Walnut Grove Township (part 1 of 2)

Walnut Grove Township

John Thompson was the first permanent settler. He was originally rom Pennsylvania, but removed from Ohio to Illinois in July, 1836, and settled in Knox county, on section 16, the present site of the village of Altona. Previous to this Jones and DePIart settled on section 21, but were scared away by the Black Hawk war in 1832. Mr. Thompson's nearest neighbor lived at Fraker's Grove, eleven miles distant.

During the years 1836-7 a band of Indians, about 30 in number, camped for a short time just west of Mr. John Thompson's residence, and near the present high-school building of Altona. An old Indian and his squaw remained long after the body of Indians left, and most excellent neighbors they were.

John Thompson, Jr., was the first male child born in this township. The second child was Helen Maria Ward, now Mrs. A. P. Stephens, of Creston, Iowa. In 1838, Mr. Ward made the first wagon tracks ever made between Walnut Grove and Yictoria.

At one time Walnut Grove township was the home of a large number of Mormons. It was revealed to Joe Smith, the prophet, that a branch church should be established, and all the inhabitants of this beautiful land should yield up a portion of their increase to the build-

Iing of a temple, sacred to the Mormon religion. While the great head of the church was at Nauvoo, Hancock county, Illinois, it was intended that a branch church should be established here, and a society of about 100 members was organized. The citizens generally were very much opposed to this plan, and a very strong intimation, backed up by the most resolute and hardy land proprietors, to the effect that the property of the Mormons and the temple of the prophet would not in an emergency be protected by them, resulted in a new " revelation," commanding them all to leave their homes and go to Hancock county where the main body of Mormons had settled.

Amos Ward was the first Postmaster in the township. He held the office for a long term of years, when it was much more troublesome than remunerative. A little drawer in a book-case served as a deposit for all the mail, for ten years.

The first school-house was built about the year 1841. It was constructed of logs, and was 16x16 feet. Mary Frail, now Mrs. Tupper, of Altona, was the first female teacher, and Eugeite Gross, who subsequently has figured quite prominently in the Legislature of this State, the first male teacher. The character of the school was good.

Prominent among the early settlers was Simeon L. Collison, who resides in the southern part of the township. He came from England to the United States in 1830, and to Knox county in 1838. About the first lawsuit in the neighborhood was for the ownership of a tree. The contestants were so fierce as to come to blows. The case was tried before a jury, in a log cabin. After all the evidences were taken, the jury retired to a small rail pen, to decide upon the merits of the question.

Source changes here: from Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Illinois, by Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo and Chicago, published 1886; 3,731 words in this source stream.

Walnut Grove Township

N attempt was made toward the settlement of this township as early as the spring of 1832, by Messrs. Jones and De Hart, who made claims on section 21. The Black Hawk War frightened and drove them away and they never returned. It was unoccupied then until 1836, when John Thompson, from Pennsylvania, came in and made a claim on section 16, the present site of the village of Altona. His nearest neighbor then was at Fraker's Grove, some 11 miles distanti The only near neighbors the Thompsons had were a band of Indians ; two of this band, an Indian and his squaw, remaining for a long time. Thompson was wont to speak of this couple in high praise, and regretted much to have them move away. Amos Ward and Stephen Eames moved into the township soon after Mr. Thompson, also Simeon L. Collinson, from England. From 1838 the settlement increased quite rapidly, and among those who came in were many of the Mormon faith, the leader of whom, Joseph Smith, proposed to establish a branch church here, and to erect a temple for worship. At this time the head of this so-called religious society was at Naiivoo, Hancock County, 111. They organized a society hereof about 100 members. The fanatics were not very cordially received by the other settlers, and it was intimated to them that they would not be protected here either in person or property, and that they had better seek some other land in which to propagate their peculiar ideas. Accordingly it became convenient for Joe to have a new revelation, and they were ordered to leave Walnut Grove and go to

John Thompson, Jr., was the first male child born in the township, and Helen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Amos Ward, was the first female child born. Helen was married to A. P. Stephens, and went to Iowa.

Amos Ward was the unlucky man to receive the first commission as Postmaster. He held this office for many years, receiving but little else than honor and trouble. The first school taught here was by Eugene Gross, who afterward distinguished himself in the legislative halls of the State. His school was taught in a small log building which was put up in 1841.

A meeting was held for the purpose of township organization, Aprils, i^SS- Amos Ward was chosen Chairman//!? tern., and L. B. Farris, C\.tx\i pro tern., when the polls were declared open. H. L. Sage was elected Moderator, and an adjournment for one hour was had. Thirty-one votes were cast, electing the following-named officers : Amos Ward, Supervisor ; A. F. Ward, Clerk; David Livingston and Amos Ward, Justices of the Peace; H. L. Sage, Assessor; James Pratt, Collector; H. L. Collinson, Daniel Allen and C. Capps, Highway Commissioners; Reuben Cochran, Overseer of the Poor; John Livingston and James Pratt, Constables.

The land of this township is nearly all high, rolling prairie, having a rich soil, easy of cultivation. It is well watered by Walnut and Prairie Creeks, with their tributaries. Beautiful groves are in every part of the township, lending to it an additional feature of attraction. The C, B. & Q. R. R., which was completed through in the fall of 1854, runs nearly diagonally across from northeast to southwest, affording the people ample means of transportation. It has one good town, which is located near its center, and where the people do most of their trading. Some from the southwest part go to Oneida.

There are many beautiful farms and fine farm buildings in this township. They greet the eye of the traveler from almost every point, and cause him to wish he was one of the fortunate owners. Considerable attention has been given, of late years, to stock-raising, wiiich has met with success.

HIS thriving little town is situated in about the center of Walnut Grove Township, on sections 15 and 16. It was laid out by John Piatt for the heirs of John Thompson, in 1854, and was then called La Pier, the plat containing 80 acres. Daniel Allen and E. B. Main made an addition the same year of 28 acres, which lay north of the first plat. In 1863 the name was changed to Altona. The advent of the C, B. & Q. R. R., which was completed through here in Novem- ' ber, 1854, was the cause of the town being started. The site is a very pretty one, and is in the midst of a rich agricultural country. Silas Willard was the * I pioneer merchant and he was soon followed by S. P. Whiting. Mr. Willard opened his store in 1852, on the corner of Main and Depot streets. Mr. Whiting opened in 1853 on the opposite corner. A district school was established here before the town was laid out. The first church organized was the Methodist Episcopal, the second Sabbath in August, 1853, by Rev. James Quimby. The first train came in in November, 1854. Dr. Herman Hall was the first physician to locate in town, in 1856. The first Postmaster was Amos Ward, and the office was called Walnut Grove, and located near tlie grove about a mile south of the present site. It was moved up after the town was laid out.

Altona was incorporated under special act of the Legislature in 1856. This charter was subsequently thrown out and the town was re-incorporated under the general law in 1862, and re-incorporated again under the village law in 1874. Some of the records have been lost and tiie history is incomplete. This is the home of Dr. R. C. Edgerton, who was quite prominent in the old slavery days as one of the operators of the Underground Railroad. The Doctor relates that, while living ai Galesburg in the summer of 1844, the slaves who made their escape from Missouri came to his house and asked for food. He gave them all a good meal and then took them out into a grove and gave them the proper directions north. They had been gone but a few minutes when their owners, with a (xjsse and bloodhounds, came on in hot pursuit. They threatened the Doctor, and finally ordered him out in the chase for tlie fugitives. This he refused to do. He went into town, rallied around him a lot of young men, and returned to the slavehunters and told them if they did not leave town forthwith they would make them wish they had never seen a slave. This order they obeyed post-haste.

An election was held to elect officers for village organization in March, 1873. The Trustees elected met at John W. Cline's office and completed organization by electing John W. Cline, President ; A. C. Scott, Clerk; E. P. Lindwell, Treasurer. Jacob Terwilliger was apiwinted Police Constable. The records of the organization and elections prior to this time have been lost.

Amos Ward held the position of Postmaster until 1 85 6, and was succeeded by J. N. Rush, and Rush ' by Wm. Burneson, who held it until 1861. John Fowler was the incumbent during Lincoln's administration. He was followed by W. E. Ward, E. C. X Russell, W. M. Whiting, W. E. Wan! again, W. M. Whiting again, A. G. Love and L. K. Byers, the present Postmaster.

Altona is a prosperous town, with substantial business houses and many fine dwellings. It has a commanding view of the country surrounding it; its streets are well laid off and ornamented with beautiful shade trees.

The population is estimated now to be about 850. The present officers are L. D. Vanscogk, J. C. Collinson, P. M. Cronland, Nelson Multer and A. G. Love, Trustees; with C. A. Hopkins, President of the Board; S. M. Whiting, Clerk; and P. M. Cronland, Treasurer.

Altona has a good graded school. A full English course is taught here, and the elements of science. They have a High School course, with a term of two years. A very fair school building was erected some years ago. This graded school was organized as early as October, 1858. S. R. Lemon is Principal, and Mrs. Lemon has charge of tie (Grammar Department; Mrs. Casey Howland, tiie Intermediate, and Mrs. Etta Tamblyn, the Primary. The enrollment shows the names of 200 ; the averaee attendance about 180.

T\\e Journal was established July i, 1877, by E. H. Waldo, who brought the press from Michigan, where he had published a paper. Nov. i, 1877, S. P. Whiting purchased the paper, and has since that time been the editor and proprietor. It is a sixcolumn quarto, issued every Friday; independent in politics and religion ; circulation, about 300.

Mr. Whiting came with the family to tlie county in 1850, and embarked in the mercantile business at Victoria. In 1853 a move was made to Altona, where the mercantile business, in connection with shipping stock and produce, and carrying on a farming busmess, was prosecuted until 1875. He has since 1877 continued as proprietor of \.\\e Journal, giving the news of the county to its patrons through its colums.

The Congregational Church of Altona was organized Feb. 21, 1857, by Rev. A. Root. Members, M. B. Waldo and wife, Truman Eels and wife, Mrs. Caro- , line Jones, Stephen Eames and W. A. Jones. They ' held meetings in a school-house and the Methodist Episcopal Church at first. They erected a church in the year 1866, which was dedicated November 9 of that year, and cost about $4,000. Rev. A. Root was the first established pastor, remaining only a few months. Rev. A. R. Mitchell followed, serving till 1859, when he was succeeded by Rev. H. C. Abernethy, as a supply. Then came Rev. L. H. Parker, who was a supply for awhile in 1866. Then Rev. Harris was a supply for a few months. He was succeeded by Rev. J. D. WyckofT, in 1867, who remained until 1869. J. L. Grangerserved the church next as a supply until 187 i. Rev. H. C. Abernethy then served about six years, leaving in 1878. Rev. E. H. Baker came in 1879, serving as supply for two years. Since that time they hax^^fir^ly occasional services, and this in union with the Presbyi'eri'ah's. Present membership is about 25. They have a Sunday-school, with good attendance.

The Methodist Episcopal Chur(Ji.^' This society was organized here in August, 1853,^^' Rev. James Quimby, with 13 members. In 1857 they erected their building, at a cost of $3,000. It is a substantial frame building. From 1867 to the present time this church has been served by the following-named pastors : Revs. E. Ransom, B. Applebee, A. Bower, G. W. Martin, A. K. TuUis, W. Watson, J. Ferguson, M. V. B. White, J. E. Taylor, R. Barton, D. T. Wilson and J. A. Riason, the present pastor in charge. They have a membership now of about 100, with a flourishing Sunday-school.

The ladies have also interested themselves in this department of music, and have also organized a band. The Ladies' Cornet Band of Altona was organized Aug. 20, 1884. John Ekstedt is the leader. The members are Addie Shade, Ella Durand, Lydia Tapper, Etta Collinson, Nellie Edwards, Maude Templeton, Mettie Hopkins and Maude Bane.

rOCK- RAISING in Knox County has become one of the chief and most profitaiile enterprises of many of her leading citizens. It is not simply stock that they raise, but the "*"' ' best pure-bred animals known in the world. Here are to be found some herds of cattle equal to almost any to be found anywhere. Many of the farmeis have displayed great enterprise, as well as rare good judgment, in the way they have taken hold of the breeding of high grades of cattle, horses and swine. Some of them have had the courage to invest vast sums of money in a few animals. These, however, have invariably, we think, proven good investments, besides doing much toward lifting up the standard of the grade of the home stock. Below we give the names of many of the leading fine-stock raisers in the county.

Short-Horns

The first man to introduce Short-horns into Knox County was Peter Godfrey, who resided in Orange Township. A. J. Dunlap and E. J. Byram were the second to introduce this breed of cattle, which was in 1861. Mr. Dunlap started his herd on his farm near Galesburg, and Mr. Byiam near Abingdon. Both these men were successful, and established good herds.

A. P. Charles, whose fine stock farm is near Knoxville, has a splendid herd of Short-horns, and is quite an extensive breeder. He is also raising the Polled .\ngus. Some of his fine stock are shown in the lithographic plate in this volume.

In Sparta Township, Niles & Bros, take the lead in raising Short-horns. Their stock farm is located on sections 21 and 2q.' They have a fine and growing herd.

C. W. Wetmore. one of the prominent farmers of Ontario Township, on section 32, is giving his attention to the Short-horn stock. He is also breeding blooded hogs.

In Henderson Township, on section 34, O. S. one of the prominent farmers in this part of the county, has a fine herd of grades, and owns a fullblooded Short-horn bull.

Of the breeders of Short-horn stock in Knox County, J. S. Latiuier and sons take the lead. Their place is known as Cedar Farm, and is located near the center of Cedar Township and consists of 350 acres. The farm is beautifully located and is one of the finest in the county, with good, large and convenient buildings.

Mr. Latimer commenced breeding and dealing in Short-horns in 1872, procuring his first 60 head tVom Kentucky. From that time on, they have steadily increased their herds and their stock busii* ness. They have had four public sales of their stock, the average price per head being$226, the sales consisting mostly of yearlings. In addition to this they have had a large trade in full bloods and high grades with the Western ranches, having realized in this direction over $400,000. Their total sales have reached upward of a million of dollars.

About five years ago Mr. Latimer took his son and son-in-law, W. B. Dunlap, into partnership with him. They now have a herd of 150 head of full-blooded Short-liorns and 300 high grades. Their Short-horns are of the leading families, many of them having been imported from England at a cost of from $500 to $1,000 each.

These enterprising breeders continue to keep abreast of the times, and are constantly striving to improve their stock. They have no fears of future results, and believe the day is far distant when there will be a surplus of good Short-horns.

Otiier prominent breeders of Short-liorns in this ' county are : C. N. Butt, of Kno.xville ; Jonas L. Campbell, of Abingdon; N. Fay & Son, Oneida; O. C. Ferris, Galesburg ; Amos Hinchliff and Heber >"Gillis, of Rio; Strawther Givens and W. H. Heller, of Abingdon; R. J. McKeighan, Yates City; K. R. Marks, Abingdon; W. Robson & Son, Wataga, and ^ J. R. Robson, Rio; H. M. and W. P. Sisson and John R. Smith, of Galesburg; and Isaac W. Wetmore, of Ontario.

Jersey Herd

J. H. Miller, of Abingdon, was the first to introduce the Jersey stock, he having brought in, in March, 1883, a Jersey bull, which he purchased in Peoria. He has a fine stock farm, which is located near Abingdon. His herd consists now of 15 head of pure Jerseys, he having sold off from time to lime. For awhile he was in partnership with with J. S. Latimer, which partnership, however, was terminated in 1884, Mr. Miller buying most of the stock. In May, 1883, while in partnership witli Mr. Latimer, he bought in Chicago five Jersey cows, which he brought to the farm. Mr. Miller is very proud of his Jersey stock, and is sanguine of a continued success in this line of breeding.

Galloway Cattle

The Galloway stock was first introduced into Cedar Township by J. J. Rodgers. The first bull was John Boler, bred by Hart & Co., of Canada. He was brought to Cedar Township, Knox County, in March, 1880, and proved to be a grand breeder, making an excellent record. The first females were brought to Cedar Township the same spring with one bull calf, from Peter Davey's herd, Monterey, Wis. They consisted of Sallie, MoUie, Snip, Snow, and Peter Davey, the bull calf. In 1882, Mr. Rodgers sold all of these, with their increase, to parties in Missouri. In 1884 he purchased of Messrs. Norris & Clarke, of Lamoille, 111., seven more of this breed - six heifers and one bull - Don of Lamoille (1617). The heifers were Anna (1601), dam, Bron Nellie (1585); Frances (1604), dam, Lady Walton (1580); Grace (1605), Nellie of Broom (1582); Charlotte (1600), dam. Pretty Polly (1586) ; Dela (1602), dam. Black Bess (1584); Coa (1603), dam. Maid of Keetle, (1583). All these were from their first imported cows, and by imported bull Harral (1610), a noted Galloway. This made one of the best foundations for a Galloway herd in the State. Mr. Rodgers now makes the Angus cattle a specialty, although he thinks the Galloways are good cattle.

Among the leading breeders in the State of the Galloway cattle are Parker & Hardy, whose farm is located near Abingdon. They are extensively engaged in breeding this stock. They are the owners of a splendid bull. Prince Jumbo (i 141), which was imported. This firm are doing well with their herd.

James Hammond, whose farm is located on section 33, in Ontario Township, has a Galloway herd, and is doing finely with them. See sketch of Mr. Hardy.

As will be seen by the account, Knox County has rapidly advanced in the imixsrtant industry of finesiock raising. From the time that Peter Godfrey first introduced the Short-horns to the present time there has been a steady development in this department. It has been demonstrated tha*. the higher a d purer the thoroughbreds, and the better the grades, the more profitable it is to the breeder.

Ferguson, of Kinnochtry, Coupar Angus, Scotland, Favorite 6th (3118), Baroness Sth {5039), Keepsake 7th (5500), Sallie 13th (5524) and Baron Balgersho (2696) - one bull and four heifers - and imported them from Glasgow to Boston, Mass., in May, 1881. They were then hauled eight miles from the vessel and placed in quarantine, where they remained tliree months, then shipped to Abingdon, 111., and arrived at the Angus Farm Aug. 10, i88i. During the voyage the increase was a bull calf - Boston (2002). In 1882 Mr. R. imported from the same herd in Scotland 15 more - 2 bulls and 13 heifers. Among them was Prince of the Blood (2307). In 1883 he imported 20 more bulls.

Principally all of the above were of the Keillor Watson families, which have been bred and handleil down through the Watson families, via Mr. Ferguson, since from about the year 1700, and to date there is not one other pure Keillor Watson animal in America beside what is now at the Angus Farm ; and those that have been sold from there are tho next closest in America.

In addition to the three ;ibove importations, Mr. ' Rodgers, in 1883, purchased from the Geary Bros., M. H. Cochrane and Mrs. Whi'.field, of Canada, about 30 more heifers, the choice of their importations and representatives of all the best families of Angus cattle in Scotland. All these together make one of the best-selected herds of .^ngus cattle in either Europe or America.

First cost in Scotland ranged fiom $300 toSr,ooo per head ; cost of importing, from $100 to $150 each, aside from risk, losses and other expenses. The average of the sales since, for cash, of principally the increase, was S500 for the bulls and $900 for the heifers. The Angus Farm herd has now furnished the foundations for 50 herds, which are distributed over Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Dakota and Nebraska, but principally within ten miles of the Angus Farm herd. And these are also well distributed among the best farmers and stockmen of the country.

The bulls that have most distinguished themselves at the Angus Farm are Baron Balgersiio (1696) and Prince of the Blood (2307). They have the honor and record of producing sons and daughters that have sold for thousands of dollars. Two bulls and ten heifers, under one year old, sold for $12,000. Their half-bloods, from common native cows, have sold as high as $225 each. Baron Balgersho {1696) and Prince of the Blood (2307) also have sisters and daughters at Angus Farm worth $2,000 apiece. It is the opinion of good judges that no two individuals will prove themselves so valuable to the county as Baron Balgersho (1696) and Prince of the Blood (2307). Their future is immense and will yet fill volumes.

The most distinguished among the females at the Angus Farm are Princess Olga (55 2 1), Princess Louisa (s5 18), Blooming Bell (5493), Matilda of Rougemont {2247), Princess Maria (5519), Princess Alberta (55 rs), Dulciana of Kinnochtry (5495), Baroness 8th (5039), Favorite 6th (3t 18), Lady Benton (6109), and a number of others whose progeny have not yet been offered for sale. But these noted ones are the dams of more $i,ooo calves than any cows that were ever in the county. They are the dams of the following 12 calves that have been sold at $r,ooo each: Princess Beatrice, to A. Hall & Son, Abingdon, III. ; Piincess Lena, to B. J. Manifold, Dallas, III. ; Prince Sainbo, to B J. Manifold, Dallas, 111. ; Lady Langtry, to John Harvey, Abingdon, III. ; Queen Victoria, to John Harvey, Abing- *< don. III. ; Princess Quebec, to W. Neill, Abingdon, III. ; Diamond Princess, to H. Dunfee, Farragut, Iowa ; Charlotte, to Benj. Lombard, Boston, Mass. ; Prince of Angus Farm, to F. Wilson, Knoxville, III.; Princess of the Valley, to A. Stickle, Macomb, III ; Mechtildas sold for $1,000 and resold since for the same price.

P. S. Allie (1789), A. M., purchased by Mr. R. from Findly & Anderson, Lake Forest, III., was the first Angus heifer that he brought to the county. She arrived at the Angus Farm, April 3, 1881.

Source changes here: from Annals of Knox County : Commemorating Centennial of Admission of Illinois As a State of the Union in 1818, by Knox County (Ill.). Centennial Historical Association, published 1921; 11,927 words in this source stream.

Walnut Grove Township

Walnut Grove Township is located in what is known as the "Military Tract," a section of the state selected as bounty land for soldiers, because of its fine soil and undulating surface. It is well watered by Walnut Creek and its sixty-seven tributaries and is a Spoon River auxiliary. It soil is unsurpassed in fertility and fine farms with substantial buildings are to be found everywhere within its borders.

The township derived its name from the extensive groves of walnut timber which formerly grew near its center and on the northwest quarter of section 26. These two groves include all its timber with the exception of a small tract in its southern end. An attempt was made toward the settlement of the township as early as the spring of 1832 by Messrs. Jones and De- Hart who made claims and built a cabin on Section 21 but became alarmed at the hostility of the Indians and left at the time of the Black Hawk War and never returned. They had pushed away out on the frontier and become accustomed to roughing it. DeHart, nevertheless was greatly frightened one day when no danger was near. They had broken ten acres of prairie land in Walnut Grove Township on what was afterward the farm of Amos Ward. While DeHart was plowing with a yoke of oxen, an old Indian squaw came out of the woods and waved a red blanket. This, he surmised, was a signal for him to move quickly for his life. Accordingly, he started immediately leaving his oxen in the furrow. On hearing it was only a scare, he returned the following day for his team and effects ; but left the country and never returned. Several times during the Black Hawk War the settlers fled to the forts. The ruins of their cabin was still standing in 1838.

In 1836, John Thompson, the first permanent settler, moved here from Pennsylvania with his wife Catherine, and settled on Section 16. Mr. Thompson planted the first crop, a field of sod corn, in 1837, fencing it in with the first rails split in the township. The only near neighbors, the Thompsons had were a band of some thirty Indians who camped for a short time near Mr. Thompson's residence which was located where the Kufus Grade School now stands. The nearest white neighbors were at Fraker's Grove, eleven miles distant. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Capps, two of the first settlers had been soldiers of the war of 1812 and the father of Mr. Allen one of the pioneers of the township, served in the Revolutionary War.

house in 1840 on section 15 on what was originally called the Snow and afterward the Wisegar\^er farm. In 1842 several hundred of the Mormons had located here and designed building a temple on Section 15, but before carrying out their plans Joseph Smith, the leader, had a new revelation (caused by the hostility of the settlers) commanding them to leave here and go to Nauvoo, Hancock county, which they promptly obeyed at great personal sacrifice to many of them. As they had entered and possessed themselves of nearly all the timber land and designed building up a community of their own faith, the other settlers were not sorry to see them depart. The only trace they left is a row of giant cottonwood trees which they planted and which still stand in the center of the road east of the village of Altona.

The first boy born in the township was John Thompson, Jr. The first girl, Helen Maria Ward, was born February 3, 1839. She was the daughter of Amos and Maria Ward and married A. P. Stephens, died in Russell, Kansas, Januaiy 3, 1912, and was brought here for burial. After Mr. John Thompson came other early settlers, Levi Stephens, Abram Piatt, Simeon L. Collinson, Amos Ward. Mr. Ward is said to have made the first wagon tracks between Altona and Victoria in 1838. In 1839 he was elected the first Justice of the Peace. The first couple married were Austin Frederick and Elizabeth Finney. The first death was that of Mrs. Hinsdale, a sister of Amos Ward, who died in August, 1838, at the residence of Abram Piatt, on Section 15, where she was also buried. In 1844 John W. Clarke was appointed the first postmaster, succeeded in 1845 by S. Ellis and he by Amos Ward in 1846 who then held the office for a long term of years when it was much more troublesome than remunerative. A little drawer in a bookcase served as a deposit for all the mail for ten years.

The first school-house was built on the southwest quarter of Section 16 in 1840 and Miss Robey Tabor, a Quakeress from Massachusetts was the first teacher. She married afterward, moved to Henry county and died in 1896. Another early teacher was Eugene L. Gross who afterward distinguished himself in the legislative halls of the state at Springfield. His school was taught in a small log building, 16x16, built about the year 1841. In 1899 there were eleven schools in the township, costing ten thousand dollars. Elder Samuel Shaw organized the first church (after the Mormons). It was known as the Baptist church and had eight members with a place of worship on Walnut Creek. The first township officers elected April 5, 1853, were Amos Ward, Supervisor ; A. F. Ward, Clerk ; H. L. Sage, Assessor; Jas. Livingstone, Collector; H. L. Collinson, Daniel Allen and C. Capps, Highway Commissioners ; Reuben Cochran, Overseer of the Poor; Amos Ward and David

The old settlers endured many hardships and the present generation would be very uncomfortable if they had to live in the old log houses with their fireplaces, very few of which remain. One was standing a few years ago on the H, K. Whiting farm now owned by Mrs. Amenoff. The names and deeds of the old settlers who endured hardship and trials in a new and wild country to lay the foundation for future greatness and make a more beautiful and cultivated country and their memories should be peipetuated and handed down to posterity so that future generations should know and appreciate those who began the work of settling and changing a wild unsettled country as Knox once was to what it is now. Without a road or guide the pioneers roamed the prairies and timber with their slow but faithful oxen. At this time there was but one traveled road in the county running from Peoria to Galena, through Victoria and Walnut Grove Townships, known as the Galena Trail. Streams were forded, hogs butchered and frozen, then taken to Rock Island or Peoria, some taking their grain and hogs to Chicago, Jonathan Gibbs in 1842 receiving 47c a bushel for his wheat, one party received 15c a bushel for wheat and were 1114 days making the trip. They received $19.50 for the wheat, bought three barrels of salt at $1.50 a barrel, the price at home being $3.00. In the winter of 1841 Judge Hanneman drove 1,300 head of hogs from Knoxville to Chicago for which he had paid $2 a hundred pounds net. He had them slaughtered and packed in Chicago and shipped to New York and Boston. In this transaction he lost $5,000. He hired sixteen boys to drive them, the trip consuming sixteen days. At that time Chicago was a small town situated in the middle of miry swamps.

In 1842 Jonathan Gibbs went to Peoria to sell his pork, the highest offer was ly^c per pound for dressed hogs, SV^c cash or 4c in trade for green hams and lard. Over a fireplace in Mr. Gibbs' cabin sixteen barrels of lard were tried out that fall. Such a stupendous job of work would scarcely be undertaken by any family at the present time. Money was an article little known and seldom seen among the early settlers, nearly all business was transacted by trading or barter. Taxes and postage required cash and often letters remained a long time in the postoffice for want of twenty-five cents. The mail was carried every week by a lone horseman with a mail bag or if the village was on a stage route the old stage coach would make its appearance about once a week with the mail. One or two letters a month was considered a large mail nor did three cents pay the postage. It took twenty-five cents which sometimes took five or six weeks to earn, fifty dollars being considered ample compensation for one year's labor. The amount of taxes on $1,100 worth of property in 1836 was $1,371/2-

Bee hunting was one of the early pastimes of the settlers the strained honey was sent in barrels to St. Louis and the price 37V2C a gallon. The first crops of the settlers, however abundant, gave only partial relief, there being no mills to gi'ind the grain. Hence the necessity of grinding by hand power or grating. A grater was made from a piece of tin sometimes taken from an old worn out tin bucket. This was thickly perforated with nail holes bent into a semi-circular form and nailed, rough side up, to a board. The corn was taken in the ear and grated before it was quite dry and hard.

The first year after Mr. Amos Ward arrived in the county, he took a bag of corn on his horse and went to Andover Mills. On arriving there he found they had stopped running during the dry weather. He returned home and the following day went to Centerville. There the miller was grinding a little when he could so he left his grist and in a few days returned for it, but it was not ground, so he went home and finally traveled one hundred miles back and forth before he got his bag of corn ;in the meantime grating corn on the primitive grater described and making the meal thus obtained into batter cakes, Johnny cakes, corn dodgers, and pone, which was a common diet at that time,

A. W. Miller came to the county in a pioneer wagon, (prairie schooner). It was all made of wood, there being no iron about it. The wheels were about ten inches thick and two and a half feet in diameter. The wagon was quite low. These wheels were sawed from the end of a log and were solid. A plank was pinned on the side to prevent season cracking. The axles were about six inches square rounded at the ends for a six mch hole in the wheel. Four or five oxen were hitched to a wagon and it was slowly dragged over the prairie. When in use it would be heard for miles squeaking even when well greased with soft soap. One load of wood such as this wagon was capable of hauling would last a family all summer.

Spinning wool and flax by means of the spinning wheel was one of the common household duties. The loom was also necessary. A common article woven on the loom was linsey woolsey, the chain being linen and the filling woolen. This cloth was used for dresses for the girls and their mothers. Nearly all the clothes worn by the men were homespun. The cooking was done in large kettles hung over the fire suspended on trammels which were held by strong poles. A long handled frying pan was used for meat which was furnished in abundance. Wild game, quail, prairie chicken, and turkey, deer and bear meat, were plentiful, pork and poultry were soon raised in abundance. The pleasures of the early settlers took the form of amusements such as the "quilting bee," "corn husking," "apple paring," and in timbered sections "log rolling," and "house raising," and they would come for miles around to enjoy these gatherings. Wolf hunts were enjoyed by the men.

Census of 1910 - Population, 1,209. Township officers, 1918, are: Supervisor, J. A. Johnson; Town Clerk, S. H. Johnson; Assessor, N. H. Nelson; Collector, G. N. Larson; Commissioner of Highways, C. L. Youngdahl ; Justice of the Peace (resigned) ; Constable, O. W. Peterson; School Trustees, J. P. Walgren, Alfred Nelson, W. C. Stuckey ; Library Board, C. C. Sawyer; Clerk, A. C. Keener.

Coming from the west, the traveler sees a picturesque little village, its streets embowered in trees, crowning a slight elevation in an otherwise level tract of farming land. This town, Altona, is situated on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad about sixteen miles east of Galesburg. Around it lies as rich a farming country as can be found in Illinois, and the village itself is one of the most prosperous in the county, having electric lights, cement wailks, a public library, bank, and all modern improvements.

Altona was laid out and platted in 1854 by John Piatt for the heirs of John Thompson. Later E. B. Main and Daniel Allen laid out an addition, just northeast of the first location. The place was then called La Pier. While the Central Military Tract, now the C, B. & Q. R. R. was being built in 1853 many laborers employed on the road came and camped in the edge of the wood, near the railroad line. To supply their wants, Cyrus Willard and J. S. Chambers built a store, 18x36 feet in size near the center of Section 16 on the northeast quarter of that section of land then owned by Daniel Allen. This was the first store building erected in Altona, and was the pride of the community, as it was the only store between Galesburg and Kewanee. Samuel P. Whiting built the second store, Niles & Gay later. In 1854 Mr. Erickson, of Moline, built a flouring mill. The mill continued in successful operation for ten years, Nels P. Peterson and Thos. Taylor operated it later. Ambrose Foster had a broom factory. There were several wagon makers,

Darius Pierce operated a cooperage, later Mr. Tornquist had a carriage factory. None of them employed much extra help. In 1855 an elevator was built. Cline's elevator and Tamblyn's were burned. The farmers now own an elevator on the site of the Tamblyn elevator.

The first hotel was built back of Willard & Chambers store (which was located where E. F. Swanson's store now stands) was operated by a Mr. Hahn and later burned down, never rebuilt. The Walnut Grove Hotel was built in 1854, operated by Needham Rogers, Matthew Wiley and Mrs. Ackerman in turn, is now demolished and a nice modern residence built on the site by W. C. Stuckey whose father, S. S. Stuckey came here in 1854 and built the first house in the northeast part of the township. The Altona House, facing the depot, was constructed by Mrs. McKie, H. G. 0. Wales, J. A. Negus, J. B. McCalmont and Mr. Hopkins were successive proprietors. The Brown Hotel was built later by B. H. Brown and operated by him, later by G. F. Edwards, Robert Wilson and Mr. Hopkins, is now a private residence occupied by S. M. Whiting, whose father built the second store building in town. He was later editor of the Altona Journal from 1877 to 1884, succeeded by 0. B. Kail. The Altona Record was first published March 1, 1888, by C. F. McDonough. Later editors were Sam W. West, Arthur Austin and F. C. Krans, its present proprietor, who is also mayor of the town.

Altona has always been noted for the excellence of its schools. There has been a good graded school here since 1858. The first school election was held October 9, 1858, at which M. B. Waldo, E. B. Main and Jas. T. Bliss were elected directors, and a graded school established with a primary, intermediate, and grammer ccourse. The grammar course as follows : Practical and intellectual arithmetic, geography and map drawing continued, Sander's New Fifth Reader, Analysis of words ; 2. Single entry bookkeeping, U. S. History, English Grammar, Analysis and Punctuation, Elocution and Composition; 3, Harkness first and second Latin book, Caesar, Cicero and Virgil, First Greek Book, Xenophon's Anabasis, Higher Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Surveying, Rhetoric, Natural Philosophy, How Plants Grow, Political Economy and History. The first principal, Wm. A. Jones, a Yale graduate, received $600 a year ; Nancy Johnson, Intermediate, $240 ; Miss Marsden, Primary, $4.50 a week. A new school building and location was voted for at an election held May 2, 1863, at which thirteen votes were cast, O. T. Johnson receiving ten for director. August 15, 1864, it was voted to sell the old building and site for $1,500. An additional $1,500 was borrowed of Geo. W. Ransom for building purposes. Matthew Wiley was the contractor and the High School building was completed in 1864. The new Kufus Grade School was erected in its place and occupied for school purposes September, 1917, Mrs. Mary I. Riner Kufus donating $8,000 toward its erection. It was completed and dedicated August 28, 1918, Rev. Brink, M. E. minister; S. J. S. Moore, Presbyterian minister; A. R. Keeler, Mayor of Altona; Hon. Francis G. Blair, State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Walter F. Boyes, County Superintendent of Schools; W. L. Steele, Galesburg, City Superintendent of Schools, and Mrs. Thos. Sheahan, (a former teacher and graduate of the old school and daughter of Wm. Hillerby, an old settler,) being on the program. A short time before, in 1916, the Walnut Grove Township High School in the north part of town had been dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. Judge J. D. Welch, Co. Supt. Boyes of Galesburg and State Supt. of Public Instruction Francis G. Blair were speakers on the program. Mr. and Mrs. J. M. McKie donated a fine new piano for the use of the school and handsomely furnished a rest room for the teachers.

The Ransom Public Library was erected and dedicated March 28, 1890. Hon. E. A. Bancroft of Galesburg and Dr. G. S. Chalmers were speakers. Geo. W. Ransom left his entire estate, some $8,000, (with the exception of a bequest to the Masons and Walnut Grove cemetery), to establish a Public LibraiT in the town, if the township would built a suitable building.

The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in August, 1853, with a membership of thirteen, under charge of Rev. Jas. Quimby. In 1857 a church was erected and later a parsonage, the two costing $5,000. The church has been remodeled and rededicated twice. Rev. Brink is the present pastor, members 128. The Congregational church was founded Feb. 21, 1857, with nine members under charge of Rev. A. Root. A church costing $4,000 was dedicated November 9, 1866. The present members worship with the Presbyterians, Geo. A. Ward, clerk. Rev. I. N. Candee, D. D., T. S. Vaill and J. T. Bliss organized the Presbyterian church (O. S.) April 25, 1857, there being twenty-one members. The old building was remodeled and burned, a new brick structure was erected and dedicated December 2, 1917, members, 133. The formation of the Lutheran church took place in 1869, the congregation erected a church building costing $4,000 and later a parsonage. The first pastor was Rev. Philip Direll. The denomination has steadily grown in numbers, membership at present about 350. The Swedish Baptist Mission was opened in 1876 by J. W.

The first bank in the village was an outgrowth of the general mercantile business of A, P. Johnson & Co., which was startedin 1854. Until 1890 when Mr. Johnson left the place his was the only bank in Altona. Then the Bank of Altona incorporated under the State Banking Law was organized with A. M. Craig, President; C. S. Clarke, Vice President; Geo. Craig, Cashier; J. M. McKie, Assistant Cashier. In January, 1896, J. M. McKie was elected to the position made vacant by Geo. Craig's death. The present officers are J. M. McKie, President ; C. C. Craig, Vice President ; G. N. Larson, Cashier, and C. E. Eckstedt, Assistant Cashier. The capital stock is $50,000 and surplus $100,000.

Among the societies can be mentioned the Masonic, the L 0. 0. F., Maccabees, Modern Woodmen of America, Eastern Stars, Rebekahs, Royal Neighbors, Altona-Oneida Branch of the Free Kindergarten and Red Cross. The Masonic Lodge was organized October 1, 1860, and now owns its own Masonic Hall, a gift being left toward its purchase by Geo. W. Ransom. The first officers were Hiram Hall, W. M. ; A. P. Stephens, S. W. ; G. D. Slanker, J. W.; J. N. Bush, Sec; J. S. Chambers, Treas. ; B. H. Scott, S. D. ; Geo. McKown, J. D. ; 0 S. Lawrence, T. An order of Eastern Stars was organized in 1892 with forty-six members. In the 60's a lodge of Good Templars or W. C. T. U. was organized and during its career the members demolished a saloon which stood where the garage is now located. I. O. 0. F., No. 511, was organized Oct. 14, 1873, charter members, Matthew Wiley, P. G. ; John A. Stuckey, Edward Nelson, Richard J. Burneson, Harry E. Wheeler, Jas. A. Griffith, G. A. Hall. M. W. A. Camp, 3737, organized April 3, 1896, charter members, Alfred Anderson, Carl Elion, Nels H. Nelson, Harry Austin, W. B. Elliott, E. W. Norene, August Bowman, P. Englund, F. Parker, G. L. Brown, G. Harling, 0. W. Peterson, H. S. Brown, G. Johnson, R. C. Sellon, Thos. Sheahan, S. B. Brown, Frank Krans, A. Swanson, S. L. Collinson, Wm. Lady, W. H. Van Scoyk, J. H. Cummings, Nels Lundahl, H. L. Weaver, Wm. Doak, and Alf Nelson. K. O. T. M. organized August 14, 1894, charter members G. C. Ecklev, C. W. Miller, Arthur Shade, C. Gates, A. C. Peterson, G. W. Pierce, Reuben Cox, C. A. Clifford, J. S. Swanson, C. A. Ackerman, Ben Davenport, W. B. Gray.

Of the old settlers verj^ few are left (none of 1850) . B. H. Scott, A. J. Anderson, Mrs. L. B. Cummings, Mrs. R. C. Stuckey still reside here. D. Pierce, Knoxville; Mrs. Helen Lindwall, California; Ed Wales, Colorado, and Mrs. Tamblyn, Ne-

Disastrous fires have occurred at various times. B. H. Scott's store and the buildings south of it having been destroyed by fire three different times. January 2, 1899, the main street was completely wiped out but was replaced the next year by the substantial brick buildings which are now there, two of which were erected by Judge A. M. Craig and two by John McMaster. In 1900 the electric light plant and Tornquist carriage factory was burned, electric light plant rebuilt.

Several floods have caused Walnut Creek to go on a rampage. One, June 25, 1898, resulted in the death of J. F. Hubbell, and washed out the large railroad bridge and arches west of town, causing erection of a new iron road bridge and a summer's work by the C. B. & Q. R. R. when new foundations were sunk deeper to hold the large new arches. Last year the railroad built a large reservoir at their pumphouse east of town, 800 feet long, 150 feet wide and 15 feet deep. This reservoir was completed July, 1918, after eight month's work. A fine place for a factory location. August, 1907, a disastrous hailstorm destroyed the crops in the township, a strip six miles wide and fifty long being devastated. The year 1859 is noted as having a frost eveiy month in the year, was also very wet. The winter of the deep snow was 1830. Cold winds, dark skies, and gusty winds made the days preceding Christmas of 1830 dismal, streams were swollen and snow fell in big wet flakes, later the weather grew bitterly cold and a wind of huiTicane force whipped snow hard as sand into the faces of men and beast and piled it in drifts many feet deep covering all fences and cabins. Scores of men perished on the prairies and many of the bodies were not found until spring had melted away the snow. For sixty days there was no sun. Snow four feeet deep on the level, lasted until late in spring. In 1891 there was a great deal of snow and roads could not be used until shoveled as they filled up with every fresh storai. Snow still remained in fence corners in June. 1917 was another snowy year with bitter cold weather, drifts eighteen feet deep in the railroad cuts, trains stalled from Friday until Sunday, January 17, 1918, between Galva and Kewanee. Each new snowstorm filled the roads from fence to fence, making roads impassable even at this late day ; so the days passed shoveling coal and snow but no such hardships as the pioneers endured in that winter of 1830 when the domestic and wild animals and game perished by the thousand, and the settlers themselves by the score.

Indian Trails The Indians

In the foregoing township annals, there is frequent reference to the Indians. The following citations are here used to throw further light on the tribes that once lived in this county and their methods of gaining a livelihood:

According to Major Thomas McKee, a pioneer resident of the county: "The Indians most frequently seen in this locality were Foxes, Sacs, Kickapoos and Pottawatomies. They were alike in many particulars. The Kickapoos and Foxes were often in the vicinity of Henderson Grove, which was a favorite sugar camp. They were as kind a people as you ever saw. They were considerate. For instance if you were in a wigwam talking, the rest would keep respectful attention. They did not interrupt you. They made their children act with deference in the presence of strangers. They did not hunt perhaps as extensively as some other tribes. They lived on corn and beans, on berries and other fruits gathered in the woods, while a favorite dish was the wild potato or penyon, as it was called. This they found in the bottom lands. It was formerly quite abundant but of late I have not noted it. They speared and caught fish and now and then secured a deer. The squaws did the work and it was not until they were aroused by injustice and unkindness that they became cruel and warlike. The Pottawatomies retained their identity better than the others.

"The language of these Illinois Indians was simple, consisting of but few words, made plain by the most significant of gestures. Their names were long and full of vowels. The following are some of the words used by the Pottawatomies:

As to the Indian inhabitants of Knox county probably the largest Indian village in the county was on the Spoon river bottom, near the site of the present village of Maquon. At different times this village numbered several lodges and possibly several hundred inhabitants. They raised corn on the second bottom and for many years after they were driven from this country they returned at intervals to plant and raise their crops. It was also the custom to place the bodies of their dead in the forks and tops of trees, but after the advent of the white people they commenced burying them in the ground. Another village was at the mouth of Court Creek on Spoon River near the present village of Dahinda. Mr. Morgan Reece, who came there in the 30's, relates that the lodge poles of the abandoned village were still standing when he came there and a few families of Indians lived in that vicinity on Sugar Creek for many years afterwards. The latest family to live in that section had their wigwams on the northeast quarter of Section 14 of Persifer township on land now owned by Mr. William Sargent.

Another old village was situated just southeast of the present village of Henderson and another in Lynn township at what was called Fraker's Grove. Persifer township is especially rich in Indian lore and traditions. For many years the inhabitants of that township have dug in various places for treasure that is supposed to have been buried somewhere in the township by the Indians. One legend is to the effect that the Indians were paid a large sum of money for their land and that they quarreled over the division of this money and finally fought for it, until, like the fabled Kilkenny cats, there was none left who knew where it had been hidden, but this was improbable. Another story as related in Chapman's history of Knox County of 1878 was as follows: "A tribe of Indians settled or located on Court Creek, Persifer township, whose custom it was to make sugar from the maple trees. They used brass kettles in which to boil the sap. It seems one spring, after they had made considerable sugar, they were compelled to leave. Among the Indians was a squaw and her son called 'Bil." This woman had accumulated great wealth. Not being able to cany all her money, she filled one of her kettles with gold and silver and buried it on the bank of the creek. She was afraid of the whites ; so after reaching her destination in the West she sent her son back after her money. Bill made extensive searches up and down the creek, but failed to find it, and the treasure is supposed to be still buried somewhere on Court creek. On the Taylor farm, in 1841, a cellar was being dug, when at a depth of about four feet three bars of copper were found. These had been forged out by hand. A well was sunk, when down about 22 feet the remains of a camp-fire were found. Charcoal and rubbish were discovered which plainly proved that at one time, within the life of man here, that was the surface." An Indian Doctor visited that vicinity a few years ago, claiming to be a descendant of Black Hawk and pointed out many places to the inhabitants of Dahinda which had been described to him by his ancestors who had formerly lived there and in such a way that those who became acquainted with him were impressed with the truth of his representations.

Mr. Morgan Reece who collected a great many Indian relics claims that the village at the mouth of Court Creek was a village of the Sacs and Fox tribes, and that Black Hawk who was of that tribe had visited that locality. Relics have been found in that locality that were different from any others found in this part of the state, but were similar to articles used by the Indians of the Southern states and on exhibit at the St. Louis Exposition of 1904 and were possibly brought to this locality after being captured in war or given as a present by some Southern tribe. One relic was made from a black hard stone. It was about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide and nearly an inch thick at the broadest part, in shape like the roof of a cabin with a hole through it lengthwise about where the ridge pole would be. This was picked up on the banks of Court Creek many years ago.

When Avery Dalton first came to the county, in 1830, there was a Pottawatomie village at what is now Maquon and near the present bridge across the Spoon River, they also had a burying ground near Maquon and large settlements up Spoon River. The Indian cemetery was just east of Spoon River and about on the present right of way of the Burlington railroad. Until 1832 there were more or less Indians in what is known as Kickapoo Grove near Elmwood. All of the Indians in that vicinity were of the Pottawatomie tribe. One of their chiefs who resided at Kickapoo Grove was a very old man at that time and was known as Captain Hill. He always wore a large silver cross suspended from his neck by a buckskin thong; many of the Indians wore silver rings in their noses and heavy ear-rings. They were friendly and great beggars. They were in the habit of going to Shabbona Grove in the spring to raise corn, returning in August and September. Mr. Dalton enlisted for the Black Hawk War shortly after the battle of Stillman's Run and his company with others formed a battalion of 200 mounted men who ranged over Knox, Warren and Henderson counties to keep back the Indians from the Rock River country. During the time they were out the Indians got through the lines but once and on that occasion murdered a settler in Henderson county. The company had no fights with the Indians. Most of the members of his company were from Fulton county.

David Dalton, a brother of Avery, was one of the first settlers of Persifer township and in his day was also a hunter and Indian fighter. There is one locality in the county which should be mentioned and a thorough examination of all that pertains to the earliest explorations of the state might throw some light upon the relics that have been found there. On the northeast quarter of Section 14, in Persifer township, about two miles north and west from the mouth of Court Creek where the latter empties into Spoon River, is a place where in past years many evidences of a battle between large numbers or of long duration have been found. The place is on the bank of Sugar Creek, and within an area of a few acres bullets have been plowed up and found lying on the ground by handfuls. Some few of them were once in possession of farmers who reside in the neighborhood and they were of the large, old-fashioned kind, such as were used in the smooth-bore Queen Anne muskets of two centuries ago.

I had often heard of this so-called old battle field from those who lived in that vicinity. What called my attention to this particular locality was a map of the old French trails first traversed in this State. In looking for information on the subject of this articlest I had occasion to consult among other books the very excellent book written by Mr. Randall Parrish entitled "Historic Illinois." In this book is a map of the old French and Indian trails and one of them leads from the bend of the Illinois river where it forms the southwestern boundary of Bureau county and about where the principal town of the Illinois Indians was situated, almost in a straight line to a point on the Mississippi opposite the mouth of the Des Moines River. This trail entered Knox county at about the north line of Truro township and traversed the county in a southwesterly direction passing near the present city of Abingdon and through what are now Truro, Persifer, Orange and Cedar townships and crossed Sugar Creek according to the map at the exact locality of this battle field on Section 14. No other relics have been found as far as I have been informed, but the large number of bullets would amply justify the belief that a considerable battle was once waged at this

Many other interesting facts about the Aborigines can be found in the Eva Chapin Maple sketch in Perry's History of Knox county; in the Major McKee interview and the Judge C. C. Craig paper, on file in the Public Library in Galesburg ; and in Chapman's History of Knox County. Valuable collections of relics were made by Hon. Rufus Miles, Robert Mathews, Dr. Bedford and others and many of these indicate a high degree of skill and workmanship. They are mute evidence of the existence here once of another people who had to give way to the onward advance of a superior race.

Out On The Prairie

During a week of September in 1919 the Swedish Methodist church of Center Prairie of this county celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the dedication of its edifice. The celebration was very well attended at each meeting and a fine time was enjoyed by all. The former ministers who were present during the services were Rev. Bendix ,of Chicago; Rev. H. W. Willing, of Cleveland, Ohio; Rev. N. W. Bard, of McKeesport, Pa. ; Rev. A. J. Strandell, of Donovan ; Mr. and Mrs. John P. Miller, of Chicago.

When the first people came to Center Prairie, the land was densely covered with prairie grass and blue stem which grew in many places as high almost as a man's head when on a horse. This had been going on for ages so that the soil was covered and filled with vegetable matter and there were no ditches and small water courses to carry off the water as now and the land was very wet and untillable, there beinj; many large ponds which are still remembered by people now living. The result was that Center Prairie was not the first part of Victoria township to be settled up. The first settlers who came settled in the timber surrounding the prairie They did this far many reasons. They had generally come from the hilly regions of New England states and New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio and had been used to timber as wind breaks. In fact on the prairie where the sweep of the wind was unhindered with the buildings that they were able to put up in those days, man and beast would surely have frozen to death. The writer of this article in his youth had the experience when sleeping in the loft of a log house of awakening in the morning with a thick covering of snow upon the bed covers and which had come in between the logs where the chinks had fallen out and under the clapboards. They did not know they could dig wells here in those days, and so the first settlers settled near springs. Neither did they know that the land was underlaid with coal and so they burned wood and had to be near it, for the fire-places with which they used to heat their homes and cook their simple food, took lots of fuel. All their building material must be near at hand in growing timber. It was the only material they had to fence with also.

father tell how, when he was was a small boy, his father, Thomas Elliott, tried to plow around the house and stable and also burn the grass for a distance about the building which was known as back firing. When he had seen a fire in the distance he told how the onrush of the wall of flame was so great that it made all his efforts unavailing and jumped to the house and stable so that grandfather had difficulty in saving even his family and beasts. Being burned out in those days was no funny experience, with nothing to rebuild with except growing trees, and with no neighbors for miles around and winter coming on, for these terrible fires always came near winter when the grass had died and was dry. On this occasion my grandfather cut poles and built two pens, one inside the other while grandmother gathered leaves and filled the space between them and in this they lived until they could erect a log cabin.

The early settlers who thus settled in the timber around Center Prairie and who later themselves or their descendants helped to make Center Prairie what it is were hardy pioneers, who came overland with their families in wagons from the older states. I shall only attempt to enumerate a few.

Thomas Elliott first settled in Persifer township in 1837 where the writer's father. Burgess Elliott, was born. He moved later to Victoria township near the present home of James Cook and it was while he was living here that he undertook and got out and delivered on the ground the long hewn timbers for the Methodist church which was built in Victoria in 1854. It was here he lived when he had a contract to deliver railroad ties between Altona and Galva for the C. B. and Q. R. R.

The Wilburs settled just west of Delbert Patty's place in the thirty's and a daughter, Phoebe, married Peter Sornberger and they were the first couple married in Victoria township in 1838, on Easter Sunday.

Luther Rice settled in the timber about two miles south from the Center Prairie church, about 1842, and was the progenetor of a numerous family, among whom was Foster Rice, who built a log house where Charley Larson now lives about 1857, and Cyrus Rice, who built the Robert Young house in 1857, where J. L. Huber now lives, which was another of the first frame houses on Center Prairie. Alvin Rice still owns a part of his grandfather's land. Perhaps the earliest settler on Center Prairie proper was Thomas G. Stuart, who patented the N. E. Quarter of Section 27 in 1838, which old patent the writer recently saw at the Exchange Bank at Victoria.

He died about 1845 and left his estate by will to his wife, Catherine. In 1850 Catherine burned a brush pile near the house to prepare ground to sow tobacco seed and the house caught fire and Mrs. Stuart was burned until she died trying to save money in the house and was buried just west of the creek on the S. E. Quarter of the old homestead. She was the mother of four boys : Tom, who kept the homestead ; married Eliza Gladfelter, was crippled in the war, died at the old home and was buried in Thomas' grave yard, now the Center Prairie Cemetery. Elija, Peter, William and one girl, Katie, who married Van Winkle and was the mother of Henry Van Winkle, who lived for many years north of Four Corners.

Perhaps the next settler in line who settled on Center Prairie was Josiah Patty and Beka Patty his wife, who built a log house on the southeast quarter of Section 27, where Phillip Gibbs now lives, he having purchased the land from Richard J. Barret in 1839. Mr. Gibbs still has the old patent. Their children were James, William, Sarah, Nancy, Robert, George and Josiah.

John Arnold, a blacksmith, first came in Knox County and Victoria township in 1836, but did not buy the old Arnold place where Gust Swanson now lives until 1840. He did blacksmithing there until 1853, when he moved to Victoria. John Arnold and his wife had ten children. In fact in those days the hardy pioneer family that did not consist of ten was the exception and not the rule. Thomas Elliott and his wife were the parents of fourteen children.

Perhaps the first family who settled on the flat prairie to the north was that of Thomas Durand, for whom Jonas Hedstrom, the tailor and preacher, made a wedding suit, who owned the Conley place where Martin Gibbs afterwards settled in 1850, and the two eighty-acre pieces that now belong to Alex Ingles and Wm. England. This land he bought in 1841 and as there was no timber near he fenced the half section with a sod fence, the remains of which may still be seen after a lapse of nearly eighty years. He was the grandfather of John McNaught and Mrs. Cornelius Stephenson of later times. These were the N. W. Quarter Section 13 and the S. E. Quarter Section 12.

From this time on settlers came in increasing numbers. Especially about 1850 the Swedes began to arrive in large numbers. Among the early settlers were J. L. Jarnagin, 1845; Dalgren, 1846; Adolphus Anderson, 1847, and John Saline, 1854 . Then came in 1855 Peter Anderson, Lars Ostrom, John Chalman, Sam Coleman; in 1857, Peter Skoglund, step-father to Mrs. Catherine Larson, who is still with us, and Sievert Larson, to be quickly followed by Noah Swickard, Lars Johnson, William Hammerlund, John P. Anderson, father of Frank Anderson, who still lives on the old homestead, and who shipped the first car load of frozen beef to Chicago and the man who invented the refrigerator cars that make it possible to ship fresh meat almost all over the world, as also Eli and Shid Johnson, Theodore Hammond, Joseph Cain, James Thomas, Jonas Olson and many others.

These were a hardy race who willingly bore the hardships of a pioneer life and bravely withstood the rigorous winters of the bleak and open prairies for the sake of founding their new homes and establishing their families in a new country. They early felt the need of education, as most of them had had very limited opportunities for securing an education, so that almost with their coming they set up log school houses, covered with clapboards and floored with puncheon, which was poles split and the split side hewn and laid up as a floor. There was a fireplace in one end of the room and seats around the wall, made of slabs or split logs with four sticks in for legs upon which the children sat with their feet dangling from the floor as they studied the old Webster's spelling book, before the time of the far-famed McGuffey's speller. It was in such an institution of learning that Burgess Elliott, who was born in Knox county in 1837, as well as others of that time, secured the rudiments of an education. Not long after the first settlers came here. Old Salem, which was started in 1836, became too crowded and the settlers were so far away that they built a small square house on the corner near Tom Stuart's.

William Robinson, a cousin of John K. Robinson, was one of the early teacher's here. This school house soon became too small and it was proposed to build a new one and there was great rivalry as to where it should be built, but as this was near where Salem school now is, and most of the patrons lived east on the prairie, it was finally determined to put it where it now stands, and so the school house was built here in 1856. The sawed lumber was hauled overland from Rock Island and Peoria and the framing timber was got out by John Saline and Charles Appell. John Saline did the the building of it. There was much discussion as to what it should be called. Some wanted to call it Stuart's Prairie and others Anderson's Prairie, but a compromise was made and it was named Center Prairie and Center Prairie it still is. The first teacher was one John Fleeharty, from Galesburg, who taught in 1856. The next winter, John Van Buren, a brother of

George Van Buren, who still lives in Victoria, taught, and 'tis said of him to this day that he was one of the best teachers Center Prairie ever had. The next year, 1858, Miss Mary Garrett, a daughter of old Captain Garrett, who later became Mrs. Mcllravy, and still lives in Victoria, taught the school, as she did for several terms thereafter. She, like all teachers of that day, boarded at Thomas Elliott's, and with other families who had children.

She was staying a week at Moody Robinson's when they had the big storm. May 14, 1858, about five o'clock in the afternoon. It came from the north and blew Robinson's new frame house off the foundation and lodged it against the well. It lifted the roof off of Foster Rice's house and blew a log out over the door so that Mrs. Rice had to put a blanket over Foster, who was holding the door to keep him from drowning. It blew the windows out of Peter Anderson's house; in fact, the double log house of Thomas Elliott, made of the logs of Old Salem school house, was the only one in all this region that withstood the storm and all the neighbors stayed that night at Thomas Elliott's as it was the only dry place in the neighborhood. They lay about two deep all over the floor and 'tis said that none who were old enough to remember ever forgot that storm. Mrs. Robinson's geese were blown away till she never found them. Wagons were picked up and carried to the creek and washed away. Noah Swickard's new frame house, where Alvira Johnson now lives, was blown off the foundation, and at Rochester a house was blown in the river and carried away. The young men of the neighborhood went the next day to Walnut creek and swam around in the tops of the trees among the limbs which were twenty or thirty feet from the ground when the waters receded.

To these schools came the boys and girls that were to make this wilderness a teeming land of plenty. Such men as young Arnold, son of John Arnold, who afterwards became a notable lawyer of Peoria, and Jonas Olson, the crippled orphan boy who afterwards became Galva's most famous attorney and member of the Illinois Legislature and above all a lifelong friend of all who knew him. 'Tis said that although he had to walk two miles to school with a crutch, he was one of the most happy pupils, as well as one of the most industrious. It is handed down in school lore that he was a mischievous boy and while studying the old M. C. Guffey's spelling book one day he ran onto what he thought was a bad word and spelled ut in a loud whisper so that the whole school could hear, d-a-m dam, n-a na, t-i-o-n shun, damnation, and he still asserts that what the teacher, Mary Garrett gave him, fitted the word. At these school houses were held many famous exhibitions, singing schools and spelling schools. Thomas Stuart who was said to be a very poor reader was the most famous speller of all this region, always standing up till all the teachers even were spelled down.

So it was at this school house that the patriots of '61 met to encourage the boys to enlist in their country's cause. One of the most famous songs and one that always aroused the boys to the highest pitch of enthusiasm and which fitted the great leader, Abraham Lincoln, was "We are Coming, Father Abraham, Fifty Thousand Strong."

Center Prairie and the immediate neighborhood did not lack any in patriotism, as evidenced by the list of boys who wore the blue. Among them were August Carlson, Robert Young, Tom Stuart, Oliver Willy, Bill Larson, George Elliott, George Newberg, Adolphus Anderson, John P. Anderson, Nehemiah Coleman, Aaron Bothwell, Sam Cain, Jimmy Topp, Jonas Empstrom, Lee Shannon, Bill Thomas, Jonas Johnson, John Case, James Alderman, John Labar, Noah Swickard, James Jamigan, Spencer Jarnagin, John P. Peterson, Ward Todd, Wm. Linday and Nat White. Of these famous sons of Center Prairie and surrounding territory who fought in the army blue, only three, George Newberg, August Carlton and George Elliott are now living.

A history of the patriotic activities would be incomplete in this year of grace did it not include a list of the boys of the World War who wore the khaki of the army and the blue of the U. S. navy. The honor roll that stands out in front of this church contains a list of men, who risked their lives that democracy might live. They are :

The early settlers were not satisfied to rest at mere physical and intellectual betterment, but above all they were religious. At first they met at the homes to hold worship and as soon as school houses were built they took the place of churches until churches could be built, so that when old Salem school house was built they began to hold meetings there and camp meetings in the grove, just north, and later the Swedish people held camp meetings on the opposite side of the hollow from the American. Then when the Center Prairie school house was built they used it for a meeting house, both the Swedes and the English speaking people. Louisa Anderson, now Mrs. William Seward, tells me that she was baptized at the school house. Many of the inhabitants of the prairie had helped to build both Methodist churches in Victoria, but were so far away and had only oxen to drive, that they early began to feel the need of a church on Center Prairie and when Peter Newberg and Exstrand started the movement to build a church on Center Prairie they found willing hearts and hands to help. "Exstrand was a very bright young man," says Jonas Olson. "Perhaps I am partial to him because he was a cripple like myself. He walked with a crutch." They were ably assisted by the English people and Swedes alike, one of the most earnest workers being Peter Skoglund. The land where the church now stands was purchased by Adolphus Anderson in 1855 and he broke it up. In 1857 he sold it to Lars Johnson and he in turn sold it to Wm. Hammerlund in 1858.

For a consideration of fifty dollars, Hammerlund sold a piece of land eight and one-half rods north and south and seven rods east and west to the Swedish Methodist Episcopal church of the United States to be for and under the control of the Swedish Methodist church in Victoria township, Knox county, Illinois. The money to build it was contributed by popular subscription. Many volunteered to haul a load of lumber back from Galva when they went up with grain and produce. The mason work was done by Swenson from Knoxville and the carpenter work was done by Peterson Herdine, who lived in Galva for so many years. But the building of this church in 1869 was not without some opposition. Peter Chalman, who had formerly been presiding elder of the Swedish M. E. church of this district, assisted by John Wilson, a cabinet maker, and full of gab, as Andrew Hartman expresses it, and who came to be a real free shouting Methodist and who, wearing no suspenders, in the heat of his discourse, is said to have shed his raiment, organized about three quarters of a mile south of the school house a Free Methodist church. The money was raised by popular subscription, but not enough was raised to pay the debt and so the trustees paid the debt and tore down the church after some fifteen or twenty years. In this church the English Sunday school was held for many years. Thus Center Prairie has been supplied since a very early day with ample church facilities and I hope that future historians of the county will take cognizance of this fact in writing the early church history of Knox county.

One of the things neglected here, as in all newly settled districts, was the early setting apart of a plot of ground for a public cemetery. The early settlers buried on their own premises. The Tabors buried on what is now the John Saline place, the Stuarts on the Stuart place, the Arnolds on the Arnold place, the Cliffords on the Dr. Craven's place where old "Bobby" Armstrong's first wife, who was a Clifford, is buried. It was not until about 1858 that the family of Jim Thomas who owned the farm where the Center Prairie cemetery is located, lost several children with diphtheria and buried them there and when he sold the place to Olof Bowman he reserved the present plot for a burial ground and later, at the suggestion of William Messmore, deeded it to Knox county for a public cemetery. Center Prairie owes a debt of gratitude to John Thomas for this generous gift and can best repay it by seeing that it is always properly kept up. The present neat appearance is due largely to the good work of William England, Charley Larson and Victor Larson, who were selected by their neighbors to solicit funds and have it taken care of.

As To Utensils The early settlers had very few of the comforts of life as we view them now. There were few simple cooking utensils. The writer has an old kettle that his grandmother has baked many a corn pone in by placing coals under the kettle on the hearth of the fire place and putting coals on top. All the clothes were made of wool or flax raised in the neighborhood and spun and woven into cloth. Much of the caiTDet woven in this locality by Aunt Margaret Larson, Adolphus Anderson's first wife, was made on the old loom of Mrs. Thomas Elliott, that she used to weave the woolen and Lindsey-Woolsey out of which she made the clothes and blankets to keep her family warm. It is only within the last few years that this loom has been destroyed.

Practically all this whole prairie was broken up with oxen. Burgess Elliott, Lars Ostrom, Martin England and Adolphus Anderson did much of this work. For this work they used a 28 or 32 inch breaking plow drawn by from four to six yoke of oxen. Some of the back furrows can still be see on the Martin England farm where Mr. England now lives.

At first the ground was very wet but within a few years a ditching machine which pressed a round hole about three feet under the ground and about the size of a six inch tile was used. This took the place of tile which came later and did very well in an early day, but the hole was gradually enlarged by the water until the top caved in and started large ditches. Well does the writer remember when his folks moved south of the school house, of crawHng, as a boy, for rods in these blind ditches as they were called. As people in the present day go to tractor demonstrations, so in those days would the people come long distances to see new and improved machinery.

The sickle and scythe were not much used here to cut grain, but the cradle was although it was soon succeeded by the McCormick reaper on which one man sat and drove and another stood and raked the grain off in sheaves for the binders to gather up and bind. The first self-raking reaper used here was owned by Adolphus Anderson and his nephew, Frank Anderson, tells of its first use. It was used a quarter of a mile north of where the church now is about 1857 to cut wheat. They used oxen on the tongue and horses in the lead. Frank says he rode the horses. Among the men binding were J. K. Robinson and Manford Mosher. Frank says thev had molasses, ginger and water in a pail and a long black bottle. Charles Clark and many others came to see the new reaper work. Robinson says Frank carried the water and bottle and took toll for carrying it to the others. Thus does the historian find himself in a maze of uncertainty as to the true facts.

In those early days all the corn ground had to be marked out both ways and planted by hand. The tools they used to tend it with were the hoe, single shovel, double shovel and bar share plow. It would look funny nowadays to see one plowing corn with oxen as Ben Nelson did about 1860 on the place where Fred Holstrum now lives.

Your historian has had much pleasure looking over the old conveyances of the Patty place, the Arnold, the Stuart, the Peter Anderson, Louis Osstrum, Eli Johnson and others. He has seen more patents by the government to land in the last week than in his whole life time before. Cliff Gibbs has the original patent to Tom Stuart from the government signed with the president's name. That is what is known as a sheepskin. Besides a patent which is in effect a government deed, there were issued to the soldiers of 1776 and 1812 land warrants. This was a privilege to locate a quarter-section of land in this military district, enter the land at the land office, surrender the warrant and get a deed in the form of a patent. Eric Ostrom has such a patent issued in 1817 to Cornelius Riorden, sergeant in Nelson's company of infantry of the U. S. after he had deposited a land warrant in the land office that was issued on the soldier's bounty land of the territory of Illinois in 1817. On the same day Riorden deeded the land to Alexander Cooper and the deed is written on the back of the patent. It is sure a curious document. In those days land titles were not so carefully recorded and there was more or less counterfeiting of land transfers and the country was infested with swindlers known as land sharps. It is said that Pete Skoglund paid for his land two or three times rather than go to law about the title.

But we must not think that all the life of these ancestors of ours was bereft of enjoyment. They lived in a land of milk and honey and had much to be thankful for. One of these was a famous peach orchard owned by Tom Stuart. They were real peaches, says Jonas Olson, and I can readily believe him for you can always trust a boy to know where there's a watermelon patch or a real peach orchard. With an ancestry such as this it behooves us, their descendants, to follow the advice of the poet who says :

This map of Knox County shows the stream and watershed system of the county ; its valleys ; the elevation of principal points above the sea level ; and the number and location of the coal veins. These veins are numbered from the bottom up, the lowest vein in the county being No. 1, and highest No. 6, The forested areas are as a rule contiguous to the streams.

The following map shows the townships and railroads and the older municipalities of the county, along with several neighborhood centers. Williamsfield in Truro township, and East Galesburg in Knox township are later towns on the Sante Fe. Hermon in Chestnut township is on the Fulton county branch of the Burlington, formerly the Narrow Gauge. Summit on the Peoria Branch is better known as Douglas.

Municipal Notes

In Salem township are Yates City, Douglas and Uniontown. The last was surveyed and platted in 1839. It was in the earlier days a point of much importance. Luther Carey opened the first store there and Jacob Booth and Moses Shinn a blacksmith shop, and they made plows and wagons. Thomas Griggsby began brick burning in 1845. The first school opened in 1843. The building of the railroad elsewhere killed its prospects.

Douglas, sometimes called Summit, was laid out October 17, 1856, and it developed from the building of the Peoria line of the Burlington. It has been a lively trading point and has maintained a number of stores, and had excellent facilities for handling grain. It maintains a good school.

Yates City is the principal municipality of the southeast part of the county, and is at one of the Burlington junctions. It was laid out in 1837 by William and A. C. Babcock, Thomas Maple, Rufus H. Bishop, Bostwick Kent and James Burson. James Burson erected the first business house; John Donnemaker opened the first hotel, and Isaac West erected the first dwelling. Buffum and Enable established a grain warehouse. A good flouring mill was built in 1868. Brick and tile were formerly manufactured in large quantity.

The Harvest Home Association, which has made Yates City famous for its annual celebrations, was established in 1886, largely through the efforts of Editor McKeighan of the Banner.

The saloon which from 1857 had fastened itself on the city was wiped out in 1875 and with the exception of 1888 and 1895 was kept out. Good banks have for years furnished excellent financial facilities. The city has a first class line of business houses.

For many years Yates City has maintained a high standard of schools. Among those who were its principals were the late W. L. Steele, so long superintendent of the city schools of Galesburg, and W. F. Boyes, present county superintendent of schools.

Also fraternally Yates City is strong and it has witnessed the organization of Masonic, Odd Fellow and Modern Woodmen lodges, and a Grand Army Post.

Yates City has for many years maintained a strong political influence in the county, and one of its best known young men, Frank L. Adams, has for years served efficiently as county clerk.

The village of Maquon is situated on or near the site of the old Indian village at the north line of the township and was surveyed by Parnach Owen in 1836, who assisted by several others laid out the village. For several years it had neither religious or educational institutions, but was the site of a distillery and race track, according to Gale's history of the county. Both these long since disappeared and years ago Maquon took its place as one of the model communities of Knox. The village was incorporated March 4, 1857, and its population by 1880 had reached 548. The first building in the village was Cox's tavern, built by Benjamin Cox, and for twenty years used as barracks, kept by Nathan Barbero. John Hippie conducted the first store in a building erected by Matthew Maddox in 1839. For forty years there has been no saloon in Maquon. The business interests are well represented by well conducted stores and banks.

Prior to 1848 Maquon schools were held in rooms furnished by Nathan and Calister Barbero, but in that year a substantial brick building was erected. The initial attendance was 175 pupils. The Maquon school for many years has been considered one of the best in the county.

Rapatee, also in Maquon township, was founded in 1883, with the building of the Iowa Central in 1883. It was laid out by Benjamin Adams and A. B. Stewart was its first merchant.

Rio, in Rio township, was platted in 1871 by William Robinson, and was first called Coburg. The pioneer store was built by Messrs. Schroeder and Owens. Nelson Coe was the first postmaster. Rio has always had enterprising merchants, and has been a good trading center. Since its founding, there have been organized there Masonic, Odd Fellow, Modern Woodmen, Eastern Star and Home Forum lodges. The place also maintains religious worship.

Some mention has been made elsewhere of the inventors of the county who contributed to its agricultural development. Mention should be made of Riley Root, who seemed to be the inventive genius of the colonists. Among other things he produced the rotary snow plow, a device for clarifying cane or corn syrups, and a surveyor's level.

A Galesburg and Knox County boy, Edwin Hurd Conger, rose to high distinction after graduating from Lombard college in 1832 and serving through the war, where he was breveted as major for gallant service. In 1880 he was elected State treasurer of Iowa. In 1886 he was elected to Congress and was twice re-elected. President Harrison appointed him minister to Brazil serving until 1893. In 1897 he was reappointed to the Brazil post but in 1898 was transferred to China, where he served with distinction for a number of years and where during the Boxer uprising he was a conspicuous international figure.

Illinois

Such gratitude as is due the pioneers of Knox County is likewise due those who had made IlHnois a commonwealth of the Union before this county was settled. One of the b'tterest and most significant political contests ever wa<?ed made Illinois a free state in 1824, and before our county history begins the boundaries had been established and forces set at work that were to make this state a most important factor in the preservation of the Union.

The territory, now Illinois, was claimed by the French from the days of Marquette to the Treaty of Paris in 1763. From 1763 to the conquest of George Rogers Clark it was British territory. The Treaty of 1783 confirmed Clark's conquest and gave Illinois to the United States. But one of the great difficulties of the early government of the nation was the territorial claims of the different states. Massachusetts, Connecticut and Virginia all claimed territory lying within the present State of Illinois. The cession of Virginia was made in 1783.

Kaskaskia, just below the mouth of the Kaskaskia river, and Cahokia, a few miles below East St. Louis, were the earliest permanent settlements. This state was settled by people from the north, east and south. Each of these directions brought its own peculiar characteristics and customs. Two groups of families directly from England settled in Edwards county in 1816 and 1817. It is said that no other district created such wide-spread interest in Europe as the Illinois country.

Upon the British occupation of the territory, many of the French emigrated. Development in Illinois was at a stand for years. The white population within the present state was probably not more than 1,000 in 1800. The most marked development of the country began upon the organization of Illinois as a separate territory. In 1818 the population was about 40,000.

Slavery was introduced into the territory by the French in 1721. Nothing was said in the treaty of cession to Great Britain about slaverj% but such chattels were held in Illinois as British territory, just as when it was French. The United States in turn agreed to guarantee to the people security in person and effects. So, notwithstanding the ordinance of 1787, slavery was for years a fact. Under the early state government, what was called the Black code recognized the institution and then came the great campaign of 1824, under Gov-

The Indians within the state caused much trouble at different times. The Ft. Dearborn and Wood River massacres were the most serious. But many lives were taken by Indians during the War of 1812 and later.