Jackson County, Indiana - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 1 of those read), 1886 (part 7 of 7)

What The Pioneers Have Done

Illinois is a grand State, in many respects second to none in the Union, and in almost every thing that goes to make a live, prosperous community, not far behind the best. Beneath her fertile soil is coal enough to supply the State for generations; her harvests are bountiful; she has a medium climate, and many other things, that make her people contented, prosperous and happy; but she owes much to those who opened up these avenues that have led to her present condition and happy surroundings. Unremit¬ ting toil and labor have driven off the sickly miasmas that brooded over swampy prairies. Energy and perseverance have peopled every section of her wild lands, and changed them from wastes and deserts to gardens of beauty and profit. When but a few years ago the barking wolves made the night hideous with their wild shrieks and howls, now is heard only the lowing and bleating of domestic animals. Only a half century ago the wild whoop of the Indian rent the air where now are heard the engine and rumbling trains of cars, bearing away to markets the products of our labor and soil. Then the savage built his rude huts on the spot where now rise the dwellings and school-houses and church spires of civ¬ ilized life. How great the transformation ! This change has been brought about by the incessant toil and aggregated labor ot thousands of tired hands and anxious hearts, and the noble aspira¬ tions of such men and women as make any country great. What will another half century accomplish? There are few, very few, of these old pioneers yet lingering on the shores of time as connect¬ ing links of the past with the present. What must their thoughts be as with their dim eyes they view the scenes that surround themt We often hear people talk about the old-fogy ideas and fogy ways, and want of enterprise on the part of the old men who have gone through the experiences of pioneer life. Sometimes, perhaps, such remarks are just, but, considering the experiences, education and entire life of such men, such remarks are better unsaid. They have had their trials, misfortunes, hardships and adventures, and shall we now, as they are passing far down the western decliv¬ ity of life, and many of them gone, point to them the finger of derision and laugh and sneer at the simplicity of their ways? Let ns rather cheer them up, revere and respect them, for beneath those rough exteriors beat hearts as noble as ever throbbed in the human breast. These veterans have been compelled to live for weeks upon hominy and, if bread at all, it was bread made from com ground in hand-mills, or pounded up with mortars. Their children have been destitute of shoes during the winter; their families had no clothing except what was carded, spun, wove and made into garments by their own hands; schools they had none; churches they had none; afflicted with sickness incident to all new countries, sometimes the entire family at once; luxuries of life they had none; the auxiliaries, improvements, inventions and labor-saving machinery of to-day they had not; and what they possessed they obtained by the hardest of labor and individual exer¬ tions, yet they bore these hardships and privations without mur¬ muring, hoping for better times to come, and often, too, with but little prospect of realization.

As before mentioned, the changes written on every hand are most wonderful. It has been but three-score years since the white man began to exercise dominion over this region, erst the home of the red men, yet the visitor of to-day, ignorant of the past of the country, could scarcely be made to realize that within these years there has grown up a population of 2,000,000 people, who in all the accomplishments of life are as far advanced as are the inhabi¬ tants of the older States. Schools, churches, colleges, pala¬ tial dwellings, beautiful grounds, large, well-cultivated and produc¬ tive farms, as well as cities, towns and busy manufactories, have grown up, and occupy the hunting grounds and camping places of the Indians, and in every direction there are evidences of wealth, comfort and luxury. There is but little left of the old landmarks. Advanced civilization and the progressive demands of revolving years have obliterated all traces of Indian occupancy, until they are only remembered in name.