read seventy-six, lusteadof "seventy-two;" forty-three females, and thirty-three males.

The Wavcrly House has changed hands since writing the notice on the the 37th page; it is now under lhe management of Mosier & Cutting, both men of experience in the hotel business.

Since printing the sketch of the "Dixon Plow Works" [page 41) their has been a change in own ership and management. September 15,1880, the Orvis Plow Company became proprietors, and the business is now tinder the immediate manage¬ ment of Messrs. F. K. Oivis and John L. Orvis, who have for the last fifteen years been identified with it.

Old Settler Record Corrections - Buckalu, Joseph, came to county in 1843. Braudon, Ed¬ ward, born ir. 1795, came to county in 1837, died in October, 1839; John, born in 1801, came to county

Source changes here: from History of Lee County, Illinois, by Stevens, Frank Everett, published 1914; 7,664 words in this source stream.

Dixon Township

lu such a frontier outijost as was Dixon, iu its \'ery early years, the life of the settler might be said to have been more or less precarious, especially after the Indian war of 1832 and the threatened Winneljago outbreak of the year following. Dangers, how ever from Indians were less to be feared than dangers from the thieves and coimterfeiters and claim- junipers, who sought the new country as an asylimi, and foi' the jjurpose of i)lying their craft.

In each coimnunity associations were formed l)y settlers and these associations adopted constitutions and by-laws and amalgamated themselves with the associations of other communities so that at a moment's notice, if the local body found itself unable to cope with the offenders, others reinforced still others. It was a sort of endless chain.

Almost everything of local and general worth pertaining to Dixon, has been noticed, except i»erhaps the Bidl- Anderson claim jumi^ing incident. A poor settler in Si;blette township was holding down a claim. A neighbor named Anderson, who owed him a. grudge, came to Dixon and representing to one Bidl, who ):)ought claims once in a while, that he was the owner of the claim, sold it to Bull and the latter at once stepped over to the United States land office and paying the money, entered it in his name.

The moment the news reached Sublette precinct, the local association started to Amboy, where lai'ge reinforcements Joined, and together the mass of men Journeyed to Dixon to pay their respects to Bull, innocent of wrong as he was. Just south of Dixon the greater number of the committee tarried in tlie timber while a committee went into the old Western Hotel to got Bull. To represent Bidl in the proposed trial. IVfessrs. Badger and Blair were chosen and, when Bull was called, he very natur- ally was iudiguaiit. He was picked up and passed over the heads of the peojjle and thrown imceremonionslv into a wagon. At this time the committee poured out from the woods. The wagon had started for the jail t<> lodge Bull there for safety.

At that particular time the notorioxis Bridge, of Ogle county, was conlined, pending his trial. Constable N. G. H. Morrill when he saw the crowd, thought it had come over from Ogle to lynch Bridge, then in jail here, and he demanded that they release the })risoner to him. But Constable i\Iorrill was tossed aside unceremoniously. Bull at last was enabled to get a hearing and when Badger and Blair learned that he was a resi:»eetable man who at times Ijonght claims in a legitimate manner, he was acquitted and later the neighbor settled the account ])y giving to Bull his note for the money paid for the claim. But not all the defendants got off so easily. Many were ordered out of the C(»unt3' and not one instance is recorded of the man who failed to go when ordered. The claim jaraii^ers claimed that so long as title to the land was in the United States, there was no property in bare claims and so their sale was illegal and after the claimant had aliandoned the claim, it was anybody's pri\'ilege to take it up. The claim jumpers society held otherwise and subsequently the Legislature acknowledged property rights in claims and sundry laws were passed to protect the claimant in those rights.

But very few of those men actually lived in Dixon. Most of them were hold-claims and when this large class of men came to the ferry on business, it then was a very busy place.

During the Black Hawk war, a man, and army sntler, named Tilson, established himself in the Dixon cal)in as sutler and trader and in the winter of 1833-4, John K. Robison taught the Dixon and Kellogg and one or two <ithcr childi'en in one of its rooms.

When Mr. Dixon l:)onght the ferry from Ogee, this upright portion was all that was l)uilt. Inmiediately upon taking possession, Mr. J)ixon built a double calthi of rough logs close to it. Subsequently wdien he iinished the block house portion and made it habitable, he j()ined it to his double cabin by a connecting portion of split shakes.

The roof was built of shakes; the chinmeys were built of stone, partly on the outside of the house. A small lean-to was built on the north side, which latter was used for a kitchen.

By looking at the picture of it presented in this book, a small building ^nll be notice<l on the north side of the river. This was the fort built by Zachary Taylor and his regulars while encami^ed during the Black Hawk war. It was built for the purpose of i)rotecting the ferry during the war and he named it Fort Dixon. This building was rather longer than wide. Aromid it port holes were left through which to tire in case of attack.

Around all this, an embankment of earth was thrown al)out five feet high and covering a s(|uare of gr(tund aljout 500 feet. The fort stood about 350 feet north of the present north end of the bridge and about seventy-five feet to the westward.

Up until about the year 1843 the old fort still stood. The old Galena stage road ran to the westward along this south embankment and between it and the river. Then it turned at the southwest corner of the embankment and traversed a northwesterly course through Ogle and Carroll counties and on into Jo Da\iess county. To this very day, the old diagiioal road is used for a considerable distance through Cari'oll county between Milledgeville and Lanark and I have traveled it manv times.

This old log house, the tlrst to be erected iu Dixon, faced south, beiuy placed at a slight augle to the river aud directly across the old trail from Peoria, now Peoria avenue. It stood alxiut 200 feet from the river. The next house Ijuilt in Dixon st(Jod inunediately to the east of the corner now occupied by the CUty National Bank, on the spot on which the directors' rooms rest today. It was a log building, built by James P. Dixon, and was about sixteen feet square, with a small lean-to l)uilt against its east side. In this building the postoffice was ](»eated when iNlr. John Dixon was Ijostmaster. This house disappeared a))out the year 1855. Some have maintained that the old north side l)locl<; liouse stood until that year, but this is a mistake. In the yviw 1S;!(), our hrst regular merchants. Chapman lV: Hamilton opened their store in the bloek house part of the oi'iginal mansion and Father Dixon who had done a limited amount of trading and had continued to run the ferry, removed to bis claiiii, a few rods soutliwest of what now is the Chicago aud Northwestern passenger station.

In the autumn of 1836, the size of the place had increased by the appearance of the first frame house built by Jude W. Hanulton, the merchant just across the street from Mr. James P. Dixon's house. As a matter of fact, the little house had been erected in 1835. It was a little mite of a thing; not more than fifteen or eighteen feet across the front and perhaps twenty feet running backward to include the little kitchen built on its north side. Another house which in 1836 had l:)een built was the one built in 1835 by James Wilson for a blacksmith shop and which has been more particularly described iu that portion of this work apportioned to the courts held early iu the comity while we were a pai't of Ogle county. Another log building, afterwards covered with siding, was located on the southwest corner of River and Crawford streets. It was built by a Doctor Forrest, who was the original claimant of the subsequent Woodford farm up tlie river on the north side. Subsequently Smith Gilbraith lived in it and one of the old settlers made the statement that when he reached Dixon, he handed over all the money he possessed, $300, to Smith Gilbraith to keep for him, IxM-ause the house was the only one that had a cellar, and cellars those days wei'c considered im])regiiable. Later this house became a saloon named "The Hole in the Wall."

One Colonel Johnson ke])t boarders or private tavern in a log l)iii](ling built on the s(»utheast corner of Cah^ua avenue and River street where the Eli Baker buildiu"' stands todav.

At the same time the census showed the following residents of Dixon: James P. Dixon, Peter MeKeuney, Sanuiel Johnsou, Jude A>'. Hamilton, James B. Barr and Edwin W. Hine. These gentlemen had families here with them. The remainder of the census, umnarried were. Dr. Oliver Everett, Smith Gilbraitli, James Wilson, Dauiel B. Mclveuuey, who was a member of Peter McKeuney's family. On farms immediately contiguous there lived Stephen Fuller, "Oalel) Tallmadge, E. W. 'Cvell, John Dixon and George A. Marshall.

There was not merchandising enough in those days to make it profitable. Tavern keeping was the most lucrative business of the early days and that accounts for the seemingly large number of taverns which were t(i hv found in the very newest settlements, and for that matter, all along thr great thonmghfares like the Chicago road.

The first hotel l)uilt in Dixon was tlie Western, already mentioned. It was ojiened in tlie winter of 1836-7 hy Peter McKenney and Horace Thompson and that same old hostelry stands today, on Hennepin avenue, next south of Beier's ])akery. Sul)- sequently it became known as the Mansion House, the Revere House and half a dozen other names.

Over on what now is known as Adelheid Park, a townsite was platted called Burlingt<tu, and for a time it contained as many or more houses than Dixon. Stephen Fuller lived there when first he came to the country. In 1836 it still had three log houses, so that it will be seen that while the movement of ])eo])le to a common center was slow, townsite speculators were active and very wide awake for the future.

Two -^-ery important things ha^jpened in Dixon in the year 1834, for Dixon: the name of the postoffice was changed fi'oui Ogee's Ferry to Dixon's Ferrv and the Government sur^'eyed what then was called Dixon towuship.

But to return to the year 1836; the six families for a little while were reduced to four by the removal of two of them, (^aleb Tallmadge lived on the Peoria I'oad, a mile south of town. E. AV. Covell and George A. Martin lived on claims on the north side of the river, Joseph Crawford lived on his claim in the lieud of the river from the day he landed in Dixon in the year 1835. And. too. the year 1836 was the year Stephen Frdler was lining in Bur-

Considerable mystery has been allowed to accummulate aronnd the location of the old Pheuix House, which in the early day was built here. In the year 1837 the old Rock RiA'er House was built on River street, about tifty feet west of the soutlnvest corner of Galena avenue and River street. It was run first l)y Crowell and Wilson, then by George Holly and Isaac Robinson; afterwards in 1846 it was destroyed by fire.

About the year 1840 followed the famous old Dixon House, built on First street at the southeast corner of the alley between Galena and Hennepin avenues. This was built by Henry McKenney, father of Uriah McKenney of this city, and was run as the Dixon House until about the year 1855, possibly 1857, when it was moved around to the spot occupied at this time b}^ the E. J. Countrjrman store on the west side of Galena avenue. There it remained as a hotel, run under many names until it was torn dowm by the purchaser, I. B. Countryman, who Iniilt the present Countryman store there.

In the year 1837 the first dry goods store was opened by Samuel M. Bowman & Co., on the southwest corner of River and Galena. This firm continued in l)usiness there until the winter of 1^39-40 when Josei)h T. Little and S. G. D. Howard opened the second dry goods store in the l)uilding. Bowman, by the bye, made the first temperance speech in Polo which ever was delivered in this part of the country.

On River street, a Frenchman named Calmeze. kept a grocery store in 1838-9, from which he sokl candles of unusual length, and which, according to tradition, contained whiskey. This buildiiig was located east of the corner of Galena avenue and subsequently was occu])ied Ijy Elias Bovey as his lumber office, and has been referred to as The Hole in the Wall.

In 1837 the number of families in Dixon had increased to thirteen and Dixon considered lu'rself a verv likel.v place. In the yeai' 1843, when incorporation was desired, Dixon had fortyfour voters, every one of whom cast his vote in favor of incorporatif)!!. By the year 1845. the place had a popidation of 400.

The year 1840 Avas a great year for Dixon. Through the instnnnentality of Mr. Dixon, the land office was removed from Galena to Dixon. The removal was the sensation of the state. In 1838 Father Dixon liad been appointed Commissioner of Internal Imi^rovements, a great honor, and from his ai^point- nient lie was presumed to cany considerable weight iu llliuuis politics, but to secure the removal of the land office seemed incredible for a long time.

At that time Colonel John Dement was receiver of the land office, and with the removal to Dixon of his office he was compelled to come along. This year was an important one in securing Colonel Dement; just as imi)0i'tant a factor in tlie life of the town as the land office. Indeed, if the removal brought Dement here, it did a vast amount for Dixon. For lifty years the name of Colonel John Dement was most powerful. Active in politics always, he commanded a vast amount of influence, and that influence always was exerted first for the interests of Dixon before he permitted himself to consider his own interests.

At this point it may well be said that the name Dixonville, applied sometimes to this place, was so applied without any license whatsoever. The postoffice was named Dixon's Ferry, then Dixon. Many men of learning, notably United States Senator Young, addressed letters to Father Dixon at Dixonville, but the superscriptions always contained the real name of the postoffice. The name Dixon\nlle came to be used a little because certain map men, hearing the name, applied by rumor to the place, immediately placed it on their maps. I have the various maps which contained this name. Naturally, frequent reference to the maps gave the observer the false idea that this place was named Dixonville, bTit after a little while the map men learned their mistake and corrected it in all future maps.

Attracted by reports of the l^eauties of Rock River, a number of persons of cultivated tastes, of leisure, refinement and considerable property, closed out their holdings in the eastern states and migrated to Dixon. The munber included, too, others, who had been affected by the terrible panic of 1837. Among the number were the Grahams, the Charters, the Lawrences, the Roundys, the Zimmermanns, the Reardons, the Strongs, John Shillaber and many others. These people were all people of rare education. Some had considerable means and they surroiuided themselves with almost feudal establishments. All were lavish entertainers. Some had been army officers, some had been sea captains. Proliably the best known was Governor Alexander Charters, a rare old Irish gentleman, originally from County Antrim, Ireland.

In 18-iO the population of Lee county was 2,035. Dixon precinct had 725; 125 persons in the latter were farmers, 17 iu merchandising, 55 iu manufacturing, sawmills principally; 12 Ijrofessioual men and one school with 30 pupils.

In 1845 the i:)opulation of Lee had increased to 3,282. Dixon had six lawyers, four churc-h societies, one church building, one select aud one district school Avitli roml^ined attendance of sixty pupils. There were 149 school children under twenty years old; three physicians, live dry goods and three grocery stores, four blacksmith shops, three wagon shops, three tailors, two shoemakers, one painter, two cabinet makers, two saddle and harness shops, one bakery, two hotels, one the old Western, kei)t by Aaron L. Porter, and the Pheuix, on River street. There also was a young men's lyceum. The population of Dixon was 400. In 1846 the first big fire swe})t away the store of Stiles and Eddy, on the southwest corner of Clalena and River streets, and the Phenix Hotel, just a little to the west, were l)urued.

In the autumn of 1846 Dixon's first brick block was built iu Dixon ; two stores of two stories and attic were built on the north side of Eirst street, where today it stands adjoining the LTnion block on the Avest. James and Horace Benjamin built the west one and A. T. Murphy the east one.

In the attic of the Murphy building the first Odd Eellows' lodge was organized and its meetings were held there for a long while. Until stairs were Ituilt later, a ladder was used to reach the I'ooms.

The first corporation to be organized in IjCc county was "The Dixon Hotel Company" iu 1837. The names of the incorporators will he found iu the fcJlowmg letter from Secretary of State Woods; its objects as well:

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the pe()i)le of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembl.y, That John Atchison, James Evans, Charles S. Boyd, Wm. C. Bostick, Charles Cliapman, John Dixon, Smith (Jilljraith, James P. Dixon, L. S. I Lift, Johu Brown, and Samuel Jdlmson. their associates and successors, be and they arc h('rel)y constituted a l)ody p()litic and corporate, under the name of the "Dixon Hotel Company," to be located in the town of Dixon, Ogle county; and l)y that name shall ha\c jiowcr to contract and hr contracted with, and may sue and he sued, plead and l>c iiuidcadcd, answci' and lie answered unto, iu all courts having competent jurisdiction, and shall be vested with all the pttwers and privileges necessary to the object of their incorporation, as are hereinafter defined and limited.

Sec. 2. The said company shall have power and be capable of holding, purchasing, improving, selling, and conveying any estate, real or personal, for the use of said corporation; second, to improve or erect buildiiigs on the same; third, to rent, lease, or occupy any or all such lands belonging to said company for a term not exceeding the limits of this charter ; Provided, That the real estate, owned by said company, shall not exceed one quarter section of land, except such as may be held as collateral secin-ity for debts due said company, or may become the property thereof by virtue of such indebtedness.

Nearly all the names are familiar to Dixon peojile. T cannot see where this corporation had any lawful right to issue money, yet it will be seen that Nicholas Biddle of the famous ITnited States Bank received money in bits from it. An illustration of one of the pieces which came into the editor's possession is reproduced in this book.

And while eugaged iu ijieking odds and ends, it may be well to introduce, at this point, a list of all of Dixon's postmasters. No correct list ever before has ]:)een presented: