Quincy Township (part 2 of 74)

The first courthouse was located by order of the Commissioners, December 17th, 1825, on lot six, block eleven. This placed it in the edge of a natui-al grove on Fifth street, near the corner of Maine, where now stands what is known as the Dodd building. It faced west. "At the meeting on December 16th, 1825, the County Commissioners ordered that the sherifi' let to the lowest bidder the work of building a courthouse, to be twenty feet long, eighteen feet wide, of hewn logs seven inches thick and to face ten inches, to be laid as close together as they are in J. Eose's house," (this was the cabin of John Wood, the first and model house of the place, in which Wood and Kose lived), the lower story to be eight feet high, the building to have nine joists, eight sleepers, to be covered with clapboards and to be completed by March 15th, 1826. The work of putting up the logs was let to John L. Soule, for $79.00. The other contractors were Willard Keyes, $25.00; John Soule, stairways, etc., $32.00; Levi Hadley, chimneys, etc., $49.50. Some minor contracts called for the finishing work to be completed by May 15th, 1826.

The organization of the county, of necessity, developed and made mutually acciuainted the scattered immigration that had slowly come in during the past two years.

Willard Keyes, Joshua Streeter, John Wood, Asa Tyrer, Earl Wilson, Daniel Whipple. Samuel Sewai'd, Henry Jacobs, Jesse Cox, John L. Soule, Dr. Thos. Baker, John Droulard, Ira Pierce, Hezekiah Spillman, Benjamin ]McNitt, H. H. Snow, Jeremiah Rose, from QUINCY and neighborhood: Samuel Stone. L. C. K. Hamilton. Peter Journey, Levi Wells, Fernando Slayton, Ebenezer Harkness, Abijah Cadwell, the two John Thomases, Rial Crandall, Levi Hadley, Amos Bancroft, Daniel Mooi-e, Thos ]\IcCraney, Zepheniah Ames, David and Ames Beebe, Elias Adams, John Waggoner, Justus I. Perigo, Jesse Coxe, Daniel Lisle, from the southern part of the county; Luther Whitney, Peter Williams. Hiram R. Hawley, Lewis Kinney. Samuel Croshong, George Campbell, Richard Worley. from Hancock and the northern section ; and Wm. Jashley, Jeremiah Hill, Benjamin Her. David Ray, Wm. Snow, James Adams, Silas Brooks, Jas. Green. Thomas Foreman, William Barritt, Cyrus Hibbard and Morrel Marston, from different localities. Mo.st of these came into the county during this or the preceding year, and the names may be recognized as those of families now residing in the eountv.

First General Store. Free And Easy Social Life

POJ..ITICAL. FIRST LEGISLATIVE MENTION OF gniNCY. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' SALE OF LOTS. FIRST HOTEL AND HOTEL PRICES. FIRST GENERAL STORE. FREE AND EASY SOCIAL LIFE.

The sec-oud year (18"J6) of (.^uiiiey'.s existence as the county seat saw slight and shiw changes in its appearance and popnhition. The same may be said of the county, Avhich, however, grew a little faster. Trade, that great quickener of prosperity, was, from lack of production and market, as yet almost altogether wanting.

The general political record for this year shows the election of Ninian Edwards, former territorial governor and first United States senator, as governor, and Wm. Kinney, a Baptist clergyman, as lieutenant governor. They were men of very different personal appeai-ance and characteristics. Edwards was a gifted, polished, proud, self-conscious gentleman, while Kinney, a shrewd, aspiring politician, and adri)it on the stump, had none of these qualities. Joseph Duncan of ilorgan countj', one of the best public men of the past, was elected representative to congress, (Illinois was then entitled to but one), over Daniel P. Cook, (a most able and popular man, the son-in-law of Gov. Edwards), who had held this office for several years.

The special session of the legislature of 18-5- 26, passed January 22nd, 1826, a state reappointment act, uuder which Pike, Adams, Schuyler, Fulton and Peoria counties and the region north, were constituted a representative district, which elected Levi Roberts and Henry J. Boss to the lower house of the general assembly. At the same session, a senatorial district was established, comprising the same counties, witli the addition of IMorgan. As this law changed the former senatorial districts, a singular proviso was added, to the effect that if in the new district thus constituted, the senator to be elected should be chosen from Morgan County, the then sitting senator (Carlin) .should hold over and be considered as the senator for the old district of Adams. Archil)ald Job was elected from Morgan, and thus Carl in, who resided in Greene county, remained as the senator. It was charged that there was a ,iob in this legislation, but what it may have been was of but temporary interest and soon forgotten.

(.^uincy to Springfield. This was done, but for many years its line was only known by the "blazes" on the trees through the untraveled forest. A law passed January 27th, 1826, imjiosed a graded assessment upon the several counties of the Military Tract, for the State revenue. I'lidei- this act. the assessment against Adams county was fixed at $200 per annum. The Judiciary law, Avhich had been operative for the pa.st two years was remodeled at the session of 1826-27 and new appointments made of circuit judges. To the circuit composed of the Military Tract, with a few counties east of the Illinois river added, Samuel D. Lockwond. of Jacksonville, was assigned, succeeding John Yoreke Sawyer. Judge Lockwood, a most superior man, held this position until 1831.

The ccnintv commissioners this year were Levi Wells, John' A. Wakefield and*Luther Whitney, - the last named, a resident of what is now Hancock county. Whitney and Wakefield succeeded Keyes and Journey. Wakefield was a quaint character; he left Adams county soon after his term of office expired, and many years after came to the surface during the "Border Ruffian" times of Kansas. His title to immortality rests on his "History of the Black Hawk War," (written some forty-five or more years ago) ; an amusing publication, made up of the narration of some valuable facts, interspersed with whimsical expressions that Josh Billings or Mark Twain might envy. One of tiiese we recall. He describes the ai'my as moving "at a left angle."

Frequent meetings of the commissioners' court were necessarily held to provide for and protect the groAving Avants and interests of the new community. At their jMarch meeting they appointed Levi Hadley county assessor, and at the same meeting, a sale (the second one) of town lots, was ordered to be held on the 18th of the following May. This sale, advertised, as had been the preceding one, in the St. Louis and Edwardsville papers, did not attract, as Avas hoped, purchasers from abroad, and the scale of prices does not appear to have materially changed. There Avas then, as noAV. much more land than money in Illinois, and the distance betAveen the tAvo factors Avas infinitely greater than at present. A portion of the supposed most desirable lots Avhich had been reserved from the fir.st sale, Avere noAV placed on the market, Avith Avhat result Ave shall see. These prices may prove a curious study to speculators of the present day.

The corner of Fourth and Hampshire, running south on Foiu'th 196 feet, half Avay to ]Maine, sold for .$35.50. On the north side of Hampshire, betAveen Fourth and Fifth, the four lots, Nus. o. 6, 7, S, c-omprisiug all on tlie north On June (ith the ferry franchise was granted side of the public square, sold respectively for to Ira Pierce for ten years for the sum of $55. $14.25, $18, $18.25 and $13; total $65.50. Lot The courthouse was so far completed as to be 8, at the corner of Hampshire and Fifth, it ready for use during the spring of this year. It will be seen brought the lowest figure. The was occupied until its destruction by fire in the reason was that it was cut by a ravine, and the winter of 1835. At the 5th of September meetfront lay some feet lower than the street. "West ing a pound or stray pen was ordered to be of Fourth street, ou the north side of Ilamp- built, near the courthouse, and at a later meetshire, the entire frontage of three lots, Nos. 6, ing the contract was assigned to James B. Petit 7 and 8, 297 feet, running west to lot No. 5, for $51.

which was reserved as the market lot, sold for As stated in the preceding chapter at the $24. East of the square, speculation went more meeting of the commissioners, on December wild. 19S feet along the south side of Hamp- 4th, it was ordered that the .south half of block shire street, embracing the property afterward one (1) should be set off for a burial ground for occupied by the Adamy, Peine and Dutcher the people of Adams County. This is the south buildings, was sold for $14.25. The entire front half of what is now Jefferson Square, on which of Hampshire street ou the north side between the courthouse now stands. It was used as a Fifth and Sixth streets, was knocked off at burying ground for about nine years, when the $28.25: the corner lot (northeast corner of ground at the southeast corner of Maine and Hampshire and Fifth (1886). 99 feet being a Twenty-fourth streets was purchased for that deep ravine), sold for $3.25. Corresponding purpose, and no interments were afterwards prices ruled elsewhere, but the above were the made in the old cemetery. Many bodies were choice lots. It will be noticed that most of removed to the new grounds, but many graves these sales were of lots on or touching on Hamp- could not be identified, and their contents were shire street. The reason for this was that there- not disturbed. The remains of the ancestors of on was almcst the only level land. Fourth nuiny of our present people, are there, along street was broken near ilaine by a ravine which with the many transient and unknown travelers, ran diagonally across the block, west of the who here died. Governor Hubbard, the second square from southeast to northwest. Maine governor of the state, was there interred, bi;t street on Si.xth was impassible ou account of a his place of burial can not be found, broad ravine some thirty feet in depth. South- Many years later, the north half of this block, east of Maine and the square, the ground was which was a deep ravine, originally considered greatly broken, north of Hampshire the same, as almost worthless, was purchased from priwhile Hampshire street itself from Sixth to vate pai'ties. The ground was used for school Eighth street, ran for some distance on an al- purposes for some years. After much discusmost even ridge and gave the easiest access to sion and question of title between the city, the surrounding coiintrj-. county, etc., the imposing courthouse, alike our At the same meeting the county comniis- county convenience and pride, was erected sioners is.sued the first tavern license to Rufus thereon in 1876.

still stands. The tavern rates as established by through the little settlement when it was anthe commissioners were for nounced that "a store" was about to be started.

Past And Present Of Ada.Ms I'Ounty

at eac'li for a week oi- twn. ami after satisfying the ueeds of the se\'eral loealities by disposing of their stook at fal)uIous profits, drop down to St. Ijouis to replenish. They usually made three or four trips in a season. Sometimes, though rarely, one settler abler than the rest, would go to St. Louis, Louisiana or Palmj^ra, where purchases could be made at better rates.

It should he known that northwestern Missouri was nnu'h advanced beyond the adjacent section of Illinois in its period of settlement, owing to the fact that the public lands there were thrown early into market. Louisiana was, up to about the time of the location of QUINCY as the county seat, the general mail depot for the surrounding country. Each week a squad of soldiers from Fort Edwards (now Warsaw) were sent down the river to Louisiana to bringup the military mail that came to that point from St. Louis, Palmyra, from the government aid that it had received, was like its classic prototype of old, a minature "Queen of the Wilderness.'' Mr. Wood, relates that during this year, the day before his marriage, he walked down to opposite the mouth of the Fabius, canoed over the river, thence footed it to Palmj-i-a to purchase a pair of shoes for his "bride to wear" at the ceremony of the following day, returning the same way that he went. It was a long, hard tramp, but undoubtedly the good man felt, especially on his return, that he was faithfulh^ walking into his lady-love's affections.

It is pleasant to imagine the visions of painted calicoes, strong brogans, brilliant blue table-dishes, many-colored ribbons, household articles and all the shopping delights ready to hand, that filled the minds of the people of the little hamlet when Anderson announced and opened his budget of goods, and they felt that at last they had a store of their own. The stock, of course, was small, of less than one thousand dollars in value, of a miscellaneous nature, but suited to th<' simple needs of the lalain people.

For the two following years Anderson retained the monopoly of trade. He was enterprising, generous in his dealings and prospered, except that at one time, almost his entire accumidation of profits was stolen by a runaway and defaulting county official. Soon after he came, he established his store on the northeast corner of Third and Maine streets, where he continued his business until his death from cholora in 183.3.

An amusing and truthful story is told of a piece of luck that befell him, and which at first, seemed to be a sad disaster. The second year after his removal, encouraged by his success and desirous of enjoying his monopoly while the day lasted, he purchased a stock amounting to over .$3.0()(). The steamboat on which he lunl ship[)ed his goods, sunk some distance below, but after being under water for some time, was raised, and came with the damaged freight to QUINCY. A large portion of the goods consisted of colored prints, muslins, .shawls, handkei'chiefs, ribbons, etc., the hues of which, after so long soaking in the water, had all "run together." making ii. most brilliant blending of indrcliiplii'i-ablc Huiircs and designs. Anderson was ill dismay, hut, witli a wild hope of saving something from his wrecked fortune, he offered the goods at public auctions, and to his great surprise, and satisfaction, so .strongly did these liotcli-pot-rolored goods catch the fancy of the settb'rs, that he realized a profit from their sale which enabled him to lay in a larger stock than before. This demonstrates that in crude, as in more pretentious communities, an absurdity most easily becomes a fashion, and that auction fevers were then as epidemic as now.

These times ccnitrast strangely with tlie appearances of to-day. It is not easy to inuigine, looking from within our present surroundings, our ciueen-like city, proud, active, solid, planted witli massive structures, - abiding tokens of industry and wealth ; and the full-peopled county, with the well reaped rewards of toil and thrift treasui'es gathered from its willing soil, these past scenes of but little over fifty years ago ; when every habitation was built of logs, every tloor (where floor there was) made from juuicheons, every chimney and fire-place either raised with rough stones "chinked" with nuid, or constructed of sticks and mud, when not a brick had been moulded or laid in the county, and mortar, laths, shingles, and paint, and all such articles were as yet unknown.

Still, all these deprivations of that which belongs to higher social comfort were scarcely then felt, because they were universal. The coui'sc of life in those days was enjoyable and good. .Most of the people Avere young and the novel, wild life, suited their careless adventurous natures. Their needs Avere tew and Avere easily provided for. Food came almost spontaneously. The forests Avere full of game : the ponds and rivers SAvarmed Avith fish : their cattle had unlimited pasture ; in their little farm enclosures, the rich, ripe soil retvu'ned a generoiis yield of domestic A'egetables. grain and fruits. But little surplus Avas raised as there Avns no market of consequence. Jeans and linsey Avoolsey anfSAvered for outer clothing. Those AA'ho could, indulged in calico and shoes, those Avho could not did Avithout.

other : they were as social as distances would permit, aud their abimdaut leisure allowed the cultivation of this sociality. Their jDartial seclusion from the busier world promoted social habits, thrown as they were upon their own resources and each other's aid. No dress distinctions existed; no "society sets" were known. Hospitality was the universal rule. Every man"s house was a free resort for the neighlxir or traveler, though the latter be a stranger. News from abroad was common property. Newspapers i^assed from hand to hand, aud their fortunate recipient was generally required to read to a surrounding company. Each traveler or new settler, must unfold his budget of news, all that he had seen or known or had "hear'n tell" in his distant former home, or learned on his way to the West.

The week days were periods of steady, but easy labor. Sundays were hours of quiet rest for some, of whole family visits for others, where a natural exchange was made of all that either had learned during the week, and for others less reverential or less social, they were good days for hunting and fishing. The monotony was varied by the arrival of the scant weekly mail or the occasional landing of steamers, which passed rarely, at irregular times, and sometimes did not stop, and again by the advent of the new settler, which was always a sensation - either the "mover," as the better to do immigrant was called, M'ho came with his family and household goods in a covered one or two horse wagon, or the poorer "packer," who trudged along with his worldly possessions strapped upon a horse's back, each of the travelers being accompanied by a few cattle and one or two dogs. They would stay at the village a few days, while the head of the household, if a land-owner, would, under the guidance of some earlier settler, seek out the corners of his land, marked as they would be by blazed trees in the timber and small earth mounds, .stone piles or half-charred stakes set up on the prairies. Almost any of the older settlers were thoroughly posted in the finding of those survey marks. The land found, the settler would select and clear off his building spot, usually near a brook or spring, if possible, then with the aid of a few of his nearest neighbors, erect his humble cabin, plant his family therein and settle doAvn to the development and improvement of his future home.

The poor packer, usually having no land of his own to look up. would disappear after a few days, and might later be seen or heard of as having "squatted" in the bru.sli near a spring, on some vacant land belonging either to Uncle Sam or to some eastern non-resident. Most of this class, as civilization advanced and settlements thickened, pulled up their stakes (usually they had little else to pull up) and struck out for a still farther West, where they could find "more room."

There was occasional i^reaching by itinerant preachers of various sects and all .shades of character. Some of these were good and earnest men, others, and most of them, however, were men whose toughness of cheek and voliune of voice were the only atonements for their lack of mental capacity. The coming of these clergymen was generally known well in advance throughout the connnunity, aud as a general rule, everybody attended.

Election day, county court meetings and circiiit coui't week, of course, brought quite a geneial attendance of the country folks, and the village was then well enlivened by horse and foot races, jumping matches and target shooting for turkeys or beef, the day almost invariably ending oif Avith more than one "rough and tumble" fight.

There wei'e often pleasant social gatherings, the picnic, the quilting, the Avedding, and if at these, dress, polish or manner and fashion Avere missing, substantial profusion and innocent, hearty jollity and zest more than made amends. But these primitive times, Avith their Avild fascinations and easily endured toils and cares haA'e gone, like the clouds of their accompanying years, and have left no like, and ncA-er can there be their like again. The footprints made and the lines then draAA'n haA'e been SAvept aAvay by the resistless AvaA'e of change, and no similar field noAV aAvaits the entrance of young and eager aclA'enturers. Pioneerism and civilization uoAV moA^e side by side. As Avas Avell said by an old pioneer who thii-ty yeai's ago visited the El Dorado of the Pacific Coast (then just open to the Avondrous rush of the gold seekers) and again, tAveuty years later, repeated his trip, "I haA'e seen three great Wests in my life time ; one in Avestern Ncav York, one in Illinois and one in California, but there is not noAV and can never be a West like the past.

very slowly. It had very few people, none with capital, and the inducements to settle here were not tempting. It had not many enterprising men. such as usually take the lead in enterprising cities. Quincy. like Topsy. had to "come to herself," and "just grow."

Trade was trilling; money was a curiosity. Beeswax and coonskius were the readiest and most general circulating media ; the limited agricultural production from the country adjacent, utterly failing as yet to make it, even incipiently. the generous and well known mart, for which it was so well fitted by situation, and which it has since become.

True, it would boast at the commencement of the year, of a courthouse, hotel and store, saddle, shoemaker and blacksmith shop, in or just on the edge of town, and a doctor only a mile or two away. Its morals were presitmably good, as neither preacher nor lawyer had settled within it. It has some half dozen "first settlers" in the country about it, yet there were only about a dozen families in the town, and most of these had but just begun to be established, and were as new as the town. There were, however, during the year, added to the above, a school house and a grocery; at one or the other of which, mental or physical satisfaction could be imbibed, though the inliibitions of the latter institution were the more favorite and general.

The school was opened late in the year in the recently finished courthouse, the teacher being Rev. Jabez Porter, a Presbyterian clergyman, from Abingdon, Mass., a man of much more than ordinary culture, a graduate of a New England college. He was in feeble health, and came West in hope of restoration. He lived for several years, and in the year 1828, connnenced the first regular preaching known in Quincy (at the courthouse). He died in 1831 or '32. Plis school was very select as to quantity, if not as to quality. Among the half score of new families in Quincy and the vicinity, children were a rare and somewhat curious hixury, and a few of the scholars Avere as old as himself, young men and women who had had no educational opportunities and sought this opportunity to learn how to read and write.

It is touching to think of the difficulties in the way of lluise who desired education in those days. Of course, spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic were the four corner stones, but the trouble was. that no text books could be obtained, and pupils had to furnish their own. Spelling was comparatively the easiest, because there were spelling books and primers. Grammar was ruled by the way the school master talked. True, an occasional Lindlev Murrav might turn up, and there was no great difficulty as to writing, that, of course was a mechanical study, which could take care of itself. Oeographj' was somewhat easily taught, as maps will find their way everywhere, and more or less of geographical information is in all families; but when it came to reading, Avhich, is instinctively and properl.y, the first thought and desire of all, there were no "Readers" to be obtained; each one must furnish his or her own reading book.

The writer recalls the scene, when but a year (U' two later than the date of this chapter, a school was started by IMr. "Pedagogue Seymour," as he was called, we, the writer and his relatives, presented ourselves with Olney's geography, Kirkham's grammar, and AVorcester's readers. Of some forty scholars, all but, say half a dozen, were equipjied with readers, most of them Testaments, two or three the old Jlethodist green, paper covered little hymn book, one or two with au old novel or history, and three of the boys had an outfit imique. One had a French volume of Voltaire's life of Charles the XII, which neither he. nor his |)arents. nor perhaps the teacher could read, another had a congressional pamphlet, which l)robably had been sent to his father on the "propriet.y of running the mails on the Sabbath." The last one, who, by the way, figured afterward briefly in congress, had a huge book (as a reader) nearly as big as himself, which in some way had fallen into his family's hands. It was the translation of an enormous volume of the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. We can never forget his reading of the first lines of the hook, "Napoleon Bonaparte was born August ].")th, 1779, at Ajacio. in Corsica." His voice always cracked at Ajacio, and broke at "Coi-- seeker." as he could not help calling it.

The school business was neither very extensive, nor profitable during these days, for the reason, that, there were but fcAv "j'oung ideas to shoot," and also that the older ideas shot mostly after another fashion. For some .years the log cabin court house was the only building where "school was kept." It was also the "church" and was made use of for all general purposes, since it was the only structure in the place big enough for such uses, or that could be spai-ed. As has been before said, the business and social fe'atures of the place exhibited but little noticeable change since 1826, but there did, during this year, sweep over the West a most memorable wave of excitement, which, while it retarded rather than advanced the prospects of Quincy for a time, is worthy of a passing mention.

(takiug iuto aeeouut the dill'ereuce iu the eouditious of the country) to that later furore which, in 1848, spurred westward that countless swarm of eager seekers, crazed by the glitter of California's yellow treasures. Sti'ange it is witli what an universal and electric grasp, the mining mania will take possession of a people. Let but the rumor start that there has been found in a "hole in the gi'ound," something shining and new, and there is at once, "down with the shovel and the hoe," away with the yardstick and pen, sell off the stock, shut up i;he shop, and all coat tails point horizontally, straight backwards as men frantically rush to where they hope to get rich in a minute. For one lucky blunderer who retvirns with a better suit of clothes than he wore away, there are a thousand who do not.

Out of the hundreds who left Quincy in 1848 for the Pacifie Coast, we cannot remember one who came back with fortunes bettered. They had, however, acquired "experience."

This "lead fever" Avas a hot - yes a melting one. The tide of northern travel was wonderfully increased in volume. Why it should then have become so, one cannot divine. Lead had been known to exist, and had been worked for in that section for many years, by the Indians long ago, but this year on a sudden, all "went for it." The creeping keel boat which until this time, had controlled almost the entire transportation of the river, was now outdone by rapid steamers. These, the Shamrock, and Indiana, and pei'haps another which heretofore had two or three times during the season, made trips from St. Louis to "the mines," were now in constant motion, their decks swarming with people. One-third, probably of the residents of Quincy, (mauj' of them with their families) moved up "ter Galeny, " as the expression went, and made terajjoraiy settlement there.

It was from this streaming northwest of soTithern and central lUinoisians (soon to return) that our State patronymic "Sucker," came. There is a clumsy, hubberly fish in our Mississippi waters, shaped much like the catfish and occasionally nearly as large, known as the "Sucker" or "Round-mouth," which swims mostly in the deep water near the bottom and rarely takes the hook.

It was once quite numerou.s, but now is rarely seen. Its habit Avas to migrate northward early in the spring, thei-e spawn, and descend in the fall. It was remarked that many of the families went up at the same time and returned at the same time, with an increased family, like the "Suckers." Hence the name, ilost of the emigi'ants from one section, soon discovered that a surer source of substantial wealth, with less coarse toil, and jiiore comforts, was in the rich lap of the prairie earth, of the lower sections of the State, and this fever gradually abated, though continuing for some years. Among those of our early settlers who moved with their families to the mines and spent the season there, were the late Levi Wells and John Wood.

Daniel Lisle, who was the first settler in Adams county, was this year elected County Commissioner. lie first located not far from the present town of Liberty. Wesley Williams, brother of the well known Archie Williams, was appointed county treasurer.

At the ilarch term of the county commissioners' court, it was ordered that a jail be built at an expense of not over $150.50, on lot 6, block 11, with very detailed and precise specifications. The upper story of the courthouse was ordered to be raised "two logs higher." Our fathers were evidently getting their heads up.

High Price Of Goods. Stttle Of Dress

THE '-LE'AD FEVER" HELPED QUINCY. JUDGE LOCKWOOD AND JUDGE YOUNG. NEW JAIL. FIKST CLERGYMAN. HOLMES OPENS A STORE, THE SECOND IN QUINCY. GOODS FREIGHTED ON KEEL B0.4.TS. GENEIRAL APPEARANCE OF THE TOWN. ADVANCE IN PRICES OF LOTS. HIGH PRICE OF GOODS. STTTLE OF DRESS. FASHIONS. THE LOG C.^BIN COOKING UTENSILS AND FURNITURE.

Quincy was now three years of age, and still growing - or perhaps we should say growing still, for its growth was very modest and still. There were, however, some influences iu operation during this year, that tended materially to promote its future welfare. Most of the "Suckers" by this time had returned, satiated, from Galena. The attention that had been attracted to Illinois by tlie "lead fever" excitement was productive of some valuable results. It left stranded on our western or northwestern border, men of enterprise and activity whose industry and energy greatly aided the growth of the State.

Now. as before, and for some years, the county progressed in population more steadily than the town. Some political and business changes appear upon the record. The circuit court was still presided over by Judge Lockwood, who was regularly accompanied on his periodic semi-annual visit by a bevy of from a half-dozen to a dozen of lawyers. A. W. Caverly, of Greene county, was the prosecuting attor- uey. Judge r'averly died in 1875 at Ottawa, 111. He was at the time of his death, the oldest practicing lawyer of Illinois; second only in legal seniority to Judge Sidney Breeze, who also passed into death soon after his life-long friend, Judge Caverly. Judge Breeze's legal life from 1818, had been niaiul.y passed upon the bench, while Caverly practiced as a lawyer. How these circuit riding lawyers managed to live was phenomenal, but they did and the like live yet, and that same mystery exists today. Perhaps they lived off of each other like Sam Slick's two boys, Avhom he described as being "so smart that, if shut up together in a room, they would make two dollars a day each by swopping jack knives."

The precision, dignity and decoruin which the personal character and recognized capacity of Judge Lockwood, and also his successor Judge Young, impressed upon the administration of law in this section, contrasting greatly with the laxaties in propriety that too much defaced the western forum, were of strong and long effect in earty establishing the marked preeminence of the Quincy bench and bar, which had been since so well maintained.

Judge H. II. Snow continued to be the general office holder of the county and probate judge, county and circuit clerk and recorder and kept singing school beside. Ira Pierce was re-elected sheriff, an office which he held for ten years, until he left for Texas. Hugh White was surveyor, and Wesley Williams treasurer. Herman Wallace succeeded Asa Tyrer as coroner at the August election. The county commissioners were James White and George Prazier. II. J. Ross, of Pike county, succeeded Carlin to the State senate: and A. W. Caverly of Greene, John Turney of Peoria, and John Austin of Jo Daviess county, were elected State representatives.

One can obtain an idea of the sparseness of population by noting the extent of this representative district, and the distance between the residences of the members. Joseph Duncan, of Morgan county, was re-chosen representative to congress. His district embraced all that portion of the State north of and including Morgan county. His unsuccessful opponent was George Porcpiier of Sangamon county. The presidential vote of the State and of Adams county, was cast for Andrew Jackson over John Quincy Adams.

The county commissioners on September 1828, ordered that lot 4, block 11, should be reserved "for the sole and only purpose of erecting thereon a school house or school houses, or an academy or seminary of learning," for the people of Adams county, and that the same slididd l)e exempted froju taxation. It will be remembered that in the platting of the town in 1825, the west half of block 11 was "reserved for i^ublic purposes." On this ground were erected the tirst two courthouses and jails.

Lot 4, set apart as above, is that part of this reserved ground, on which stood the north half of the lately burned courthouse, the line running thence northward along Fifth street some sixty or seventy feet. It does not appear that this order of the court was permanently complied with, nor were the other reservations, but the land was gradually disposed of, there remaining only in the possession of the county that central portion on which the old courthouse and jail stood and this, after the destructive fire of 1875, and the erection of the present courthouse on Jett'erson Square, passed at public sale in private possession.

At their meeting on December 4th, the county commissioners ordered that a clerk's office should be built and also a jail. These orders were carried out after a fashion, and comiDleted some years later. The second story of the courthouse, which Avas then the office of the county, the circuit clerk, recorder, and of Judge Snow generally, as he was the official "Omnium" of the county, was afterward the law office of the late Senator Browning, and yet later, when the courthouse was burned in 1835, was occupied as a carpenter shop. The jail now ordered and finished a year or two later, was a ciuaint contrivance in the dungeon style ; the cell or place of continement being in the lower story which had grated windows, but no entrance opening except through a trap door from the second story floor. The moral impressions entertained by culprits when being sent down to punishment might, perhaps, be of value to the present time theologians in their controversies over what should be the most forcible and significant version of the word ' ' Hades. ' '

Jabez Porter has been mentioned as the first minister to hold regular services. There were other clergymen who appeared from time to time of various denominations and equally various qualifications and characteristics. Somewere excellent, intelligent men and some otherwise, with a graduated scale of fitness, running between the two exti'cmes of qualifications and otherwise. There was a Mr. Bogard from a neighboring county, a very worthy, well-seeming, quiet man on the street, but when in the pulpit he stamped and roared almost so as to lie heard in Morgan conntv, his home. There was the Rev. Mr. Robert.s, who was miu-h given to "damn those sins he had no mind to and follow those he felt inclined to." He dropped into one of Mr. Porter's meetings one Sunday at the conrthonse, and when Judge Snow commenced tuning at his bass viol to lead the singing, lie left in holy horror and went a fishing in the bay. There was also old uncle Johnnie Kii-kpatrick, one of the best men that ever lived and who always drew a full cabin when he preached. His style was not patterned on Princeton or Harvard rules, but it was peculiar and effective. I remember one of his sermons. "Christians," he said, "don't go through the world blindfolded; they know jist whar thaire bound ; that they are on the right track to heaven. Supposin', nw brethren, you was going to Atlas, you wouldn't strike oiit back in the prairie, and take round the corner of Keyes' fence. No, that would take you to Fort Edwai'd, but you'd take down the river and be sure you was on tlie right road, because you'd see three notches on the trees, and it's jist so with the Christian. He knows he's on the straight road to heaven, and there's notches all along the way."

Additional to the other favorable influences operating tliis year, was the establishment of a store by Charles Holmes and Robert Tillson. - Up to this time Asher Anderson was the only merchant and held the monopoly of the trade. His "store," on the northeast corner of Slaine and "^I'hird streets was the only regular trading place in the village. There were the occasional groceries, where the ownership of a barrel or more of whiskey and nothing else, christened as "grocery," the cabin where the said whiskey was pecldled out by the drink, but no varied stock of goods had until now appeared to contest Avith Anderson for a share of the general trade. The story of Mr. Holmes, who preceded his partner in settlement, may be worth recital as picturing the primitive condition of things in those early days.

He had a store in St, Louis at that time, and happening to stop over at Quincy, while on a trip to Galena, liked the prospects of the place and concluded to settle here. He found much difSculty and delay in getting his goods from St. Louis. Steamboats ran only occasionally and it was late in the season when several of them had been Tip for the year. The owners of the keel boats were unwilling to start unless fully freighted, and always charged the same for way freight that they did for what was to be transported to the end of their route. The reason for this was, that these boats rarely obtained many passengers or much freight after leaving port, either on the passage up or the return. Hence the keel boats often laid long in port. It was also somewhat the same with the steamboats. Old settlers can remember how steamboats, partially laden, would lie at the St. Louis wharf for days in succession, with steam up and wheels moving, and in apparent in.stant readiness to move, while the captain would vigorously ring the bell about every fifteen minutes, constantly declaring that he would "leave right away." "lie can lie like a steamboat captain," was the phrase which expressed the "ultima thule" of falsehood.

Becoming wearied with waiting for a steamer, Mr. Holmes, in connection with two other yoiing men, one of whom had a stock for Hannibal and the other for Palmyra, chartered a keel boat on which he shipped his goods, about four thousand dollarr ' worth of miscellaneous merchandise.

The boat reached Alton on the fourth day out. This seemed almost as slow as being at St. Louis. Meeting there a descending steamer, the Black Rover, and finding that it would return in a day or two on its last trip up (this was November). Hr. Holmes took passage, reaching Quincy in advance of his goods, which came along safely after a twenty days' trip from St. Louis. Keel boats which were then the mo.st usual mediums of transportation (as steamers were few and irregular as well as expensive) were propelled up stream sometimes by poling: but generally by "cordelling." that is, by passing long lines ahead, fastening them to trees on the bank, and drawing the boat up thereby. This slow and monotonous pr.ocess gave an average daily progress of about eight miles. Sometimes a favoring south wind brisk enough to overcome the current sprang up, and by spreading a large square sail, the speed would be greatly increased, with also much saving of labor.

The first salutation that Mr. Holmes received when his goods were landed was from Elam S, Freeman, who died at Basco. Hancock county, about a year and a half ago. Freeman was a substantial, excellent man, who acquired the title of major from service in the Black Hawk war in 1832-3. He Avas a blacksmith of herculean frame, and used a voice in full keeping with his size. "Young man," said he, "have you brought any vises with you." "No," said Mi*. Holmes with a characteristic touch of humor, "but from the looks of things here I expect to get some soon."

.seamed with ragged gullie.s; along the river's brink was strung a .scanty fringe of feeble trees. A few cabins lay along Front street looking as if they might have tumbled down the hill and were too feeble to return. These were mostly north of Hampshire street, and extending in a broken string as far up as the little cove in the bluff, where Spring street comes through. Among these was the cabin of Willard Keyes. about the corner of Vermont street, and just south of this, Avith some houses between, was a little larger double cabin than the others, which was George W. llight's "Steamboat Hotel." Three or four of the buildings were groceries, of the style spoken of heretofore, and patronized mostly by boatmen and Indians. Thence southward on Front street was the cabin of John Wood at the foot of Delaware street. Between these two points was the cabin of Levi Wells, half Avay up the hill near State street, and farther north three or four more such structures hung against the hillside. The steamboat landing was at the foot of Vermont street. There, the rock from under the bluff cropped out at the river's edge, so as to be visible at an ordinary stage of water. Three or four ragged looking trees grew near the liank. convenient for the boats to tie to. These ai)pearances continued for many years, even until the small landing was made at the foot of Hampshire in 1839.

There were but two routes b.y wliieh wagons could ascend the hill: one, south of the village along the Milnor creek and where now is Delaware street ; the otlier, by a very steep and circuitous track, which, wandering upward from near the corner of Front and Vermont streets, finally reached the level of the public square at Hampshire street, between Third and Fourth. On the hill the main settlements lay. Arcunid the square on the north, west and south, were scattered cabins, about half a doze)i on each side. Near the corner of Maine was the courthouse. South and southwest of the public square and east along Hampshire street, or "Pucker Street'" as it was nicknamed, for Uvo i)\- three hundred yards were similar structures, with here and there a cabin located farther east. The square was cut diagonally from northeast to southwest by a wagon road, running across it, such as no ravine, but the wagon road made. It boasted a luxuriant growth of hazel bi-ush, intersected by footpaths, and also supported three or fiiur small trees and one large white oak.

And this was Quincy. There were then the store and three hotels, one under the hill, one at the southwest and the other at the northeast corners of the scpiare. They made no pretense to aristocratic elegance or sumptuous gastronomy, yet the "big bugs" frequented them in profusion and force. All ot thsse buildings were of logs, mostly round or unhewn. Brick, plaster, laths and weather boarding were factors yet to come, as they did in the following year.

Continuing the reminiscences of ilr. Holmes - as giving a good insight to the api^earance of those pi'istine days and as affording personal information in regard to Quincy, it ajDpears that his, the second store of the place, was tirst established in a small shanty on Hampshire street, west of and near Fifth, adjacent to what M'as then tlie "Log Cabin," afterwards the "Land Office Hotel," owned and kept bv Barzillai Clark.

Requiring larger and safer accommodations for his business than his leaky cabin afforded, I\Ir. Holmes soon after bought of Col. Wheelock 1!)6 feet, fronting, both on Maine and Fourth streets, being lots 6 and 7, of block 13, diagonally across from the Quincy House, long afterwards known as the post office corner.

For this he paid $175, one half cash, the remainder in goods or "store truck," as it was called. He was the recipient of a good deal of quizzing for having paid such a price for lots that had been sold two or three years earlier for about $30, but he consoled himself and satisfied his partner Tillson, who ari-ived iu the following spring, by the comfortable fact that the $175 of "store pay" was a very iiliable sum, taking into account the margins between eastern purchases and western prices.

Prices of goods ruled very strangely, and were as unfixed on many articles as are mining stock quotations to-day. The arrival of two or juore boats at the same time: the receipt of a stock of eastern or southern goods after a long delay, or earlier than was expected, gave them a very elastic value, in one direction or the I it her. It is true that a few of the more needed and more ea.sily obtained staples were held at nearly the same relative cost at all times, l)ut the i)rofit (HI these was high. Eastern goods especially sold dear. The cost, risk and time involved in their transportation by sea to New Orleans, thence the slow travel up the ilississippi, and re-shipment of St. Louis, and their weighty or bulky and damageable nature caused the selling figure when they arrived to lie well set up.

Prints ranged from 30 to 40 cents : hardware was quite costly: axes, for instance, brought from $2.25 to $2.50, and all other agricultural and mechanical implements were priced in like liroportion. Boots and shoes were rated high. Good crockerv was scarce and sold at a high figure. Ordinary and plain ware was far cheaper, for tlie reason that the quantitj- of hoiiseliold utensils was very limited, and the needs in this direetiou were made up by the use of gourds and domestic "earthen ware." Flour, which brought from $8 to $10 per barrel, as also bacon and all salted provision, was almost entirely imported at this time, and after- until about the year 1832. Sugar, coffee, rice and southern products generally ruled lower.

Clothing was mosth' home made. Jeans, blue as the best looking, yellow or butternut, the most common, was the almost universal male garb. Sometimes Buckskin was used, which, when carefully dressed, dyed and fitted, made a handsome, indeed often an elegant suit, with wonderful durability of wear. Women generally wore homespun, the linsey-woolsey, with the printed muslin, or calico, to be donned on Sundaj', and on the head the huge horn comb, covered by the universal sun bonnet, worn at all times, indoors and out. Shoes were a dress article, used by all who could afford them, and carefully hoarded up by all for winter needs.

It was not uncommon for women walking to meeting or to a gathering of any kind, to take their shoes in hand and put them on just before they reached the place of assemblage, taking them off again while on their return. The least used article of what we deem necessary apparel, was the stocking. This garment, the most modern invention of all our useful clothing, utterly unknown in ancient times, was almost equally unlaiown in the earlj' times of our West. Stockings were of wool, home knit, generally, white or gray, except when taste or coquetry would give them a walnut, grape, or some other modest dark vegetable dye. Flashy color's were unknown. The exhibition of a pair of the fiamingo-hued longitudinals worn at the jjresent day woxdd have made a decided sensation.

Fashion is Protean - limitlessly so - and is mosth' itself when extreme. It is equally worshiped and intolerant in the ]Modoc wigwam and the Paris salon. The London snob or the French dandy, and their hidicrous imitators here, are not more obects of reverential admiration and imitation than was the aspiring savage, who, to do honor to his white brothers, presented himself at an Indian eoiuieil clothed only with an old military chapeau and plume - exhibiting, as Washington Irving humorously tells us. the general oiScer on top and big Indian at bottom. The passion for finery prevails among all classes without regard to "age, race, color or previous condition," and it often has eminently amusing features. The "height of the style," as now seen, will well pass for a patent scarecrow forty or fifty years hence, just as a street or party exhibition of the full-dress garb of a generation past, would cause the fair fashionables of to-day, with an " oh ! mercy ! ' ' shock and slmdder, to pull back and train out yet further in very defense.

A brief description of a handsome, conscious rustic Adams county belle, as she appeared when dashing up to the meetin '-house door on horseback, some fifty odd years ago, is thus told by a lady observer. She had been a belle also in the rural region from which she came to the West, and brought with her some remnants of her former finery, stj^les, even then passed out of fashion. Dark grey woolen stockings, cowhide brogans. with leather shoestrings, a very short, sky-blue silk skirt, somewhat faded: a black silk waist or sleeveless jacket, also much worn and furnishing its own fringe in the fray of its edges ; enormous white puffed leg-of-mutton sleeves ; a square muslin cape, with a broad, unstarched ruffle, a huge white leghorn, sugar scoop bonnet, with a long black feather and parti-colored ribbons promiscuously bestowed thereon. Would not such an apparition now-a-days induce our neatly dressed church-goers to say "oh, Moses?"

Equallj- primitive with the dress and personale of our ' ' old settlers ' ' was the contracted and most home made furnishings of their homes. As the succeeding year marked the commencement of more pretentious constructions, with their natural accompaniments of increased comfort and style, it is worth the while to look briefly into these old-time households which depicted modes of life and usage, the same throughout the entire community, such as just then were about to begin passing away, and such as this section Avill never behold again. The houses, as has been stated, were all built of logs, genei'ally the roiind log with the bark left on, the interstices "chinked" with strips of wood driven between the logs and then mortared with clay, making thus a thick, warm wall, impervious to wind or damp. The door was fastened by a large, wooden latch on the inside ; the latch raised by a string which passed to the outside through a hole in the door, the string being pulled in at night; it turned on Avooden hinges, which were of two kinds - either a huge imitation of the great gate hinges of to-day, or more commonly a straight upright stick, the height of the door, fastened to it.3 back end, having dull pointed ends above and below to revolve in a hole in the floor and one in the frame above.

because there were no carpets to be had. and next for the reason that carpets would have had a short existence on the puncheon tioor. These puncheons were made by splittingthrough the center, logs of from eight to ten feet in length and from twenty to thirty inches in diameter, and laying them along side each other, the Hat side up and the lower or round side partially imbedded in the ground. Such floors were often convenient to the housewife when sweeping, since part of the dirt would drop through the interstices, and so much less remained to be swept out of the door. Bedsteads were easily made in the coruei's of the room; the walls constituting the head and one side, the other side aud the foot being supported by a single leg or post. Wooden pegs were driven into the walls, on which hung clothing. Near the fireplace, a half dozen rough shelves for holding dishes, these usually covered by a cloth in place of a door. A broad, long board was above the great fire-place, on which would be placed all sorts of things, rarely omitting the bottle of bitters (roots or "yarbs'' in whiskey), the universal panacea to keep ofl; the periodical "shake." It is very surprising to know how broadly prevalent in those days was the " f ever-an-ager. " Indeed, not to be sub.ieet to it, was the sanitary exception rather than the rule.

Additional to the furnishings above named was the table, home-manufactured, heavy and strong, about three feet square (more often less) for the two-fold reason that there was but little spai-e space for it and that there were not enough dishes to go around on a larger one ; also three or four stools, a bench and sometimes a couple of split-bottomed chairs ; the water bucket, or in its place the piggin, these were the sum total of the cabinet ware of the house. Cloths suspended from the rafters by strings, sometimes surrounded the beds, making them more private ; but this was not usual.

For the needs of cooking and eating, no great variet}^ was reciuired. It will be remembered that all cooking was then done either in the fireplace or over coals on the hearth. Cook stoves had not yet come into use; even the inventions so prized, which immediately preceded the introduction of the stove, these were the tin - oaster and tin baker - had not made their appearance. The spider, a utensil now comparatively little used, was then of universal use for baking purposes. It was a large, flat iron skillet with four shox't legs, an iron cover, concave on the top. This, when filled with dough was placed on a bed of coals, the top profusely filled with the same, and most excellent was the bake. Boiling was done in a large iron kettle, susi^ended over the fire by a hook which hung in the huge chimney. Occasionally, an iron crane, turning on a hinge and attached to one side of the chimney, took place of the hook, but these were not common.

These two articles were the necessities aud answered most of the needs of all. A small amount of crockery was sometimes seen, but limited in quantity. Tinware was common and applied generally to all sorts of iises. The great chimney and its broad, cheerful fire-place, whether open and clean-swept in summer, or bright with the blaze of its huge crackling logs in Avinter, was an essential feature of the house ; giving ventilation at one season and warmth and light during the other. Occupying with the fir-e-place usually half of one end of the house, it was built wp outside of and against it. It was mostly made of sticks, completely covered and imbedded in clay. This would after awhile sometimes burn out, but with attention it was very durable. Now and then the lower part of the chimney and the inside hearth were made of flat stones mortared with clay.

These houses, though small, usually about sixteen feet, rarely over twenty, square and seemingly cramped, had a singular capacity for accommodating many, and if constructed with ordinary care, were very comfortable and healthy at all seasons.

The brief descriptions above applj' to the more crude and earlier structures, and nu>re especially to those in the country, yet it was such as these that were still by far the most common. There were a few more spacious and pretentious habitations built according to the means and tastes of their owners with greater care and regard to appearance. The frames of such were of square hewn logs, the four corners of the house sawed off evenly, the heighth sometimes sufficient to have a sort of half story attic above, with a clapboard flooring. The ascent to this attic was by a ladder from the corner of the room below. In these better built cabins occasionally woiild be seen a floor of split boards, and perhaps a breadth or two of rag carpeting, and a small cupboard, bureau, or rocking chair brought from the former home, or other articles of similar kind. The families who first settled here encumbered themselves on their long journey \vith as little weighty or bulky furniture as possible, and the younger families made up in the West could as yet find neither the articles nor the wherewith to buy.

The best of the houses were the double cabins, joined by a common roof, with the intervening space iisually about fifteen or twenty feet in width, left unenclosed at one end, with doors opening' on opj^osite sides into either house. As more room came to be required an additional cabin would be attached wherever it appeared most handy, without any anxiety about architectural rules so that in the course of time, the group of buildings presented as irregular and as rough an appearance as a cluster of oysters. Thus looked Quincy from outside aud within over a half centurj- ago. The survivors of those times to whom it is a personal remembrance are but two, Mrs. Levi Wells, whose husband was one of the first three county commissioners elected in 1825, and who came to the county in 1824, and a few years later moved into the village, and Mr. Robert Tillsou, who arrived here early in 1829, are the only living residents now here who were of matured years and can recall the appearance of the place prior to 1830.

The oldest living person now residing here, who Avas born in Quincy, and was born before 1830. is Mr. Daniel C. Wood, eldest son of the late. Gov. Wood.

The deserii^tions above given may seem needless on account of their being not unfamiliar appearances to many at the present day, but they form an essential part of these current sketches and must somewhere have a place therein.

Slaves. The Rowdy

There was little to attract settlement in the aspect of a ragged looking hamlet containing less than two hundred people, and composed of about a dozen log cabins strung along the river shore, uninviting in appearance, with the exception of the Keyes' cabin at the foot of Vermont. This was improved in the fall of this year by a little frame addition, a ten or twelve foot square room, being the second frame structure in the place. Wood's cabin at the foot of Delawai-e, the first one built, now, however, had received some log extensions. There were also on the hill, scattered irregular around, and near the public square, about a score of similar cabins.

As yet no frame or brick liouse had been built, and lath and plaster were yet to come. The place was little more than a steamboat landing for the boats that passed occasionally.

on their trips to and from Galena and St. Louis. Often these passed by without having occasion to stop, having neither passengers nor freight to deliver, and not being signalled to receive either. It was these occasional appearances of steamers, of which three or four plied between the two points named, making a trip once in three weeks, which, whether they landed or not, gave a temporary life and stir to the village and caused the only break in its every day monotony.

There were two stores, those of Anderson and of Tillson & Holmes, which sold everything that was needed, and took as pay anything in trade, and there were some half a dozen groceries which dealt in one single staple ai-- ticle, and did therein a more inspii'ing, if not a more lucrative business than did the general stores, and were far more popular.

This year came the second physician, S. W. Rogers, and the first lawyer, Archibald Williams. There were several mechanical occupations represented, each singly, thus having the entire monopoly of the town trade in their own line. There was the saddler, L. B. Allen, with his shop on the south side of Maine, nearly on the highest point of the bluff; east of him, on the same side of the street were Michael Mast's tailor and Justus Ensign's hatter shops, and nearly opposite, the store of Asher Anderson. On Front, near York, was the tannery of Ira Pierce and Jeptha Lambkin's pottery. Col. Freeman, blacksmith, was northwest of the square, and Asa Tyrer and Samuel Seward had a blacksmith aud wagon shop southeast of the town. Droulard's shoemaker's shop was at his cabin near where the gas works now are. These cover most of the mechanical occupations which were here at the commencement, though others came during the year. Strange it may seem, and yet not so, because there was nothing yet for them to do, there was neither a carpenter nor a mason in the place.

The circuit clerk at this time was H. H. Snow, who held this and nearly every other clerical local office in the county - probate judge, county clerk, surveyor, etc. - for nearly ten j^ears, from the date of its organization. Another long lived official at this period, was Earl Pierce, who held the office of sheriff by successive election, six terms, from 1826 to 1836 : the last term, however, being broken by his sudden departure for Texas in 1837 - faithfully, it is said, adhering to the charge and possession of a goodly amount of the county funds, which he probably thought it unsafe to leave behind him. Offices did not change hands so frequently in those days as since, probably for the two reasons that tliej' paid but little, and there were but com- l^aratively few who were qualitied by education to fill them. The eouuty coiumissiouei's, who were imtil 1834 (when Quincy was incorporated as a town) its sole authorities, were George Prazier, Samuel Stone and James White. Descendants of all these are now residents in the county or city. Philip W. Martin, long a i^rominent citizen of the county and a captain in the Black Hawk war, was elected County Commissioner in the place of James White in September, and at the same time Charles Holmes, who died in St. Louis in June '89, from whose recollections much of these sketches is derived, was chosen county treasurer. An auction of a portion of the unsold town lots which had not been offered at previous sales, and of such as had been sold and the purchaser failed to pay for, was had on March 4th, with but small success, and no seeming advance on former prices. The village settlement was still very slow, although county innnigration was pouring in fast, especially to- Avards the eastern section in the Clayton and Camp Point neighborhood.

Among the well known old time settlers of the city and county who were here before, and Avh'o came in this .vear were Nathaniel Summers, Robert Tillson, W. P. Harrison, George Chapman, Archibald Williams, Dr. S. W. Eogers of Quincy, S. S. Meachan, Thaddeus Pond and Sanmel Ferguson of Bui-ton, Eeuben Doty, Peter Felt,Obediah Waddell. Jacob Wagner of Melrose, J. H. Anderson, Thos. Crank, Wm. M. Kirkpatrick, W. H. Wade, Peter Orr, Wm. Pryor of Lima, James Thomas, John Thomas, John Lierle of Columbus, John P. Robbins, and Lewis, Duncan, Sterne of Ellington ; Wigle, Yeargain, White and Walby of Gilmer.

A jail was contracted for to be erected at a cost of $200. Ferry rates were established the same as the year before, and the exclusive ferry license was given to Hugh White for the nominal sum of $2 a year. Among the public notices of the time was what would appear singular at this later day, the manumission of some slaves by John W. Stern and James Anderson. These had been brought from Kentucky b.y their masters, and under the existing laws of the state, it was requisite that if freed the master must give bonds for their conduct and that they should not become dependent on the public for support, and nui.st make official announcement of this, which was done by handbills and posters, there being no ])aper here then published.

The social and business aspect of the place had now but little changed from what it presented in 1825 - changed it may be said in no real respect except that there was more of it.

Quincy was as yet but little more than the trading point for this section, business made up from its two stores and two or three groggeries and the visit of an occasional trading boat, such as foi'merly had been common on the upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers, but now had disappeared. The stocks in these stores were neither large nor various. Merchandizing consisted mainly in the retailing at round profits of a few dry goods and groceries with farmer's tools, powder and lead. These were generally paid for in money, of which there was but little in the country - most of it being brought in by the immigrants, and soon passed into the possession of the merchants and b.y them soon taken away in payment for their goods, thus keeping but little money in general circidation. Few articles of farm production were taken in exchange for goods, these exchanges consisted almost solely of peltries, tallow and beeswax. The latter was esjjecially a choice substitute tov cash.

Barter of farm products, which some yeai's later became the main feature of mercantile business in the west, had not as yet come into vogue for the reason that there was but little comparatively raised be.voud the home wants of the farmer, and also that tlie outside markets were few and distant, and would not warrant the merchant in the risks and delay attending the return of his investment in such lines. But a small portion of the sales were on credit, but these, however, with the 100 per cent profit on eastern bought articles and 25 per cent on groceries, and a 12 per cent interest allowable and customary on notes and accounts at the time gave a handsome margin of certain profit for traders who waited for their pay. The financial situation of the countrj' was as bad as could be. The times were hard. The state was going throiigh one of its many experiences of State Bank money. The issues of the State Bank, chartered in 1820, passed at 25 cents on the dollar. Yet with all this, the people got along in comfort and cheer, as the wants and wi.shes were simple and few. If the business bearings appeared hard, the social showings were very much harder. The place was thoroughly frontierish on its surface.

Society was not highly refined, but not tame. Court met twice a year, there was the annual August election, the occasional preachings, periodically, brought in a large representation of the country people, others were drawn in by business postponed for these occasions, by legal demands, curiosity and all sorts of personal inducements, proper and not so proper. These were the stirring seasons of the year, rare, brief but full of action. Trades were made, projierty ehauged hands by swop. Equine excellence on the hoof and human superiority in the run, jump, wrestle or fist was settled with as much interest and attraction (though on a minor scale) as the race at present for the Derby. A redeeming feature of these old-time petty contests was that they were honest and unferocious. Each locality was supposed to have its best man or rather its best fighters, each of them ambitious to extend their fame and wliip the neighboring boss or bully, and the public days were the occasion for settling all thi.s.

Between these times the village enlivement depended mainly on itself, and upon the quaint characters who strayed in from the country, or were always loafing about the stores and groggeries. There were enough of these oddities - the old-time "half horse, half aligator" stock, which was so numerous sixty years since all along the ilississippi and which is to a partial degree exemplified now in tlie southwestern ' ' cowboy. ' '

They, especially those from the country, were a class of, not exactly rowdies, but, either periodical or constant carousers, who, without often making much of mischief in serious disturbances, always succeeded whenever they chose in giving a carminal tint to the town of the most original and ruddy hue. A development of a few nights later of the peculiarities of the place is told by Mr. Holmes.

A week or two after his arrival, he was roused after midnight from sleep by a racket in the street, and looking out saw some of the "true breed of dogs" as they were headed by two men, one of whom he had a few days before become acquainted with, as one of the leading eoimty officials, parading about the square with a candle box and in it several pieces of lighted candles, .shouting: "Rouse ye neighbors, behold us, we are the lights of the world." There were those from the south part of the county, who invariably w'hen they came to town, left it in more if not better spirits than when they came in. They were good fellows, queer fellows, such as are not seen nowadays, each with his eccentricities. There was one, John Thomas, a very worthy, kind-hearted man, who invariably when he became full enough to go home, made it his final jjoint to invite everybody to "keam eout and see me. I'll treat ye keindly if ye come and shoe ye the suy keartie."

Another witty oddity, used to periodically parade on his big horse Boleway. and announce his set speech, which was "I'm I\Iike Dodd - in a minute. I'm built from the ground up like a muskrat house, and I don't beg potatoes of a negro." These, and such as these were the types of a general and common character, and they and such as they, gave an early coarse and gross coloi'ing to the social showing of the place, but they were slowly passing away and their peculiarities with them.

Tract. First Newspaper. Various

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS. SKETCH OF THE TOWX. COURT HOUSE BURNED. LORD'S BARN. POLITICAL ATTRACTIONS OP THE MILITARY TRACT. FIRST NEWSPAPER. VARIOUS

Building Of The Quincy House. Social

CHURCHES ORGANIZED. MAIL FACILITIES. CURRENCY. UNSOUND MONEY AND INFLATION. LaW'YERS OF QUINCY. PHYSICIANS. STEAM MILL. D. G. WHITNEY. HOLMES FAil- ILY. JOHN W. M'PADON. JOHN TILLSON. BUILDING OF THE QUINCY HOUSE. SOCIAL SEAT. ADAMSBURGH. LA FAYETTE. COATSBURG. COST OF LIVING. RISE OF THE RAILROAD MANIA. ROLL CALL OF NEW SETTLERS.

How did the little town look in 183-4-5 ? It cannot better be pictured than has been done by a toui'ist of those days, from whose journal we quote: "There it is, sir," said to us that model captain and thorough gentleman (two unusually united characteristics in those days), Capt. James Whitney, of the elegant, commodious, swift-running passenger steamer Orion. "That's it; you'll get off in time for supper, but you'll do better if you don't. Stay and take supper on board. Steamboat fare was not then always attractive, usually quite the reverse, but the Orion was an exception, and our next day's gastronomic experience on the hill convinced us that the Quincy taverns and the steamboats, in the item of table luxuries ( ?) about paralyzed each other. - as a quaint old settler used to say about his store goods in comparison with those of his neighbors, and we found that we had done wisely in accepting the worth J' captain's propo.sition and secui'ing a square meal on the Orion. There lay before us, as our hoarse-breathing craft tore sturdily through the yellow 'spring rise' flood of the untamed 'Jleche seepe,' great Avater (not father of waters, as popular language has translated its name), ileche is the Algonquin word for great, as, for instance, mechegan (Michigan), which means great fishtrap, the outline of the lake .suggesting a weir or trap for fish. Also mechlemackinak or Mackinaw means great turtle, as the island of ]\Iackinaw resembles a turtle in shape. Again, the Indian word seepe, from which comes the English or rather American word seep, signifies water or flow. Thus taken together we tind meeheseepe - great flow or great Avater.

"But we are stopping onr steamer all this time, while before ns lies under the rays of the declining sun, the heavy grass-green blutf dotted here and there with cabin or tree.

"Sprinkled along the river bank, as if somebody had let them fall and thought it not wortli tlie while to pick them up. were what were called improvements. A little .steam mill at the foot of what is noAV Delaware street, was wheezing away, as if in constant expectation of medical aid or immediate collapse. Near by it lay a couple of somewhat clean looking cabins; south thereof was a tangled mass of unbroken tree and brush and vine vegetation; above, along the water's edge, stood some tiimbledown looking .structures as far up as JIaine street, some used, some used up. and sonu^ useless.

"Yet farther on, a rambling row of log, frame and loose stone building between Maine and Broadway, - and Avas Quincy. We land at the foot of Vermont street.

"Here, the rock crops out close to the water's edge. A tew dead beat trees dolefully linger as hitching posts for the landing steamer. Right before us stare the sign 'Steamboat Hotel.' at the corner of Front and Vermont. Shall Ave stop there? Again comes in our good captain's adi^iee. 'Better not; I see a friend on shoi-e Avho Avill take you on the hill in his buggy. If you go to the Stcniiiboat Hotel it'll be buggy all night Avitli Vdu, and not much better on the hill, only that you'll get clear of mosquitoes and may not be roused by a street roAV. ' We talce our good cajitain's advice and again profit. Many a grateful and sad memory will often stray toAvards the name of this noble gentleman, AA^ho afterAvards, draAvn by the pride of high adventure, thrcAV a rising fortune into the stirring strifes of the Pacific Coast, and earned there as popular a name as he Avore Avhen Avith us.

"No .street AA-as then graded to the lop of the hill from the river, and Ave ascend liy a Avinding road, starting from about the present corner of Front and Vermont. We cross Hampshire, betAveen Second and Third, and land at last on level ground near the store of Asher Anderson, the fii'st merchant, at the corner of Third and Maine. 'Well.' Ave say, 'Where is the toAvn?' Leaving, A-ery gladly. Avliat Ave sa.AV of it under the hill. Ave see first, (ui tlu^ south side of Hampshire, betAveen Avhat is uoav Second and Third, a sehoolhouse, then further east along Hampshire, crossing a huge ravine about

Avhere the City Hall uoav stands, Ave find nothing until at the corner of Fourth. At this time liere stood a tAvo-.story frame house OAvned by Henry B. Berry, perhaps the most imposing edifice in toAA^u. Continuing from Fourth street east, first comes the log boarding house of ' WidoAv Wheat, ' Avhere afterAvard the First National Bank stood: noAV (1901) occiipied by the (^uinc.A' National Bank. There the 'elite' of the toAvn boarded. Then conies the red grocery of Tom King; next Wm. P. Reeder's frame onestory grocery, his frame house alongside, and still smaller than either, if possible, is his brick kitchen in the rear, and the first brick kitchen erected on the square, and the second in the place ; next, Ave see the small frame storehouse oAvned by Dr. S. W. Rogers : then John W. JIc- Fadon's one-story frame storehouse, Avliere is noAV Montgomery's drug .store; farther east comes the long two-story frame 'Land Office Hotel,' Avith an unrivaled state reputation for the liveliness of its beds and the luxuriant soil deposits on its floors. There the big bugs .stopped and stayed. In the east end of the same Avas the laAV office of 0. H. BroAvning, then the rising, as, for fifty years, he Avas the leading representative man of the Quincy bar. A little farther on, at the corner of Fifth, Avas Robert Tillsou's one and a half story log clAvelling house, some five feet beloAV grade.

"North of Hampshire, on Third, Fourth and Fifth streets, there Avere scattered clAvellings, and all north of BroadAvay, Avas the 'Keyes farm,' extending from TAvelfth to Front street, and from BroadAvay to Chestnut. The original cost to Mr. Keyes of that splendid property Avas about eleven dollars, Avith an addition in the Avay of a bonus for the privilege of secviring the tax title to this half section. He after- Avard obtained, at a much increased figure, the patentee's title, thus protecting his claim to the Avhole. Tavo Avinding raA'ines tending north- Avesterly. avouucI through this section betAveen Hamp.shire and BroadAvay, and occupied most of the area, leaving but here and there a place for a fcAV cabins. The 'Burial Ground' (the south half of AA'hat is uoav Jefferson Park, Avhere the courthouse stands) Avas a higher and more even piece of ground, unenclosed, with a few trees on it, and a rail pen or pile of brush here and there, indicating the existence of a grave.

"The north half of this square Avas a deep raA'ine. BetAveen Fifth and Sixth, on the north side of Hampshire, Avere tAvo cabins (a portion of this ground being badly cut up by raA'ines. The two-.story brick house of Judge Young, on the ground Avhere the Tremont House stands, came later. On the south side of Hampshire, being built liy Loriug 11. Reynolds, the two-story frame, which many may remember iu later years as being the tavern kept by Joel Emery, whose musical 'Never Drink a Drop Again,' was a daily town melody. Farther on, looking east along the south side of Hampshire, were several small structures, some log, some frame, some on the street, others back : among the latter the cooper shop of "Wells & Morgan, in the rear of the present Rogers' building, which was, we believe, the first important cooperage establishment in the place.

"East of Sixth street was the government land office, a one-story frame, then Guth's cabin: next three or four more residences of like appearance. Across Seventh, on the ground where the old Browning mansion is now, and the Catholic schoolhouse stands, extending beyond Eighth, were several log residences, one a double cabin, occupied by Jesse Summers, another, by Henry Kemp. Thence on to Twelfth, there was a succession of hazel rough, then forest, and the whole area cut by half a dozen ravines running south. Hampshire, or 'Pucker' street, as it was in town slang, called, was the only outlet from the public scpiare to the north and east. It ran along a ridge as far as Eighth, where the road turned northeast, cutting across vacant ground imtil it reached the Alstyne prairie.

"On the north side of Hampshire where the Episcopal Church stands, was a corn field, in which stood David Karnes' blacksmith shop; the only house on that side of the street was Droulard's second house, a double cabin, where the Bushnell residence now stands. Droulai-d was the owner of this entire cjuai'ter section, but it was all whittled out of his hands, and he died, as he lived, a poor 'French schentelman. ' A cabin at the corner of Twelfth and Maine was for a short time, Ave believe, occupied by Mike Docld, a rare humorist and eccentric man, whose descendants now reside in Concord township. He died in 1857, was one of the earliest settlers, and tradition is laden with his quaint sayings and acts. About where the Webster schoolhouse stands the ground was cinite heavily wooded. With the exception of the cabin above-named, there was nothing in the way of what was called 'impi'ovement' in this section. Out on Maine street, east of the sc(uare, there were one or two cabins on the south side, between Fifth and Sixth, but beyond that, nothing. The great ravine that crossed the street at Sixth, ended in that direction.

a couple of cabins, one of which had been used as a schoolroom. Also the two brick buildings of Dunsmoi'e and Carlin, in process of erection. These were built on the ground originally reserved for 'school purposes.' Next, about half Avay along the block, and back from the street, was the log jail of that day, the terror of great criminals and small boys. Its design was both ingenious and economical. It had no doors to the first story where rogues were confined, and the prisoners were taken upstairs to the second story and let down through a hole in the floor to the cell below. The tendency of all which was. undoubtedly, to the cultivation of better thought and more Christian disposition, .since the prisonei's could only hope and look for sustenance and deliverance from above.

"Yet farther south, near the corner of Maine, was the first courtliouse ; the primeval log temple where, as the town wag used to say, 'justice was disi:)ensed Avith.' It Avas built in 1826 and burned in the Avinter of the year Avhicli Ave are describing (1835). It was, like its successor, a fort^mate structure. Rejoicing at its birth Avere repeated at its death. The folloAA'- ing obituary from the Illinois Bounty Land Register, the first and then the only paper published in Quinc.A', in its issue of December 11, 1835, protot.ypes AA'hat Avas thought, felt and said Avhen a like cA^ent occurred on the 9th of January, 1875, forty j-ears later:

' "FIRE - Our courthouse went the way of sublunary things amidst this devouring element on Wednesday evening last. There Avere }nany present to Avitness the splendid spectacle exhibited by the columns of smoke and flame Avhich shot up to a considerable distance as the conflagration increased, but if any regrets were expressed for the accident, they did not reach our ears. '

'"Back of the courthouse there Avas a groA-e of hazel and small trees. The square itself Avas a rough hazel patch. Near its southeast corner, in the street in front of the courthouse, Avas a big stump, from Avhieh political speeches, legal sales, ont-of-door sermons, etc., Avere made. At the southAvest corner of Fifth and Maine, Avas the tAvo-story frame dAvelling and store of Levi Wells; then came toAvards the Avest tAvo or three small one-story clapboai-d structures, attached and belonging to the Wells building.

"West of the Wells building, after an interval of vacant ground that long thus remained, there stood, about the middle of the block, the little frame shop of ^Montanden, the first jeweler, afterAvards occupied by W. II. Gage, Avhose two-story residence Avas in the rear. Then came tAvo or three small one-story frame hiAV offices, used foi- such piirposes for many years by Ralston, Warren, Logan, Wheat, Gilman and successively by many of the early law.vers. Here also was the otifice of Drs. Nichols & Eels. One of the earliest of these, Avas a log cabin, clapboarded, which had been the office of 'S(|uire Logan.' He came to Qniney a little later than Archibald Williams, and was a leading lawyer, during his brief life, in a A^ariety of attainments, brilliant resoiiree and promise. He was, as JL-. Williams said, 'the brightest yoiuig lawyer of his day in Illinois, next to Ben iLlls, that I ever met.' Logan died of the all prevading fever, which with the cholera in 1832 and 1833, almost decimated the place. Next, still looking west, was Rnfus Brown's home cabin, and last, at the corner where now stands the Neweomb Hotel, was the half log, half frame tavern of Brown, the brag hotel of the place. On the corner of Foni'th and Maine was the luifinished two-story frame house of Peter Felt, purchased and occupied by Capt. Burns, and subsequently used by the Illinois State Bank. Across the way, going north, at the corner of Fourth and Maine, was the two-story frame long known as 'the old postoffice building,' the first frame .structure of the town, built in 18'J9, containing also in its chimney the first bricks burned, the first of which that was laid, being yet preserved in the wall of the large four-story house that now occu])ies the spot. Here a ravine running northeast and southwest crossed the street. Beyond that, further north, was the little frame tailor shop of Michael Ma.st, the pioneer knight of the shears. Next D. G. Whitney's two-story frame store about the center of the block, and between that and Hamp.shire a frame and a log building, one used by Gruel as a grocery, the other liy the Pearsons as a store.

"Thus appeared the public square, rifted b.y cross paths and roads and with still an occasional patch of hazel rough. There were, westward down Hamp.shire street, a few small buildings, and around the sijuare, besides those named above, perhaps half a dozen tumble-down structures, sprinkled here and there, too unsubstantial to be noticed or remembered, "South and southwest of the public scpuire, lay the most thickl.v settled residence section of the place. Along Fifth street south for three or four blocks, on either side of the ridge, were several small houses. On Jerse.y, near where the German Methodist church now stands, on the south side, between Fifth and Sixth, was the residence of ]\frs. ^Nlarshall, the widow of an early settler, who died some years earlier, and the mother of ex-Gov, Wm. Marshall, of Minnesota; and further along Jersey, westward,

"On Maine, west of Fourth, on both sides, were houses as far as Slount Pisgah on Second street, among them Anderson's store, on the corner of Third, Peabody's wool-carding factory, midway between Third and Fourth. South of the square, on Fourth street, on the west .side, was the church - 'God's bai-n,' as a long, low frame building (which was the earliest, and at the time, the only structure devoted to religious purposes) was called,

with the remembrance of that ugly, clapboarded shed (for it was but little better than a shed) are many eventful associations that should be put on I'ecord. Familiar to the memory of the few siu'viving of the period, the.v should be preserved for their descenth'nts. In that unpretentious 'manger' was first born and organized the religious sentiment of the village. There was sown the seed whence have grown and flowered the variou.s branches of j^rotestant belief by which our city is now advantaged and adorned. Almost every clmrch in Quincy, every shape of sectarian organization is an outshoot of 'God's barn.'

"It was fostered in its earlier daj's by the faithful fervor of the lamented Turner, and made influential by the learning of Nelson and the originality of Foote. It had another and a higher mission. It was freedom's fortress when here 'freedom's battle first began,' when the 'Nelson riots' arose, when humanity's duty to shield an innocent and eminent fugitive from ])ro-slavery barbarism was disputed, when that highest of American privileges, the right of free thought and free expression of thought was denied and assailed with threatened violence by men from abroad and men at home, among them, officials Avho should have been the guardians as the.v were the nominal representatives of good government and law. Then and there rallied from out the excited and divided community, true and feai'less men (fearless because of their being right) and there organized in defense of fi"ee speech and quelled the threatened lawlessness. This was a tuniing period in Qiiincy's history. The old chiirch Avas the place of rendezvous. It Avas prepared for defense, and beneath the platform of the I'ough pulpit, were hidden the arms of every sort, including hickory clubs, ready for instant use if needed. Religion and freedom Avill alike keep green the grateful memory of 'God's barn.'

"At the nortliAvest corner of Jersey and Fourth, Avhere the Baptist church noAV stands, Avas Judge SnoAv's double Aveather-boarded cabin, AA'here all the county offices Avere located, and several cabins lay farther south and west.

About tlie corner of Secoud and Keutucky, on the side of the hill, was a frame hoiise occupied by Archibald Williams, and on Fourth street, near York, was the two-story frame building of the Rev. Asa Turner, the first settled clergyman of the place."

Such was the place as recalled after the lapse of many years, though crude, rude and rough is the picture that appears from beneath the gathered dust of nearly half a century, strange in its humble contrast with the stir and spx'inging life and luxui-y of to-day; yet there is a fadeless charm in the memorial thoughts, and there is hardly one of these now vanished landmarks that we have named, to which even yet some recollection does not reach back with mingled sentiments of pleasure, in the progress which had been made, and regret that the charm of simple frontier life has passed forever away. The preceding picture, while it correctly pox"- trays and general aspect of Quincy early in 1835, is necessarily defective in detail, for the reason that it is a transcript from the tablet of a long-after recollection, and while precise as to what it does delineate, naturally has many omi.ssions. It is observable also that this was a j^ear of rapid and numerous transitions, and that the exhibit of the spring became a thoroughly altered appearance at the close of the year. These changes, or some of them, will be noted as we pass on.

The political representation of the town and county was but little varied. John JI. Robinson and Wm. L. D. Ewing were the U. S. senators (the latter a vei-y gifted man elected to fill the place of Elias Kent Kane, deceased). Col. Wm. L. May. of Springfield, was the representative in congress, his district embracing all of the state north of this line of latitude; Joseph Duncan was governor; Young was still on the bench: Wm. A. Richardson was state's attorney, elected by the legislature. The legislative representation was unchanged. The county officials were those of the year before, except that at the August election, H. H. Snow, who had held the office of county recorder since 1825, was defeated at the polls by C. W. Billingtou. a .jolly good fellow, whose good nature and lameness (he was a cripple) gave him a popular success over the "old judge." This did not matter greatly, since Snow still held the three other leading county offices.

and published. The omission of the year before, to define the boundaries in the first section, was corrected, and we give the same as they were made, they being the first town boundaries, and so continued until enlarged after Qxiincy became a city. The section reads: "Commencing at the termination of Delaware street, in John Wood's addition to Quincy, two rods west of low-water mark in the Mississippi river, thence running east one mile, thence north one mile, thence west one mile, thence south one mile to the place of beginning. This embraces the area now bounded by the river, Payson avenue. Twelfth and Oak streets.

Until this time all of the corporation action had been against rowdyism, lawlessness, nuisances, etc., but on the 17th of August the commencement of internal improvement legislation occurs. This was the appointment of Rogers. Berry and Snow (who had been appointed clerk in the place of Browning, resigned) to fix the grade of Hampshire street, and an appropriation of $'125 was made for the improvement of Hampshire and an equal amount for improving Maine, also $2 was allowed E. Morrill for removing a snag in the -Mississippi river opposite Quincy.

The winter of 1834-5 had been one of unusual severity - more injurious than any before known". There was much loss of cattle and killing of fruit trees throughout this section. Navigation, however, opened as early as the 23d of jlinuary and an early business and immigration commenced, surpassing that of all preceding periods, and which, although ever since continued, has never been so especially stirring and noticeable as it was then. JIany influences contributed to these conditions. Quincy, from various causes, became a center to which and through which, flowed a large portion of that current of immigration both native and foreiuii, which streamed "westward ho," ni search of location and home. It was. so to speak, the entrepot for farming lauds, the "El Doracio ' ' of promised settlement : the only place where could be secured by private purchase or by government entry, an ownership m the rich soil of the IMilitary Tract, or, as it was more commonly called, the "bounty lands."