LIBRARY OF THL U N 1VER5 ITY or ILLl NOIS >.\ KLINOIS HISTOSICAL SUMt JIJI, STARK COUNTY ILLINOIS AND ITS PEOPLE A RECORD OF SETTLEMENT, ORGANIZATION, PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT J. KNOX HALL SUPERVISING EDITOR ILLUSTRATED VOLUME I Chicago THE PIONEER PUBLISHING COMPANY 1916 ^ -^..f .^r'^y CONTENTS CHAPTER I <^ PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. LOCATIOX AND BOUNDARIES — SURFACE — RIVERS AND CREEKS — GENERAL CHARACTER NATIVE A'EGETATION ANLMALS AND BIRDS GEOLOGY — THE COAL MEASURES — SECTIONS OF MINING SH^Vl'TS — EXTENT OF THE COAL DEPOSITS — BUILDING STONE — THE GLACIAL EPOCH HOAV STARK COUNTY ^VAS FORMED — CHARACTER OF THE GLACIAL DRIFT — THE AVATER SUPPIA' 9 CHAPTER II ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS .MOUND BUILDERS FIRST NOTICE OF MOUNDS IN THE UNITED STATES CHARACTER AND STRUCTURE OF THE MOUNDS — EARLY INVESTIGA- TIONS AND THEORIES WORK OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY — DIS- TRICTS IX THE UNITED STATES — WHO WERE THE MOUND BUILDERS — MORE THEORIES — RELICS IX THE COUNTY OF STARK — ADAMS AND shallexberger's work 22 CHAPTER III INDIAN HISTORY DISTRIBUTIOX OF IXDIAX NATIO>JS AT THE CLOSE OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY" — THE ILLINOIS — SUBORDINATE TRIBES — THE SACS AND FOXES THE BLACK HAWK WAR DEATH OF BLACK HAWK THE POTTAWATOMI THEIR VILLAGES IN STARK COUNTY SHAB-BO-NEE — TREATIES WITH THE POTTAWATOMI THEIR CHARACTER THE WINNEBAGO INDIAN NA:MES 31 \ iii \ I I 0948 I iv CONTENTS CHAPTER IV THE PERIOD OF PREPARATION EiiRLY EXPLORATIONS IN AMERICA SPANISH, FRENCH AND ENG- LISH CLAIMS TO TERRITORY IN THE NEA\^ WORLD — THE JESUIT MISSIONARIES — DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI — :MARQUETTE AND JOLIET LA SALLE's EXPEDITIONS LOUISIANA CROXAT AND LAW THE MISSISSIPPI BUBBLE — CONFLICT OF INTERESTS — FRENCH AND INDIAN AVAR — ILLINOIS A BRITISH POSSESSION THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION CLARK's CONQUEST OF THE NORTHWEST ILLINOIS UNDER VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS ADMITTED AS A STATE EVOLUTION OF STARK COUNTY — RECAPITULATION 45 CHAPTER V SETTLEMENT OF STARK COUNTY AN OLD TRADING POST EVELAND AND ROSS — ISAAC B. ESSEX THE ORIG- INAL PIONEER — FIRST CABIN IN STARK COUNTY — LIST OF SETTLERS EACH YEAR TO 1839 — PIONEER LIFE AND CUSTOMS — THE HOUSE RAISING — FURNITURE AND UTENSILS — SWAPPING WORK — AMUSE- MENTS AND PASTIMES — MARKING ANIMALS — THE OLD TRAPPER's SOLILOQUY 58 CHAPTER VI STARK COUNTY ORGANIZED THE MILITARY LAND GRANT — FORGED TITLES — FIRST COUNTIES IN THE ILLINOIS VALLEY — STARK COUNTY — THE ORGANIC ACT — FIRST ELEC- TIONS — THE COUNTY SEAT — CHANGE IN GOA'ERNMENT — THE COURT- HOUSE — THE ANNEX — THE COUNTY JAIL — SHERIFF MURCHISON's REPORT — THE POOR FARM — HOW THE COUNTY WAS NAMED 70 CHAPTER VII TOWNSHIP HISTORY ORIGIN OF THE TOWNSHIP — FIRST TOWNSHIPS IN THE UNITED STATES — justices' districts in STxVRK COUNTY — ESTABLISHMENT OF CIVIL CONTENTS V TOAVNSHIPS IX 1853 — ELM IRA — ESSEX— GOSHEN — OSCEOLA — PENN — TOULON — VALLEY — WEST JERSEY — MILITARY LAND ENTRIES IN E^CH — HOW THE TOAVNSHIPS AVERE NAMED — EARLY SETTLERS- PRESENT DAY CONDITIONS— RAILROADS— SCHOOLS— POPULATION AND AVEALTH ^^ CHAPTER VIII CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES SPECULATION IN EARLY DAYS — NUMEROUS TOWNS PROJECTED — LIST OF TOAVNS AND VILLAGES IN STARK COUNTY — CITIES OF TOULON AND WYOMING INCORPORATED VILLAGES OF BRADFORD AND LAFAYETTE MINOR VILLAGES HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACPI PRESENT DAY CONDITIONS POSTOFFICES AND RURAL MAIL ROUTES Ill CHAPTER IX MILITARY HISTORY AVAR OF 1812 BLACK HAAVK AA^VR AVAR AVITH MEXICO AA'AR OF 1861- '65 — CONDITIONS LEADING UP TO THE AVAR — THE SLAA'ERY QUESTION C0MPR03IISE LEGISLATION — KANSAS-NEBRASKA BILL — POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1860 — SECESSION OF THE SLAA'E STATES — FALL OF FORT SUMTER — CALL FOR A'OLUNTEERS — AVAR MEETING AT TOULON — ILLI- NOIS' RESPONSE — EARLY ENLISTMENTS — BRIEF HISTORIES OF THE REGIMENTS IN AVHICH STARK COUNTY AVAS REPRESENTED — ROSTER OF STARK COUNTY COMPANIES — MISCELLANEOUS INFANTRY ENLIST- MENTS — CAA^ALRY SERVICE — ARTILLERY — SOLDIERs' MONUJIENT^ THE AVORK AT HOME 135 CHAPTER X INTERNAL II^IPROVEMENTS EARLY CONDITIONS IN STARK COUNTY — ^DIFFICULTIES OF EARLY TRAVEL — INDIAN TRAILS — PUBLIC HIGHAVAYS — KNOXVILLE & GALENA STATE ROAD FIRST ROAD DISTRICTS AND SUPERVISORS PETITIONS AND VIEAVERS MODERN HIGHAVAYS STATE HIGHAVAY COMMISSION- STATE INTERNAL IMPROAEMENTS — ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL — vi CONTENTS ACT OF 1836 LxUJGE APPROPRIATIONS FOR RIVER IMPROVEMENTS AND RAILRO^VDS THE RAILROAD ERA WESTERN AIR LINE A3IER- ICAN CENTRAL — CHICAGO, ROCK ISLAND &: PACIFIC — CHICAGO, BUR- LINGTON & QUINCY — CHICAGO & NORTHWESTERN — VALUE OF RAIL- ROAD PROPERTY IN THE COUNTY 162 CHAPTER XI FINANCE AND INDUSTRY PUBLIC REVENUES — PROPERTY VALUES — PRINCIPAL FUNDS RAISED BY TAXATION — BANKING INSTITUTIONS — GENERAL HISTORY — EARLY BANKING IN ILLINOIS STARK COUNTY BANKS AGRICULTUItE^ CROP AND LIVE STOCK STATISTICS STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE farmers' INSTITUTES — COAL MINING — MANUFACTURING TELE- PHONE COMPANIES 177 CHAPTER XII EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER OF THE EARLY SCHOOLS — SCHOOLHOUSE AND FURNITURE — TEXT-BOOKS SPELLING SCHOOLS — THE THREE r's — PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM — STARK COUNTY SCHOOLS PIONEER TEACHERS — EDUCA- TION^VL PROGRESS BY TOWNSHIPS THE SEMINARY TOULON PUBLIC SCHOOLS — TOULON ACADEMY WYOMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS — SCHOOL OFFICERS TEACHERS^ INSTITUTE — TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION — THE PRESS — BRIEF HISTORIES OF THE VARIOUS NEWSPAPERS — EXTINCT NEAVSPAPERS PUBLIC LIBRARIES WYOJIING TOULON LAFAY- ETTE BRADFORD ELMIRA IJBRARY ASSOCIATION SCHOOL LIBRARIES. ....... ^ 194 CHAPTER XIII THE BENCH AND BAR PURPOSE OF THE COURTS — THE LAWYER AS A CITIZEN — EARLY COURTS OF STARK COUNTY FIRST JURORS SKETCHES OF EARLY JUDGES- - LIST OF CIRCUIT JUDGES SINCE 1839 — CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING COURTS PROBATE COURT COUNTY COURT AND JUDGES state's ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES COURTS THE BAR CONDI- TIONS OF EARLY DAYS SKETCHES OF OLD-TIME LAWYERS THE BAR OF 1915^ — CRIMINAL CASES A STRAY INCIDENT 219 COXTENTS vii CHAPTER XIV THE MEDICAL PKOFESSION MEDICINE AX OLD I'UOl-ESSION HOME-:\rADE liEMEDIES CHARACTKli Ol'' THE PIONEER DOCTOR HIS METHODS OF TREATMENT^ HARDSHIPS OF FRONTIER PRACTICE — STANDING OF THE DOCTOR AS A CITIZEN — STARK COUNTY DOCTORS — BRIEF SKETCHES OF OLD-TIME PHYSICIANS ■ — STARK COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY — REGISTERED PHYSICIANS IN 191.3.... 236 CHAPTER XV CHURCH HISTORY DIFFICULTIES IN AVRITING CHURCH HISTORY — JESUIT MISSIONARIES — THE METHODISTS — PEORIA MISSION THE BAPTISTS THE PRESBY- TERIANS THE CONGREGATIONALISTS LATTER DAY SAINTS^ — CHRIS- TIANS OR DISCIPLES — THE UNIVERSALISTS — UNITED BRETHREN — THE CATHOLICS — HISTORIES OF THE VARIOUS CONGREGATIONS — MISCELLANEOUS RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 240 CHAPTER XVI SOCIETIES AND FRATERNITIES MUTUAL PROTECTION SOCIETY ITS AUMS AND OBJECTS — AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND FAIR ASSOCIATIONS OLD SETTLERs' ASSOCIATION — THE LOG CABIN OLD SETTLERS' MONUMENT LETTERS FROM PIONEERS MASONIC FRATERNITY ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS — DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH — GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC — TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES — MISCEL- LANEOUS SOCIETIES '2C}(> CHAPTER XVII MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY PURPOSE OF THIS CHAPTER — FIRST THINGS — PRICES AND AYAGES — LIN- COLN AND DOUGLAS AT TOULON — THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD — FOUNTAIN AV ATKINS TELLS A STORY- — A RESOLUTION THE FIRST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN INDIAN RETALIATION HUNTING IN EARLY DAYS — THE MORMON PROPHET — A POLITICAL HERO 280 viii CONTENTS CHAPTER XVIII STATISTICAL REVIEW POPULATIOX AT EACH UNITED STATES CENSUS — CONSTITUTIONAL CON- VENTIONS — CONGRESSION.VI. DISTRICTS — GENERAL ASSE5IBLY — HOW STARK HAS BEEN REPRESENTED IN THE LEGISLATURE OEITCIAL ROS- TER — LIST OF PUBLIC OFFICLXXS SINCE 1839 — VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AT EACH ELECTION SINCE 1840 — SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL E^'ENTS CONNECTED WITH THE COUNTy's HISTORY 305 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS UR6ANA J. KNOX HALL History of Stark County CHAPTER I PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC. LOCATIOX AND BOUNDARIES SURFACE RIVERS AND CREEKS GENERAL CHARACTER NATIVE VEGETATION ANIMALS AND BIRDS GEOLOGY — THE COAL MEASURES — SECTIONS OF MINING SHAFTS — EXTENT OF THE COAL DEPOSITS— BUILDING STONE — THE GLACIAL EPOCH — HOW STARK COUNTY AVAS FORJIED CHARACTER OF THE GLACIAL DRIFT THE WATER SUPPLY. Stark County is situated northwest of the center of the state, its western Hue being about fifty miles from tlie INIississippi River at Keithsburg. and its northern bounthiry is eighty-seven miles from the \\'isc()nsin state line. On the north it is bounded by the counties of Rureau and Henry; on the east l)y Rureau and Marshall counties; on the south by Peoria County, and on the west by Knox and Heiu-y cdunties. It embraces Congressional townshi])s 12 and 13 north. Range o east; townships 12. l.'i and U, Range (i; and townships 12. I. "J and 14, Range 7. As each of these townships contains thirty-six square miles, the total area of the county is 288 square miles. The general surface of the county is slightly undulating, or roll- ing, except in the vicinity of the Spoon River and at some places along Indian Creek, where it is more or less broken. More than nine-tenths of the 184.320 acres responds easily to cultivation, and the remaining tenth is by no means waste land, though its cultivation is attended by greater effort. Natural drainage is afforded by the Spoon River. Indian and AValnut creeks, Cooper's Defeat, Camping Run, Jack Creek, ]Mud Run, Jug Run and a number of smaller streams. The Spoon River is composed of two branches. The East Fork rises in Rureau County and the West Fork in Henry County, the former flowing in a southwesterly direction and the latter toward the 10 IIISTORV OF STARK COUNTY southeast until they form a junction in the northeastern part of Tou- lon Township, Stark Countj'. From this point the main stream fol- lows a general southerly course through the townships of Toulon and Essex. It finally empties into the Illinois River near the town of Havana, Mason County. The Indian name of this stream was "]Maquon," which in the Pottawatomi language means "Feather," certainly a more euphonious name than the one adopted by the white people. Indian Creek, the second largest stream in the county, has its source not far from the town of Galva, Henry County. It enters Stark County about two miles west of the northeast corner of Goshen Township, and follows a general southeasterly direction until it empties into the Spoon River a short distance above the old settlement known as Slackwater. This creek takes its name from the fact that when the first white men came to what is now Stark County they found a few Indians living along its banks. Walnut Creek, so named because of the number of walnut trees that once grew along its course, rises near the little village of Xekoma, Henry County, whence it flows southeast until it enters Stark County a little south of I^afayette. Its course is then almost south through Goshen and West Jersey townships until it mingles its waters with those of the Spoon River in the northwestern part of Peoria County. The creek known as Cooper's Defeat begins in the southern part of Bureau County. Its general course is westward and it finally emp- ties into the East Fork of the Spoon River in the southwest corner of Osceola Township. About three miles above its mouth it bends south- ward into Penn Township, where William and Jeremiah Cooper were frozen to death in the severe snow storm just before Christmas in is:n, from which incident the creek takes its name. A further account of this event Avill be found in another chapter. Some seven or eight miles south of Coojjer's Defeat and flowing in the same general direction is Cam])ing Rim, or Camp Creek, as it is sometimes called. It has its beginning a short distance east of Camp Grove, in INIarshall County, and joins the Spoon River about a mile and a half west of the little village of Stark. Before the advent of the railroad emigrant parties frequently encamped in the grove near the headwaters of the creek, from which custom it took its name. Still farther south is ]Mud (or ]Muddy) Run. \\hich rises in ^Slar- shall County and flows westAvard through the southern part of Valley Township until it empties into Camping Run about half a mile from the mouth of the latter. Its name indicates its character. HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY 11 Jack Creek rises near the western boundary of Elniira Township and Hows in a southeasterly direction througli that township and Tou- lon, finally falling into the Spoon River a short distance below the village of JNlodena. .Jug Riui parallels the course of Jack Creek about two miles farther south. It is a short stream and is all in Toulon Township. Of the smaller streams the most important are Fitch Creek, which rises in Knox County and touches the northwest corner of Goshen Township; and Silver Creek, a tributary of the East Fork of the Spoon River in the northeast corner of Osceola Township. GEXEKAh CIIAKACTEU Originally the greater part of the county was prairie, with groves of timber interspersed in such a way that none of the prairies con- sisted of more than a few square miles. The largest prairie was be- tween Cooper's Defeat Creek and Camping Run, in what are now Pcmi and \'alley townships. The absence of timber \ii)on the tracts of land called prairies has been the subject of considerable specula- tion among geologists. geogra]ihcrs and botanists as to the cause of the vast, treeless plains in the ^Middle West and the smaller tracts of sim- ilar character in other parts of the country. It is a notable fact that no prairies existed east of the State of Ohio. Professor Whitney, who made .some observations on this subject, says: "The cause of the absence of trees on the prairies is due to the physi- cal character of the soil, and especially its exceeding fineness, which is prejudicial to the growth of anything but a superficial vegetation, the smallness of the particles of the soil being an insuperable barrier to the necessary access of air to the roots of dee])ly-rootcd vegetation, such as trees. \Vherever, in the midst of the extraordinary tine soil of the prairies, coarse and gravelly patches exist, there dense forests occur." Dr. Charles A. White, who held the office of state geologist in Iowa for several years in the early '7()s, made a somewhat extended investigation of the subject and reached a different conclusion from that of Professor Whitney. After calling attention to the fact tliat ])rairies are found resting uj)on all kinds of bed rock, from the Azoic to the Cretaceous ages, and that all kinds of soil — alluvial, drift and lacrustral, including sand, clay, gravel and loam — are frecinently found upon the same prairie, he says: "Thus, whatever the origin of the jirairies might have been, wc have 12 HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY positive assurance that their present existence is not due to the influ- ence of the chmate, the character or composition of tlie soil, nor to the character of any underlying formations. "There seems to be no good reason why we should regard the for- ests as any more natural or normal condition than are the prairies. Indeed it seems the more natural inference that the occupation of the surface has taken place by dispersion from original centers, and that they encroached upon the unoccupied surface until they were met and checked by the destructive power of fires. The prairies doubtless existed as such almost immediately after the close of the glacial epoch." Doctor White's statement, that the prairies are not due to any character or composition of the soil, is borne out by the fact that in the towns that have been built up on the prairies, and in the artificial groves around many of the farm houses in the West, trees have grown M'ith as much vigor as though the surface had once been covered by a gnjw th of native timber. But, no matter how the prairies originated, the pioneers of Stark County found upon them a soil — a dark loam in .structure — that \\hen properly drained and rightly cultivated is unsur- passed in productiveness. Along the streams the first settlers foimd belts of timber, vai'ying in width, the principal varieties of native trees being oak, maple, lin- den, hickory, black walnut and elm. Smaller and less important spe- cies were the dogwood, hawthorn, red bud. wild plum, crab apple, etc. The soil of the timbered lands is lighter in color than that of the ])rai- ries and not so deep, but with the right kind of care and cultivation it can be made to produce excellent crops. Before the plow and the spade of civilization disturbed the nati\'e vegetation of the ])rairies the land was covered with flowers of various hues. First in im])ortance was probably the tall plant known as "Queen of the prairie," which often grew to a height of six feet and bore at the top a large cluster of flowers resembling the blossoms of the peach tree. Then there were the white, yellow and ]Hu-])le lady slipper, the golden rod, the buttercup, the INIay api)le. the blue bell, the forget-me-not, several members of the phlox family, the best know n of which was the modest little flower known as the sweet wil- liam. and numerous others, all of which have disappeared except in very rare instances. Along the banks of the streams and around the ponds could be found three or four species of water lilies, the cowslip, the cat tail and blue flags, various kinds of mint, etc. In the Avoods the wild mari- HISTORY OF STxVRK COUNTY 13 gold, tlie bell flower, the yellow honey suckle, aiieinones, the clematis, the trumpet creeper and the modest violet grew ahuiidantly, and some of these flowers are still to be seen in a few secluded places, wjicrc the ravages of civilized man have not yet encompassed their destruction, in the early days, before the physician and the drug store had become established institutions, many herbs were gathered and pre- served for their medicinal properties. Foremost among these were the horehound, boneset, pennyroyal, catnip, wild garlic, barberiy, yel- low water dock, burdock, wild senna, gentian, lobelia, and a species of wormwood. A i'eA\- straggling siJecimens of these plants may be seen, but whei-e they once grew in pi'oi'usion are now the cultivated fields of the thrifty husbandman. ANIMALS AND lilKIlS Time was when the l)ison. or American I)uff"alo, roamed in great berds over the prairies of Illinois. At several points along the Spoon IJivei-, within the limits of Stark County, large quantities of the bones of these animals have !)een found. It is supposed that these bone heaps are due to the bufl'aloes seeking shelter in the timber along the river from some violent storm, and that here the whole herd perished. What the storms failed to accomjjlish toward the extinguishment of the bison the rifle of the pioneer and the encroachments of civilization did accomplish, and they have gone, never to return. The Virginia deer was also once plentiful in what is now Stark County and venison formed a considerable jjortion of the meat sui)i)ly for the family of the early settler. Occasionally a black bear could be seen prowling about some frontier settlement, but when some pioneer "drew a bead" on him with the long barreled rifle his tenure of life was limited to a few seconds at most, and then the family ^^ould least on bear meat for a short season. Although not so plentiful as the bufl'alo or tlie deei\ tiie elk was one of the native animals of the S])oon River \'allev. The beaver, ottei', nniik. raccoon and nmskrat were the best known of the fur- bearing animals and in early days were tra])ped in large numbei's for the revenue that their skins woidd bring. The beaver and otter have joined the bufi^alo, bear, deer and elk in oblivion and oidy on r;u-e occasions are any of the others to be seen. Among the predatory animals, or beasts of ])rey, the prairie and timber wolf, the lynx, the pantbei-. the catamomit. the wildcat, the grav and red fox were those most common. Of these the wolves were 14 HISTORY OF STARK COUXTY probably tbe most troublesome. In JNlarcb, IH^J', the county com- missioners offered a bounty of $1 for the scalp of each big wolf and ;50 cents for that of each prairie wolf "six months old killed in Stark County during the year 1844." As late as December 18, 1884, a large wolf was killed a few miles west of Toulon, and on ^Nlay 23, 188.3, the county clerk paid E. H. Bates, of Osceola, $24 on fourteen young wolf scalps. There are still living in the county jjersons who can I'emember how, when they were children, they were wont to cuddle more closely together in their beds as the mournful howl of some wolf, engaged upon his nightly foraging expedition, came to their ears in the lonely cabin on the frontier. Other wild animals that were common in the early days were the IMaryland marmot — commonly called the woodchuck or ground hog — the rabbit, which is still found in considerable mmibers, several species of squirrels, the skunk, the opossum, the weasel and a few others. The gray squirrel, the striped and spotted prairie squirrel have dis- api)eared aTul the other varieties are found only in limited numbers compared with former years. In October, 1867, Robert Church killed an American eagle near the bridge over Indian Creek on the road leading from Toulon to Lafayette. The bird was a magnificent specimen, measuring seven feet from tip to tip of its wings. So far as can be learned this M'as the last eagle killed in the county, where the bald eagle was once (piite common and occasionally the golden eagle cotild be seen. Closely allied to the eagle in habits, but much smaller, are the hawks, several s|)ecies of which were once quite nmnerous in Stark County. Those best known were the pigeon hawk, the sparrow hawk. Cooper's, the sharp-shinned, the red-tailed and the swallow-tailed hawks, while the fish hawk, the red shouldered hawk and the marsh hawk were more rare. Of the owls, the most common was the ordinary screech owl. Next was the barred or barn owl. The long and short eared, the great horned owl and the snowy owl were to be seen in the smaller numbers, the last named being rather rare. Game birds, or birds used for food, were abundant. The wild turkey, several species of wild ducks, the wild goose, the loon and the gull Mere the largest of such fowl, though some of the smaller varieties made u]) in numbers what they lacked in size. The most familiar of this class were the prairie chicken and some other members of the grouse family, the quail, the snipe, of which tliere were several kinds, the plover, and last, but not least in importance, the passenger pigeon. Prior to 187o great flocks of wild pigeons numbering thousands of HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY 15 birds would pass over the county during the migratory seasons. At night they wouhl pause to roost in some forest and would perch upon the rimhs of the trees in such numbers that often branches several inches in diameter would give wav under the weight. Those were red- letter days for the sportsman and the birds were killed by hundreds, merely for the sport of the killing. In the early '70s the size of the flocks began to diminisli and a few years later the ])assenger pigeon disappeared altogether. The question has l)een asked many times where they went or what became of them, as they have not been heard from anywliere. Their disappearance is still shrouded in mystery. Other birds once seen here in considerable numbers that are now entirely extinct or exceedingly rare were the turkey buzzard, the C'aroliit* parrot, the whippoorwill, the cuckoo, the crane, the heron, the common crow, the tintle dove and quite a number of song birds, such as the thrush, the finch family, several species of warblers, the oriole, etc. Then tliei'e were the swallows, of which there were several kinds, the bunting, the little wren, the titmouse, the chickadee, the native sparrows, the red throated humming bird, the meadow lark, the nuthatch, the fly catcher, the jn'airie skylark, the pewee, the blue bird and some others that have entirely (lisa])peared or are extremely rare. The ax, the plow and the scythe destroyed many of their accustomed haunts and drove them to seek other (piarters, and the pugnacious, worthless English sparrow has added to the destructive work of man in driving out many of the native birds. The wood- pecker, the l)lack bird and the uliiquitous lilue jay are still seen in the county, but in smaller numbers tlian formerly, and on rare occasions some of the other species mentioned above are to be met with, as thougli they had returned to mourn over the scenes of their l)y-gone ha])piness. It is to be regretted that greater and timely protection was not given to the song ])irds and insect-eating varieties, which could have done so much toward adding to the cheerfulness of the liiiiiian familj' and the protection of the farmers' crops. GEOLOGY Although America is called the Xew ^Vorld, geologists believe that it is older than any of the continents of the Eastern Hemis])here. P]-ofessor Agassiz says: "Here Avas the first dry land lifted out of the waters; here the first shores were Avashed by the ocean that en- velo])ed all the earth besides; and while Europe was represented onlv by islands rising here and there above the sea, America already 16 HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY stretched in one unbroken line of dry land from Nova Scotia to the far West." It is not witliin the province of a history such as tliis to discuss the methods by which geok)gists readied this conclusion, but other eminent autliorities, as well known in scientific circles as Professor Agassiz, are inclined to favor the same theory regarding the age of the conti- nent upon which we live. If their hypothesis be correct. Stark County may have been the home of the creatures of the reptilian type belong- ing to the Jura-Trias and Cretaceous eras, while the so-called Old World was still under water. The first official geological survey of the conditions existing in Stark County was made by H. A. Green, under the auspices of the state geological survey, and published in the report for 1870. ]Mr. Green found in his investigations that all the stratified rocks of the county belong to the Coal INIeasures, including all the lower portion of the series from coal No. 7 to coal Xo. 2, inclusive. Coal Xo. 7 was observed in only a few places, the most notable of which was in section 10, township 14, range 7, where S. C. Francis was engaged in oper- ating a mine near the east fork of the Spoon River. A section of the shaft at this mine, as given by Mr. Green, shows the following formation : Ft. In. Yellow clay 2 Red sand 2 Xodular limestone 2 4 Light colored clay G 10 Clay shale 2 Sandstone 8 Blue clay shale 4 2 Sandstone 1 4 Blue clay shale 8 Dark clay shale 5 8 Coal ...". ■ 2 Blue clay shale 12 Impure limestone 3 Clay shale 8 Impure limestone 2 Blue clay shale 1 4 Dark clav shale 3 Coal ..." 2 7 Depth of shaft 62 6 HISTOKV OF STAKK COUNTY 17 Concerning the product of this mine and the coal deposits in the vicinity, Mr. Green says: "Tliis coal appears to occupy the ])osition of coal No. 7, and prohal)ly l»eh)ngs to that seam. The coal worked at the Bradford shaft, which is hut a short distance from here, in section 21, is thought to he some thirty or forty feet helow, and is probahly No. G." With regard to the coal deposits in general his report says : "Stark County has an abundant supply of coal, which is at present derived mainly from coal No. i>. It crops out along the West Fork in JOImii-a Township, along the Spoon River in Toulon, at intervals for about twenty miles, and can i)robably be found and worked along the streams and their tributaries for the entire distance. This coal varies in thickness from 2I/2 to 6 feet, seldom reaching the extreme, but averaging from 3\-> to .) feet. Immense quantities of coal have been taken from this seam at its outcrops along the diff'erent streams. In Osceola Township one shaft has been sunk near the East Fork, and several others are pai'tially completed. Shafts have also been sunk at ]Modena. near Wyoming, in Toulon Township and at Cox's Mill in Essex Township." That was wi'itten in 1870. Since then several new developments have been made in the mining industry. Coal No. (i is the ])i'inci])al seam worked in the county. It first appears in the bluffs along the West Fork, in the southeast part of section .'}. townshij) 14, range 0. From that point to the southeast quarter of section 10, in the same township and range, it has been worked at intervals along the west side of the stream. In section 16 a number of openings have been made and considerable quantities of coal have been taken out. Here the coal crops out of the bluff, some ten or fifteen feet above the level of the creek. The seam nms from fom- to five feet thick, with a clay parting of about two inches near the middle. No. seam is also worked at what is kno\\n as the Bradford shaft, located on the east side of the East Fork in section 28, township 14, range 7. The shaft here shows as follows: Ft. In. Yellow elaj' .'J Limestone 4 I^ight colored clay 4 6 IJght colored clay shale 8 4 Limestone 2 4 Clay shale 9 10 Coal 2 18 IIISTOKV OF STARK COUXTV Soft black slate (fossiliferous) 4 Clay 4 5 Sandstone 22 2 Clay shale limestone 4 Light colored clay shale 6 Green clay shale 2 4 Dark clay shale 3 2 Impure limestone 1 6 Dark clay shale 2 6 Coal (with 3-inch clay parting) 4 Depth of shaft 88 7 At IModena the vein ranges from 41/.' to .jl/ feet in thickness and is rarely more than thirty feet below the surface. Coal has also been noted in the bed of Jack Creek, in section 4, township 13, range 6, where some of the deposits have been worked a little. In sections 2. 11 and 12, of the same township and range, a short distance south of jNIodena, the coal crojjs out along the bluff from eight to ten feet above the bed of the creek and several mines were in operation in this part of the county at the time of IMr. Green's sur^'ey. According to Green, coal Xo. 4 is found at only one place in the county, viz: in section 19, township 12. range .5. near Walnut Creek, about two miles southwest of the "N'illage of ^Vest Jersey. Here he found a vein of coal 41/. feet in thickness, below which was a layer of impure cannel coal, varying from six to ten inches in thickness and containing the fossil remains of plants and fishes. The vein of No. 4 coal at this point is only about fifteen feet below the surface. Fur- ther mention of the coal deposits and their develoiMiient will be found in the chapter on Finance and Industry. BUILDING STONE When INIr. Green visited the county in his geological research in 1870, he found only a small quantity of building stone of value. The best deposit of limestone worked at that time was in the quarries in sections 21-22, township 14, range 7. a short distance northwest of Bradford. This he pronounced the largest bed exposed anvwhere in the countv, being from six to twelve feet thick, but in thin ledges, I HISTORY OF STARK COUXTV 19 none of which was over six inches thick. The stone from this (iiiarry is of a light drab coh)r, conij)act and of even textnre, moderately hard and stands exposure to tlie weather. It can be l)urned into a lime suitable for masonry, but too dark in color to be used for plastering. Near the Spoon River, in section 14, township 1"2, range G, jNlr. Green found a deposit of sandstone which he considered the best in the county. About three miles west of this, in section 17 and near Inilian Creek, he found another sandstone deposit, \\hich furnishes a fair ([uality of building material. An old house near the quarry, con- structed of this stone, shows that the weather has l)ut little effect upon it after years of exposure. Another bed of sandstone is in sec- tion 20, township 12, range 5, near ^Valnut Creek; a soft sandstone exists in considerable quantities in section Ki, township 14, range (i, and a better quality is found in section 13, township 13, range 6, but neither of these deposits has been worked to any extent. The thick vein of sandstone (22 feet (J niches) in tiie Jiradford coal mine could be used for building purposes, but the fact that it lies from thiity-five to i'orty feet below the surface has prevented its develoi)ment. THE GLACIAL El'Ot'U Far back in the geologic past, while the coal beds of Stark County were in j^rocess of formation, the siu'face was probably one vast marsh covered with tangled masses of vegetation and inhabited only by reptiles. ^Vbout the close of the Tertiary period came the I'leistocene or "Ice Age," during which the upper Mississippi Valley was covered l)y one vast sheet of ice called a glacier. This glacier extended from tile country about the (ireat Lakes to the Rocky ^lountains on the west, and southward to about the latitude of St. Louis. It was formed in the northern part of the continent by successive falls of snow, each of wliich added to the weight of the great mass liclow until it was compressed into one solid body of ice. After many years of the formative process, a change in tlie tenqicrature started the glacier to moving slowly soutliward, carrying with it great bow Idcrs. clays, soils, etc.. to be deposited u])on the bed rocks of a region i'ar distant from that where they were first placed by the hand of nature. As the huge mass moved slowly along, the bowlders and other hard sub- stances at the bottom of the glacier left scratches (called stri;e In- the geologists) u])f)n the bed rocks, and from these markings the course of the glacier can be determintd w Itli a fair degree of accuracy. Ex- aminations of the stria' at various places in the IMississippi Vallev, 20 HISTOKV or STARK COUXTY where the bed rock is exposed, show that the general direction followed by the great central glacier was toward the southeast. -(\.s the ice melted in the warmer latitude, the materials carried by the glacier Aiere deposited upon the bed rock in the form of drift, composed of till, loess and alluvium. It was through this method that the great swamp above mentioned underwent a change. At the close of the Pleistocene the earth's surface, over which the glacier had ])assc(l. was void of either animal or vegetable life. In time the action of tile rain and wind gradually leveled the surface, the heat from the sun warmed it, and life in the most primitive forms made its appearance. l"V)r the rich heritage of soil in Stark County, the region is indebted to the great glacier that once overflowed the country. In its slow mai-ch it ground up the rocks over which it passed, mixed the fresh rock flour with the granites of British America and Northern jNIinne- sota, with the pulverized limestones and shales of the more southern latitudes, and de2)osited these materials upon the rocks of earlier geologic periods. Everywhere the soil is the product of rock disinte- gration. In Stark County the glacial drift is from twenty to sixty feet deep, giving it one of the most fertile soils in the state. It was through the action of the glacier that the surface of Xorth- ern Illinois was formed. At the edge of the glacier, as it moved forA\ai-. township 11, are thirteen common round mounds, varying in height from eighteen inches to tive feet. As far as ex- amined these are burial mounds and in one I found nineteen skeletons. This one was forty-tive feet in diameter and five feet high. The bones wei'C' ill a fair state of preservation. I opened four or five of this group and in each were found pieces of trap rock from one and one- half to two inches square; pieces oi' burned sand rock, small water- worn pebbles, and in the largest mound a very small fragment of red pottery." Although the mounds thus described by jSIr. Adams are not within the limits of Stark County they are situated near its southwest corner. The first "hogback" mentioned by him is a little southeast of the Village of Ftherley, Knox County, and the thirteen burial mounds .ihiiost touch the southwest corner of Stark. All are near enough to sustain the belief that the ^lound Huilder was once an inhabitant of the county. Mr. Adams and T. jM. Shalleiiberger gave considerable attention to the archieology of the Spoon River \'^alley, and after the Indians Mere removed from the country these two men visited all the old cam])ing grounds and villages of the red men, leveling numerous small mounds in search of historic relics. Few were found, however, exce])t arrow and spear heads, such as those above referred to, and some I'ragmentary .skeletons. It is doubtful whether the skeletons found on the old village sites were those of Mound Builders or the bones of Indians buried there in comparatively recent years. There is a sort of grim pathos in the reflection that where the Avhite people of Stark County now live in peace and prosperity there once dwelt a people of widely different manners and customs: that in the march of time they ])assed out of existence, leaving only here and there the mounds and other relics to mark their ])lace of residence. After the Mound Builder came the Indian, who in turn retired before 30 HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY the superior civili/,atii)ii of the wliite man, and there is also a pathos in the refleetion that 2,000 years hence another race may indulge in as much speculation over the relics left hy the present occupants of the country as our scientists have indulged in over the mounds and earth- woi'ks of America's aboriginal inhabitants. I CHAPTER III INDIAN HISTORY DISTKIBUTION Or INDIAN NATIONS AT THE CLOSE OF THE EIFTEENTH CENTURY — THE n.IJNOIS — SUBORDINATE TRIBES — THE SACS AND rOXES THE BLACK HAAVK WAR DEATH OF BLACK HAWK THE POTTAMATOMI THEIR TILLAGES IN STARK COUNTY SHAB-BO-XEE — TREATIES WITH THE POTTAWATOMl THEIR CHARACTER THE AVINNEBAGO INDIAN NAMES. When Christopher Cohimhiis first discovered the Western Hemis- phere, in l-^D-i, he heheved that he had at hist reached the goal of his k)ng- cherished desires and that the country was the eastern shore of Asia. The first European explorers in America, entertaining a sim- ilar belief, thought the country was India and gave to the race of copper colored peojjle they found here the name of Indians. Later explorations established the fact that Columbus had actually dis- covered a land hitherto unknown, but the name conferred upon the natives still remains. This race is divided into several groups, or families, each of which is marked by certain physical characteristics and the language spoken. At the beginning of the Sixteenth century the \arious groups, or at least the leading ones, were distributed over the continent of North America as follows : In the far north were the Eskimo, a tribe that never played any iiiipdrtaiit part in history. Their descendants still inhabit the country in tlie vicinity of the Arctic Circle, where some of them are occa- sionally employed as guides to polar expeditions. The Algonquian family, the largest and most powerful of all the Indian nations or groups, occupied a large triangle, roughly liounded l)y the Atlantic coast from the most eastern point of Labrador to Ca]je Hatteras and lines from those two points to the western end of Lake Superior. To this great group belonged the tribes that once inhabited what is now the State of Illinois, the principal of which were tlie Illinois, the Sacs, the Foxes, the Shawnees, the ^Vinnebagoes, the Ottawas, and the Pottawatomies. 31 32 HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY In the center of the Algonquian countiy — along the shores of Lake Ontario and the upper waters of the St. I>a\\rence River — was the home of tlie Irociuoian trihes, to wit: The Oneidas, Onondagas, JMoliawks, Cayugas and Senecas. To the early colonists these tribes became known as the "I^'ive Nations." Some years later the Tus- caroras were added to the confederacy, whicii then took the name of the "Six Nations." South of the Alguntjuian and Iroquoian families lay the country of the JMuskhogean family, the principal tribes of which were the Creeks, Chickasaws, Choctaws and Cherokees. The people of this group were among the most intelligent and aggressive of the North American Indians. In the great Northwest, about the sources of the Mississippi River and extending westward to the IMissouri, Mas the country of the Siouan group, which was composed of a number of tribes noted for their physical prowess and warlike tendencies. South and west of this lay the domain of the bold, vindictive Comanche, Apache and other tribes, closely allied to the Sioux in appearance, language and customs, while in various parts of the continent were minor tribes which claimed kinship with none of the great families. They were generally inferior in numbers, often nomadic in their habits, and con- sequently are of little historic importance. Yolinnes have been written upon the subject of the North Amer- ican Indian — his legends, traditions and habits — and it has not yet been exhausted. In a work of this nature it is not the design to give those tribes whose history is connected with the country now included an extended account of the Indian race as a whole, but to notice onlj' within the State of Illinois and Stark County. THE ILLINOIS The Illinois — or Illini, as they were at first known to the white men — belonged to the Algonquian family and was the tribe from Avhich the State of Illinois took its name. The organization of the Illinois was in the natiu-e of a confederacy, which \\as conq)osed of five subordinate tribes — the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Tamaroa, jNIichigani (or jMoingwena) and the Cahokia. According to their traditions they were once a powerful tribe and took ])ossession of their lands in Illinois by driving out some of the Siouan group. Later they made war on the Winnebago Indians and drove them northward, after which they held undisinited possession of the broad prairies of Illinois until about I I lUSTOUV OF STARK COUNTY 33 the middle of tlie Seventeenth century, wlien they were attacked by tlie warh'ke Irociuois and forced to rehn(iuish part of tlieir domain. The Illinois were expert hunters, skilled in the use of the bow and arrow, but could not successfully handle a canoe. The principal cen- ter of their coirfederacy was at Kaskaskia, which, during the most prosperous days of the tribe, numbered some eight thousand inhabi- tants. Their cabins here were well built and covered with a water])r()of matting. Generally each cabin contained four tires, around which the inmates would gather of evenings, the old warriors relating in- stances of skill and bravery in the chase or in battle for the edification of the members of the younger generation. .Vbout the beginning of the war with the Iroquois, in Ki.jd, some of the Illinois crossed the Mississippi River and established several villages in what is now Lee County, Iowa, where they were visited by JNIarquette and Joliet in tlie summer of 1073. In the summer of 1G80 anotiier invasion of the Illinois country was made by the Iroquois, who attacked the Peoria and Kaskaskia tribes, the object having been to drive them out and get possession of their hunting grounds. ]Many of the Illinois were killed, their homes burned, their crops destroyed and about nine hundred were carried away as prisoners. In 1709 the Ottawa chief, Pontiac, who had formed the conspiracy and led the uprising against the white settlements six years before, was killed by some of the Illinois Indians. The great chieftain was the idoj of his tribe and was also held in high esteem by the Chii)pe\va and Pottawatomi Indians. The three tribes allied themselves in a wai- upon the Illinois to avenge the death of Pontiac. The Illinois, who had never fully recovered from the onslaughts of the Iroquois, were in no condition to meet such powerful enemies. Defeat after defeat followed in (piiek succession and the remnant of the tribe was driven to the summit of the bluff known as "Starved Rock," on the Illinois River, about half way between the ])resent cities of La Salle and Ottawa. The bluff offered a good ])lace of defense, as the sides of the rock are perpendicular, except in one place, and there not more than two persons could ascend abreast. Assault was therefore out of the question and the allies settled down to a siege. The Illinois held out until one dark, stormy night, when they made a sortie, but only a few succeeded in making their escape. Those few took to canoes and ])ad(lled down the river, finally reaching St. Louis, where they were given shelter and food by the white occu])ants of the fort. One account says that their pursuers soon afterward appeared be- 34 HISTOKY OF STxVHK COUNTY fore the fort and demanded the surrender of the Illinois, that the tribe might be comijlctely exterminated, and that when their demands Avere denied they departetl witli threats of Nengeance against the fort — threats that were never carried into execution. After spending some time at the fort, until their strength was fully recovered, the refugees recrossed the Mississii^pi and joined their kindred tribes in Southern Illinois. Some writers say that tlie Illinois were greatly addicted to vice and were almost constantly at \var until they were converted by the teachings of Father JNIarquette and other Jesuit missionaries. But, so far as can be learned, the only aggressive wars ever waged by tliem were against the minor Siouan tribes and the Winnebagoes in the early days of their history, the accounts of which are only vague tradi- tions. In the wars with the Iroquois, and the allied tribes above mentioned, the Illinois fought on the defensive. THE SxVCS AXU FOXES These two tribes, Ashicli at one time occujiied a large tract of country in Western Illinois, and no doubt hunted where Stark County is now situated, are usually sjioken of as one people, though they were two separate and distinct tribes. They liecame allied by force of circumstances for their mutual protection, each tribe maintaining its identity, though one chief ruled over both. The Sacs — also called Sauks and Saukies — belonged to the Algon- quian family and were known as "The people of the outlet." Their earliest known habitat was in the lower peninsula of IMichigan, where they lived with the Pottawatomi. The name Saginaw, as applied to a bay and city in ^Michigan, means "the place of the Sac," and marks the place where they once dwelt. The Sacs are first mentioned as a separate tribe in the Jesuit Relations for IGiO, though they were then allied with the Pottawatomi, jNIascoutens, Foxes and Kickapoos, and maintained friendly relations a\ ith the 3Iiami and Winnebago tribes. Their ti'aditions tell how they were driven from the shores of Lake Huron by the Iroquois and their allies before the middle of the Seventeenth century. They then retired by A\'ay of jNIackinaw and a few years later found a new abode along the shores of Green Bay, AVisconsin. Father AUouez, one of the early Jesuit missionaries, in Avriting of these Indians in 1667, says: "They are more savage than any of the other people I have met ; they are a populous tribe, although they have no fixed dwelling place, being Avanderers and vagabonds in the forests." IIISTOKV OF STARK COUXTV 35 That portion of their traditions rchiting to their expulsion from the eountry on the west shore of Lake Huron and their pilgriniage to Green Bay is first told by Father Uablon, in the Jesuit Kelations for KiTl. Says he: ''The Sacs, Pottawatomies and neighboring tribes, being ilriven from their own countries, which are the lands southward from ^Nlissilimakinac, have taken refuge at the head of this bay, be- yond which one can see inland the Nation of Fire, with one of the Illinois tribes called Oumiami and the Foxes." In the same year that this was written, the Ilurons and Ottawas startetl on an invasion of the Sioux country. On the way they per- suaded the Sacs and I'ottawatomi to join the expedition. They were defeated in the undertaking and the surviving Sacs returned to Green Hay, where they were content to live in peace for several years before making any more warlike demonstrations. Dorsey divides the tribe into fourteen gentes, or clans. ^Marriages were usually made between men and wouien of different clans, though they were not forbidden among persons of the same clan. Polygamy was practiced to some extent, though in this respect the Sacs were not so bad as some of the other AIg(iii(|uian tribes. Their religion consisted of a belief in numerous "JNlanitous" and was rich in myth and fable. The Foxes, also an Algonquian tribe, resembled in many particu- lars the Sacs, with whom they became confederated. Their Indian name was JMesh-kwa-ke-lnig (nearly always written INIusquakies), signifying' "Peojile of the red earth." Their original dwelling place is somewhat uncertain. According to their traditions they once lived along the Atlantic coast in the vicinity of the present State of Rhode Island. Subsequently some of them occu])ied the country along the southern shore of Lake Sii])erior, from which they were driven by the Chippewas. In IG.'Ji Jean Nicollet found some of them on the Fox River, not far from Gi'cen Bay, Wisconsin, and in 107(5 Father .Allouez visited a band of Foxes on the Wolf River, in the same state. In his rejxirt of his year's work he speaks of a "IMus()uakie village of about five thousand inhabitants." The name "Fox" originated with the French, who called these Indians "Reynors." They were regarded by the neighboring tribes as "avaricious, thieving. ])assionate and (|iiarrelsome." With an in- tense hati-cd for the French they planned the attack upon the ])ost at Detroit in 1712. The timely arrival of reinforcements saved the post and the Indians were signally defeated. The Foxes that took ])art in this movement then joined those spoken of by Father Allouez on the ^Volf River. 36 HISTORY OF STAHK COUNTY About 1730 the Dutch and EngHsh traders, knowing the hatred of the Foxes for the French, formed an alliance with the tribe for the jjurpose of driving French conijjetition from the fur country about the Great Lakes. On the othei- hand the French enhsted the coopera- tion of the Huron, Ottawa, Pottawatomi and some minor tribes. In the war which followed the Foxes were defeated and sought shelter M'ith the Sacs who lived near Green Bay. The French authorities, thinking the Foxes had not been sutticiently punished, sent a force of French soldiers and Indians, ccjmmanded by an officer named De Vil- liers, to the Sac village on the shores of Green Bay to demand their surrender. The demand was rei'used by the Sac chiefs and a hard fought battle ensued, in which the Sacs were defeated, but the refugees were not surrendered. This was the beginning of the alliance which afterward resulted in the two tribes being generally recognized as one. In the meantime some of the Sacs had migrated southward, into what is now the State of Illinois, and in 1731 they fovmded the Village of Sau-ke-nuk on the Kock River near its mouth. ^Vhen those who remained in Wisconsin were defeated bj' the French and their Indian allies for defending the Foxes, they brought their refugees and joined the Sacs on the Rock River. At the beginning of the Xineteenth century there were about eight thousand Sacs and Foxes living along the Rock River, their hunting grounds extending eastward to the Illhiois River. When Lieut. Zebulon ]M. Pike went up the Mississippi River in 180.5, he visited the Sac and Fox villages in Illinois. Of all the Indian tribes, the Foxes were prol)ably the only one that had what might be called a coat of arms. The design consisted of an obli(|ue line (supposed to represent a river), with the figure of a fox at each end, but on opposite sides. Following a victory in Mar this emblem was ])ainted or carved on rocks and trees to tell the story of their valor and at the same time serve as a warning to their enemies. The Fox tribe, according to Dorsey, was divided into twelve gentes. Their pi'incipal deities were Wisaka and Kiyapata. mIio were bi'others. The former ruled the day and the latter the night. The princijial features of their religion were animal fable and a crude mythology, and they had many ceremonial observances, anniversaries, etc. The Fox Indians practiced agriculture in a primitive way. raising corn, beans, tobacco, squashes and some other vegetables. In a few cases some big chief or warrior of note would l)e i)ermitted to have more than one squaAv, but jjolygamous marriages were the exception rather than the rule. Two of the greatest chiefs in the history of the North American I HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY 37 Indians hflonoed to tlif allied tribes of the Sacs and Foxes. They were Rlaek Hawk and Keokuk, both born of Sac parents, but recog- nized as chiefs by the Foxes. Black Hawk was a warrior and Keokuk was a politician. The latter never played any considerable part in the history of Illinois. THE m.ACK HAWK WAli Black Hawk, whose Indian name was INIa-ka-ta-wi-nie-sha-ka-ka, was born at the Sac village on the Rock River in 1767. His father, l*y-e-sa, was a direct descendant of Xan-a-nia-kee (Thunder) and l?lack Hawk was therefoi-c a member oi' the Thunder clan. Accord- ing to tribal tradition, Xan-a-ma-kee had been intrusted by the (ireat Spii'it with the great medicine bag of the Sac nation and instructed to keep it always within the clan. ^Vhen Black Hawk was about nine- teen years old his fatiier was killed in an encounter with the Cherokee Indians and the youth thus became the custodian of the sacred medi- cine bag. This medicine bag had never been disgraced, and to ])re])are himself for the duty of preserving it unsullied Black Hawk took no part in the military affairs of his ])coi)le for about five years, although be bad l)een trained in tlie arts of war by liis father and bad already (Hstinguished himself upon the Held of battle. The five years were s{)ent in praying to the (ireat S])irit to endow him with the necessary strength and wisdom to perform his duty. During that ])criod he would fre(iuently go to the i)romontory near his home on tlie Roeli IJivcr. where be would pass hours at a time smoking and meditating. 'IMie pi'omontory is still called "HIack Hawk's ^Vatch Tower." On November ."}, 1804, (xcn. William H. Harrison, then governor of the Indiana Territory, negotiated a treaty at St. I>ouis with some of the ihinor chiefs of the Sacs and Foxes, by which the confederated tribes ceded their lands cast of the JNIississippi Rivei- to the United States, retaim'ng the ])rivilege of dwelling thei'eon until the lands were actually taken up by white settlers, wiien they were to remove to a new reservation west of the IMississippi River. There was a great deal of dissatisfaction among a large element of the Sacs and Foxes over the terms of this treaty. It was then the custom for these tribes to instruct their chiefs or delegates to a treaty council in advance as to what course was to be pursued, or afterward confirm the action of such chiefs or delegates by a vote. Some of the Indians claimed that the chiefs who attended the council at St. Louis had no definite in- structions to sell the lands east of the Mississi])pi, and a |)ortion of 38 IIISTOKY^ OF STARK COUNTY the allied tribes, uiuler the leadershij) of Black Hawk, refused to confirm their action. At the heginnino- of tlie War of 1812 part of tlie Sacs and l-'oxes joined tile British and became known as the "British Hand of Rock River," of which Black Hawk was tlie leader. Shortly aftei- tiie conclusion of the war treaties were made with the several tribes or bands wiiich had fought on the side of England, but it was not until JNIay 13, 1816, that Black Hawk and twenty-one other head men of the Rock River Sacs could be persuaded to enter into an agreement to keep the peace. On that date, at St. Louis, those twenty-two Indians "touched the goose quill," or signed a treaty reaffirming the treaty of November 3, 1804, though Black Hawk afterward declared that he did not understand what he was signing and repudiated his action. In 1828 President Adams issued a proclamation declaring the lands ceded by the treaty of ISO-t opened to white settlement and ordering the removal of the Indians to the west side of the JNIississipjji. As a matter of fact Chief Keokuk and his band had removed to the west side of the river about two years before the proclamation was issued, but Black Hawk refused to vacate until the United States Government actually sold the section of land upon which his village was situated. In 1830 he and his followers crossed tiie river "under protest," the old chief being far from reconciled to the situation. In the spring of 1831, «'ith a number of his braves and their families, he recrossed the river antl they took possession of their old cabins and cornfields. The white settlers appealed to Governor Rey- nolds, of Illinois, for protection and the governor sent General Gaines to Rock Island with a force large enough to compel the Indians to go back to their new home west of the river. During the winter of 1831-32 the Indians underwent severe hard- ships in their new homes. Their houses were poorly built and pro- visions were scarce, so that thej' suffered from both cold and hunger. About this time Black Hawk fell under the influence of AVa-bo-kie- shiek, a "bad medicine man," who advised him to recross the ^lissis- sippi, ostensibly to visit the Winnebagoes, secure the cooperation of that tribe and the Pottawatomies, and drive out the hated pale faces. Accordingly, on April (!. 1832. he again crossed over to the east side of the jMississippi within ])lain view of the garrison at Fort Arm- strong, giving out the information that he was on his way to visit the \Vinnebagoes and join witli tliein in raising a crop of corn. His disobedience Avas construed as a hostile demonstration, however, bv I HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY ;^9 the military authoritifs. who feared that he ini^ht attempt to take possession of his old village on the Roek River. There is no evidence that he made or attempted to make any such an attempt, and some of the settlers, knowing that an Indian war party was never accomi)anie(l hy the old men. women and children of the trihe, expressed the opinion that J}laek Hawk was on a peaceful mission. Although the settlers felt no special alarm over the expedition, Governor Reynolds took the view that Black Hawk's conduct in the ]jast had heen such that he would "hear watching." He therefore ordered out the state militia to the numher of •2,000 men, which force, under command of General Whiteside, was sent to the aid of the gai-i-ison at Fort Armstrong. There has al\\a\s heen a difference of opinion as to whether Black Hawk's intentions were really hostile, it is certain, however, that the first warlike movement was made hy tlie M-hites. 31ajor Stillman was sent out with a force. of 2.50 moimted meu to turn hack the Indians. The detachment came upon Black Hawk and about fort>- of his warriors at some distance from where the main body of the Indians were encamped. Black Hawk sent for- ward five of his men bearing a flag of truce, to ask for a parley, but Stillman's men opened fire and two of the messengers were killed. The Indians then took up the fight according to the tactics of their race, concealing themselves behind trees and rocks and picking off the white troopers. Stillman's men being mounted fought at a disad- vantage and in a short time were uttei'ly routed, abandoning their provisions and camp equipage in their fiight. Up to this time no hostile demonstration had been made by the Indians. The killing of the two warriors while engaged in bearing a Hag of truce was the beginning of hostilities. This occurred on ^lay 12. 18.'}2. and during the next month some raids were made by the Inrlians upon the unprotected settlements. But not all the atrocities were committed by the members of Black Hawk's band. A number of 'Wimiebagoes and Pottawatonn'es took advantage of the disturbed conditions to kill and ])lunder. though they declined the invitation tv join Black Hawk and "fight like men." Stark County was at that time a ])art of Putnam, and though at some distance from the seat of war the settlers Avere greatly alarmed for fear that some straggling war ])arty would reach the Spoon River A'alley. ]Mrs. Shallenberger, in her "Stark County and Its Pioneers," savs: "Manj' settlers along the frontiers of Northern Illinois, in dread of the untold horrors of savage warfare, fled from their lands and homes, some of them never to return. It was at this crisis that 40 lUSTOKV OF STiVRK COUNTY volunteers from Spoon River rciulezvoiised at Hennepin, as related hv Mr. Clifford, under the direetion of the gallant Colonel Strawii in 'Honajjarte hat and laced coat,' and it is said that no less than fifteen hundred men reported themselves for service at that point." Colonel Strawn's name does not appear in any published account of the war and it is possible that his men were employed for local defense. Immediately after Stillman's defeat volunteers were called foi' and on June 1.3, 18.'32. there were three brigades in camp at Dixon's Ferry, commanded by Gens. Alexander Posey, Milton R. Alexander and James D. Ilein-y. In addition to these volunteer l)rigades. there were the regular ti'oops at Fort Armstrong, commanded by General Atkinson, and the state militia under General Whiteside. And all this military array was considered necessary to overcome the little, half-starved band of Sacs and Foxes, whose hostile intentions had not j^et been made certain. General Atkinson being between Black Ha^\k and the ^Mississippi River, the chief started for the \Visconsin River, intending to descend that stream and recross the jNIississippi. Early in June jNIaj. Henry Dodge, with his Galena Battalion, joined the forces at Dixon's Fei-ry. ^^'hen it was learned that Black Hawk was making for the \Visc()nsin River, General Henry and Major Dodge started in pursuit. On July 21, 18.32, they overtook the Indians at the Wisconsin, about fifty miles above its mouth, and Black Hawk was forced to make a stand until the women, children and old men could retreat across the river. With his few warriors he held the white soldiers at ba.y until the squaws constructed light rafts for the transportation of the goods and small ehildi-en. These rafts thej' pushed across the stream, at the same time leading the ponies. When the noncombatants were out of danger on the other side. Black Hawk sent half his fighting force over. From the opposite shore these braves opened fire to cover the retreat of the chief and the remainder of his little band, who then swam across to safety. This feat was accomplished with fewer than two hundred warriors in the face of a vastly superior force, with a loss of oidy six men. Jefferson Davis, then an ofi^cer in Dodge's Battalion, afterward president of the Southern Confederacy, said of this maneuver: "This was the most brilliant exhibition of military tactics that I ever witnessed; a feat of most consummate management and bravery in the face of an enemy of greatly superior numl)ers. I never read of anything that could be compared -^ith it. Had it, been performed by white men it would have been immortalized as one of the most wonder- ful achievements in military history." HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY 41 The last battle of the Black Hawk War was fought at the mouth of the Bad Axe River on August '2, 1832. Here all the white troops were concentrated against Black Hawk, and a steamboat luul been sent up the river from Fort Crawford to i)revent the Indians from crossing the ^lississippi. The force on this boat kept up a tire on tlie red men in front, while from all sides the Indians were assailed by the land forces. Yet, in spite of the great inequality in the strength of the two armies. Black Hawk held out for about two hours, hoping vainly for some fortunate turn in the battle that would permit at least a part of liis people to escape. Some even attempted to swim the ^lississippi, but the steamboat ran in among tliem, capturing a few and dro\^ning others. After the battle of tlie Bad Axe, Black Hawk escaped to the \\'innebago village at Prairie la Crosse. Through the treachery of two AVinnebago Indians, he was turned over to General Street, the huhan agent at Prairie (hi Chien, as a prisoner. His two sons were also captured and held as ])risoners of war. They were contined at Fortress ^Monroe, ^'^a., until June -4, 1833. when President Jack- son ordered their release. Under the escort ol' Major (iarland the three Indians were then taken on a tour of the country, in order that they might behold the greatness of the United States and the futility of again making war against the white men. AVhen taken ])efore President Jackson, Black Hawk said: "I am a man; you are only another. We did not expect to con- (pier the whites. Thej'' had too many men. I took up the hatchet to avenge injiu'ies my ])eo])le could no longer endure. Had I borne them longer without striking, my people would have said Black Hawk is a s(|uaw; he is too old to be chief; he is no Sac. These retlections caused me to raise the war whoop. The result is known to you. I say no more." This speech has been quoted to show that Black Hawk really crossed the Mississii)pi with a hostile object in view. At its conclusion President Jackson presented the old chief Avith a beautiful sword — ■ "a gift from one warrior to another." Black Hawk then rejoined the remnant of his band in Iowa and died there on October 3, 1838. An old ^Vtlas of Stark County states that Black Hawk once had an encampment in what is now Goshen Township, but there is no cor- roborative testimony to show that he ever sojourned, even for a brief pei'iod. in the present county of Stark. 42 HISTORY (JF STARK COUNTY THE POTTAAVATOJII Tribal traditions and accounts in the Jesuit relations go to show that the Pottawatonii once constituted one of the powerful tribes of the Algonquian family. French missionaries and traders first came in contact with them near the northern limits of the lower ^Michigan peninsula, where they were known as the "Nation of Fire." Nicollet met with some of tliem in Wisconsin as early as 1664. Bacqueville de la Potherie. an early French writer, says: "In 1665 or 1666 the Pottawatonii took the southern and the Sac the northern shores of Green Bay, and the ^Viimebago, who were not fishermen, went back into the forests to live on venison and bear meat." A few years later the Pottawatonii moved southward in large numbers and took possession of the country around the head of Lake ^lichigan. In 1674. some of this tribe met Father ^Marcjuette on his return from the ^Nlississipjji River and acted as his escort part of the way back to Canada. As already related, they joined with the Ottawa and Chipi^ewa tribes in a war with the Illinois Indians after the death of Pontiac, and as a result of that war became possessed of a jjortion of the lands once inhabited by the Illinois. About the close of the Revolutionary war a part of the tribe moved eastward and in the early years of the nineteenth centuiy occupied practically all that part of Indiana lying north of the \Vabash River. By the treaty of August '2i. 1816, they ceded their lands along the shores of Lake ^Michigan to the United States and received in exchange some of the Sac and Fox lands in Western Illinois. This brought them into the valley of the Illinois River and some of the tribe established their homes along Walnut Creek, in what is now Stark County. In 1830 the band removed to Indian Creek, in the i)reseiit townships of Goshen and Toulon, where they were joined by others, and for a time this region A\as the principal hunting ground. The leading Pottawatonii chief in this part of the state was Shab- bo-nee, who was really an Ottawa, ])ut became chief through his mar- riage to a Pottawatonii maiden, daughter of a chief. In the War of 1812 he listened to the blandishments of the ShaMnee chief, Tecumseli, and joined the British, but afterward proved to be a good friend to the white settlers. In 1832, at the time of the Black Hawk war, he visited the settlers on the Spoon River and warned tliein to leave, as tlie war was likely to extend to that part of the country. Acting upon liis information David Cooper and the three Essex families went to the HISTORY OF STAKK COUNTY 43 flirt at the foot of Peoria Lake, tliough they all returned to their liouies in Stark County with the exeeption of Thomas Essex, Jr., who settled near Peoria. Shab-bo-nee died in Grundy County, Illinois, •July 17. 1H.5!). On August 17, IH-'l. a council was held at Chicago, when (icn. Lewis Cass, as the coniniissioner of the United States, defined the Pottawatonii country as "extending along both sides of the Illinois Kiver and all its tributaries, and along the western shore of Lake JMichiiian to CTreen Bav, with certain lands south of Lake Erie." At tlie same time the trilie reliiKiuished title to about five millions of acres in Michigan and Northern Indiana. Another council was held at Chicago on September 26, 1833, when the Pottawatomi chiefs and head men ceded all their remaining lands in Indiana, and all their possessions in Illinois, to the United States. Two years later they received their last annuity east of the ^Mississippi and soon afterward removed to reservations in Iowa and INIissouri. A few of this once powerful tribe are still living in Kansas. Says ]Mrs. Shallenberger: "Our pioneers report those they found here as a dirty, shiftless, set. the men of the tribe eking out a precarious living by hunting and fishing, while the women broke the sod, built the 'pony fences,' and raised paltry cro])s of coi-n. They were given to begging most importunately, if not to stealing from their white neighbors; their villages or encampments, of which there were several within our present county limits, formed rendezvous, especially on Sundays, for the idle and vicious, where horse trading and liquor drinking went on. much as in later days at a gipsy camp. So destitute of any element of poetry or romance were the last days of the red man in this region, and their trails, their corn pits, and the graves of their dead were the legacies they left us when they took up their enforced march west of the Mississippi about 183.5-3(5." THE AVINNEBAGO Originally this tribe belonged to the Siouan family, but far back in the past they became allied with the Algonquian tribes living about the Great Lakes, and some ethnologists class them as being one of tiie iMgonquian tribes. They are first mentioned in history as early as l(i()l). wlien they were allied with the Pottawatonii, Chippewa, Sac and Fox and other members of the Algonquian group. In the Revolutionary war some of the Winnebago fought with the Rritish. and in the summer of 179-i some took i)art in the battle 44 HISTOllV OF STAllK COUNTY of Falk'ii Tiiiihers against the white forces coininaiided by Gen. ^Viithuny Wayne. A few were en<>a<>'e(l in the battle of Tippecanoe in Novenibei", 1811, and witii the I'ottavvatomi were active in the massacre at Fort Dearborn (now Chicago) in 1812. Shortly after that tiiey located in that part of Illinois lying north and west of the Hock Kiver, tliongh they frecinently visited their Pottawatonii breth- ren farther south, and it is quite likely that some of them passed through Stark County. They were friendly to Black Hawk at the time of his mvasion of Illinois in 18.'32, though it was through the treachery of two members of the tribe tliat Black Hawk was captured. Not long after that they were given the strip known as the "neutral ground" in Iowa for a reservation in excliange for their lands east of the INIississippi. They intermarried freely with the Sacs and Foxes and were closely allied to those tribes. — so closely in fact that some of the last treaties made by the Sacs and Foxes were submitted to the ^Vinnebago chiefs and head men before they became effective. The foregoing includes probably all the Indian tribes that inliab- ited or hunted over that part of Illinois now included in Stark County. As the march of civilization proceeded westward the Indian retired before the superior race, and about all that is left as a reminder of their former occupation of the country are the names of certain streams and towns which ai-e of unquestionable Indian origin. The county seat of Gallatin County, in the southern part of the state, bears the name of Shawneetown. in memory of the Indian tribe that once liA-ed in that region. Kaskaskia. Kandolj))) County; Cahokia, St. Clair County; Tamaroa, Perry County; and the city and county of Peoria all bear names of minor tribes of the great Illinois confed- eracy, and Indian Creek, in Stark County, marks the site of the Potta- watomies' old hunting grounds. chapter iv tup: period of phepakation EARIA' EXPLOKATIOXS IX AMERICA SPANISH, FRENCH ANH ENG- IJSH CLAIMS TO TERRITORY IN THE NEW WORLD — THE JESUIT .AIISSIONARIES — DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI MARQUETTE AND JOIJET LA SALLE's EXPEDITIONS LOUISIANA CROZAT AND LAW — THE MISSISSIPPI BUBBLE — CONFLICT OF INTERESTS — FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR — H.LIXOIS A BRITISH POSSESSION THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION CLARK's CONQUEST OF THE NORTHWEST ILLINOIS UXDER VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS — ADMITTED AS A STATE EVOLUTION OF STARK COUNTY RECAPITULATION. Eastiat. thv eminent Freneh writei- on political economy, once wrote an essay entitled "The Seen and the Unseen." People of the present generation see the conditions around them, hut they are not always so well acquainted with the conditions of former years, and therefore do not fully appreciate the influence of the ])ast upon the ])resent. Civilization is the outgrowth of a gradual evolution. Stark County, like all the political suhdivisions of the Lhiited States, is the ])r()(luet of a series of events running hack for many years. The part of each event may have heen small, hut tlie gradual development constitutes the "unseen" history of the county. It is therefore deemed ad\isaiile to devote a chapter to this subject, in order that the reader may he able to form some general idea of the evolution of the State of Illinois and the County of vStark. In 14!).'J. the year iollow ing the first voyage of Columbus to America, the pojjc granted to the King and Queen of Spain "all countries inhabited by infidels." At that time the extent of the conti- nent (liseovered by Columbus was not known, but in a vague way this papal grant included the present State of Illinois, the region then inhabited by Indian tribes who knew not the religion of the Catholic Church, and therefore came within the categoiy of infidels. Three years later Henry Xll of England granted to John Cabot and his sons a patent of discovery, possession and trade "to all lands 45 J6 II IS TORY OF STAKK COUNTY they may discover and lay claim to in the name of the Knglish crown." Before the close of the century the Cahots had made exjjlorations aloni>' the Atlantic coast from Cape Ilatteras northward, and their discoveries formed the hasis of England's claim to all the central por- tion of North America. While Spain was pushing her explorations through the West Inches and along the coast of the (iulf of ^Mexico, and Kngland was oi)erating along the xVtlantic seahoard farther north, the French Gov- ernment sent Jacques Cartier on an expedition to the New World. He discovered and laid claim to the Valley of the St. Lawrence River and the country ahout the Great I^akes, from which hase the French suhse(iuently pushed their explorations and claims westward to the JNIississippi River and southward into the Ohio Valley. Following the usage of that jjcriod, each of these three great Euro- ])ean nations claimed title to certain territory "by right of discovery." Spain's 2)apal grant was strengtliened by the expedition of Hernando de Soto into the interior in 1.54U-i2, one result of whicli was the dis- covery of the Mississippi River. De Soto died in the wilds and his body was buried in the great river. The few survivors, after many hardships, finally reached the Sjianish colony at St. Augustine and upon their report Spain, in 1.54.;j. claimed all the land bordering upon the iMississippi as well as the gulf coast. In this way what is now the State of Illinois became Spanish territory. In 1()20 the Eritisli crown, ignoring the authority of the pope and the explorations of De Soto, issued a charter to the Plymoutli Company including "all the lands between the fortieth and forty- eighth parallels of north latitude from sea to sea." The southern l)oundary of this grant crossed Illinois about fifteen miles north of the present city of Springfield, and wliat is now Stark County was there- fore included in the old Plymouth Company grant. Eight years later (in 1(;2S) the ^lassacliusetts Bay Company received a grant that included a strip of land al>out one Inmdred miles Avide "extending from sea to sea." The northern boundary of this stri]) crossed tiie Mississippi River not far from tlie present city of Prairie du Chien. Wis., and the southern crossed the State of Illinois about ten miles north of the noi-th line of Stark County. Thus at least a part of the state was claimed by both Spain and England "by right of discovery." but no effort was made by either nation to extend colonization into the interior. S])ain was so busily engaged in the search for the rumored rich gold and silver mines that she paid but little attention to the establishment of permanent settlements, whil^ 1 HISTORY OF STAKK COUNTY 47 the English were apparently content with tlie little colonies at James- town. Vii., and in Xew England. ^leantinie the l<'rench were not idle. Quebec was fouiuled by Samuel Champlain in 1608, only one year after the English colony was planted at Jamestown. In KH I Jesuit missionaries from Quebec visited the Indian tribes living about the Great I>akes, and in l(>ir> a French explorer named Le Caron \isited the country of the Huron and Inuiuois tribes. The reports of Le Caron and the missionaries C(in\iiieed the r'rencii authorities that it was possible to open up a jM-otitable trade with the natives, particularly in furs, and explorations were pushed still farther westward. In KJ.'U Jean Nicollet reached the Fox River country, in what is now the State of ^Visconsin. For more than half a century, however, after the founding of Quebec, no systematic eff'ort was made to establish anything like a colony in the (ireat Lake basin. In the fall of KHi.j Claude xVllouez, one of the most zealous of the Jesuit missionaries, held a council with the Indians at the Chippewa village on the southern shore of Lake Superior. Chiefs of tiie Sioux, Chippewa, Sac, Fox, Pottawatomi and Illinois tribes were present and to them and their jjcople Alloue/. promised the j^rotection of the great French father, thus opening the way for the establishment of trading posts in the Indian country. Some of the Sioux and Illinois chiefs told .Alloue/, of a great river farther to the westward, "called bj^ them the ^le-sa-sip-pi, which they said no white man had yet seen (they knew nothing of the expedition of Ue Soto), and along which fur bearing animals abounded." This same Fa4:her Allouez and another missionary named Claude Dablon founded the JNIission of St. jNIarys — the first white settlement in Michigan — in lOCtH. Friendly relations were soon established between the people of the mission and the neighboring Indians. In 1(J71 Jac(jues INIarquette, one of the most influential of the Jesuit missionai'ies in Aniei'ica. founded the Mission of Point St. Ignace, near the present city of INIackinaw, for the benefit of the Huron Indians. For many years this mission was considered as the key to the great, unexplored West. Father .Marquette had first heard of the great river through the report given bj" Allouez of the coimcil held at the Chippewa village in IfU!.). and as time passed he grew more desirous of verifying the Indian accounts of its existence. Fearing hostility, or at least opposi- tion, on the part of the natives, he made no attempt to reach the river until after the founding of the mission at Point St. Ignace. Some 48 HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY time was then sixnt in making his preparations and in obtaining the consent of the Canadian colonial officials. In the spring of 1073, armed with the proper credentials, he went to Michilimackinac to com])Iete his final arrangements for the expedition. It is said that the friendly Indians, w^ien they learned of his intention, tried to dissuade him from the undertaking by telling him that the Indians who lived alonsi' the great river were cruel and treacherous, and that the river itself was the abiding place of great monsters that could easily swal- low a canoe loaded with men. Giving no credence to the horrible stories, JNIarquette continued his work of preparation and on ^Nlay 13. 1673, accompanied by Louis Joliet. an explorer and trader, and five voyageurs, with two large canoes, the little expedition left the mission. DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI Passing up Green Bay to the mouth of the Fox River, they ascended that stream to the portage, crossed over to the Wisconsin River and drifted down that stream in the belief and hope that it emptied into the great river of which they were in search. Xor were their hopes idle and their belief without foundation. On the morning of June 17, 1673, a little over a month from the time they left Point St. Ignace, their canoes floated out upon the broad bosom of the Mis- sissipi)i. Turning their canoes down the mighty stream, a few days later they came to what is now the State of Illinois, opposite the city of Dubuque, Iowa, and were probably the first white men to see the western part of the state. On their way down the river ^Marquette and Joliet visited some of the villages of the Illinois Indians in Southeastern Iowa, after which they continued their voyage until they met with a tribe of Indians whose language they coidd not understand, when they retraced their steps and returned to the French settlements about IMichilimackinac. They had been absent about four months and had traveled about two thousand five hundred miles, through an unknown region, anchoring at night in mid-stream to prevent attacks by foes, and to avoid any rocks or rapids that might be in the river. Joliet was a good topographer and prepared a map of the countrj'^ through which he and jNIarquette had passed. The reiJorts of their voyage, when presented to the French authorities, made the knowledge of the ]Mississippi's existence certain and it was not long until a move- ment was started to claim the countrv drained bv it for France. HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY 49 LA SAI.LK's expeditions Robert Cavalier, Sieur tie la Salle, in \(\7i. was granted the seigneury of Fort I'rontenac, where the eity of Kingston, Canada, is now located, and on ]May 12, 1078, Louis XIV, then King of France, granted him a permit to continue the explorations of Mar- quette and Joliet, "tind a port for the king's ships in the (iulf of 3Iexico, discover the western parts of New France, and find a \\ay to penetrate Mexico." Nicholas Perrot had already made some explorations in the Illinois country in l()71:"the missionaries Allouez and Dablon visited the Illi- nois Indians in 1(572; and in 1073 Father ^Nlaniuette ascended the Illinois and Desplaines rivers. The information gained from the reports of these early explorers led La Salle to select the Illinois River route as the best way to reach the Mississippi. His first attemj)t ended in failure, chiefly because his preparations had not been care- fullv made. As his desire was to explore the great river from its source to its mouth, he sent Father Louis Hennepin in 1680 to lead an expedition from the mouth of the Illinois River to the headwaters of the Mississippi, and in April of that year Heimei)in reached the Falls of St. Anthony, where the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota, now stands. Late in December, 1681, La Salle, accompanied by his lieutenant, Henri de Tonti; .Taccivies de la ]Metairie, a notary; Jean ^Michel, a surgeon; Father Zenobe 31endjre, a Recollet missionary, and "a num- ber of Frenchmen carrying arms," started upon the second expedi- tion to the mouth of the JMississipjji. After a weary journey in the dead of winter, they arrived at- Peoria Lake on January 2.3, 1082. La Salle had reached this ])oint about two years before, and had here built Fort Creveeoeur (liroken Heart), so named because it was here he had been forced to abandon his first expedition. A short rest was taken at the old fort and on February (>, 1082, the whole party reached the mouth of the Illinois. Here another halt of a week was made until the Indian members of the expedition came up, their progress having been impeded by the heavy snow and ice. On the 13th the canoes started down the Mississippi and on i\])ril S. 1(582, I^a Salle and Tonti jjassed through two of the channels that led to the (iulf of Mexico. The next day La Salle formally took possession of all the country drained by the great river and its ti'ibutaries in the name of France, and conferred upon it the name of Louisiana, in lionor of Louis XIV, the French king. Under this claim Illinois became a dependency of France. 50 HISTORY^ OF STARK COUNTY Before the close of the year 1682 settlements were established by the French at Kaskaskia and Cahokia — the oldest settlements on the INlississippi River. A little later settlements or trading posts were established at Fort Chartres, Prairie du Rocher, Prairie du Pont and Peoria. To the French therefore belongs the honor of founding the first settlements within the limits of the present State of Illinois. It is not surprising that in time a conflict of interests arose among the English, French and Spanish. Spain claimed the interior of the continent by virtue of De Soto's discovery of the ]Mississippi River. England had sent no expeditions into the interior, but upon the dis- coveries made by the Cahots claimed the country "from sea to sea." Neither Sjiain nor England made any attempt to found settlements in the ^Mississippi Valley. The claim of La Salle was acknowledged by other European nations after some dispute and hesitation and France remained in control of the great valley for more than three- quarters of a century. At the beginning of the eighteenth centiuy the English settlements occupied the Atlantic coast from INlaine to Georgia; Spain was in possession of the Peninsula of Florida and that part of the Gulf coast not included in Louisiana: and France held the Valley of the St. Lawrence, the Great Lake Basin and the Mississippi Valley. In 1712 the French Government granted to Antoine Crozat, a wealthy merchant of Paris, a charter giving him exclusive control of the Louisiana trade under certain conditions. But when his agents arrived in the Gulf of ^Mexico they found the Spanish ports closed to Crozat's ships, for Spain, while recognizing France's claim to Loui- siana, as based upon the discovery of La Salle, A\as jealous of French ambitions. xAfter five years, tired of -constantly combating the Spanisli ojiposition and other difKculties, Crozat surrendered his charter. Crozat was succeeded by the INIississijjpi Company, which A\as organized by John I^aw as a branch of the Bank of France. In 1718 Law^ sent about eight hundred colonists to Louisiana and the next year Philipe Renault went up the ]Mississippi to the Illinois country with about two himdred colonists. He reestablished the settlement at Kaskaskia and laid the foundations of the settlements at Prairie du Rocher and Prairie du Pont. Law AA-as a good promoter, but a poor executive. In 1720 his whole scheme collajised and so dismal was the failure that his company is known in history as the "^Nlississijjpi Bub- ble." In 1730 the white i)opulation of the French settlements in the Illinois country was about three hundred and fifty, and in 1732 Law surrendered his charter and Louisiana again became a French crown province. lilSTOUV OF STAUK COLNTV 51 l-'KEXCir AND INDIAN AVAR 111 the iiicaiitinif the English had l)eeii gnulually ])iishiiig the frontier of their eivihzation farther westward. As early as 1()(>7 the Hudson's Bay Company had been organized and its trappers and trad- ers passed freely among the Indian tribes around the Great Lakes and in the Upper .Mississippi \'alley, despite the French claim to the territory and oblivious to the French protests against their trespasses. The attack of the Fox Indians on the French post at Detroit in 1712 was incited by the English traders. iVgain in 1730 the English and Dutch traders infiuenced some of the tril)es to make war on the French in the hope of driving them from the country. The first open rupture between France and England did not come until 17.53, when the former began the establishment of a line of forts from the Great Lakes to the Ohio Kiver, for the pur])osc of holding back the threat- ened English occupation of the Ohio \'alley. The French claimed that the Allegheny JNIountains formed a natural boundary, west of whieli the British had no right to pass. One of the French forts was located upon land claimed by Virginia, and (Governor Dinwiddie of that colony sent George ^Vashington, then just turned twenty-one, to demand of the French commandant an explanation of this invasion of English territory while the nations were at peace. The reply A\as unsatisfactory, not to say insolent, and in 1754 Washington was sent into the disputed territory with a detachment of troo])s. having been promoted to lieutenant-colonel. Some years before this a charter had been granted by the British Government to an association called the Ohio Company. The charter carried with it a large tract of country and the right to trade with the Indians on the Great Miami River. In 17.50 the Ohio Company built a fort and opened a trading post near the site of the present Citj^ of Piqua. Ohio. The Canadian authorities, regarding this as an en- croachment upon French territory, sent a body of soldiers and Indians to break up the post. The Ohio Com]iany then began a ne\v ]K>st at the head of the Ohio River, where the City of Pittsi)urgli is now- located, but again they were driven away by the French. Part of Washington's instructions in 175-1 was "to complete the fort already commenced by the Ohio Comi)any at the forks of the Ohio, and to capture, kill or drive out all who attem])te(l to interfere with the English posts." .Vn order of this kind naturally aroused the indignation of the French and in Mav, 17.5(). that nation formallv declared war against 52 HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY England. The conflict that followed is known in American history as the "French and Indian war," which in the end had a great iniluence upon the history of the Illinois country. After keeping the Indian tribes and Ajnerican colonies in a state of tvn-nioil for several years, the war was concluded by the treaty of Fontainebleau on November 3, 17()2, by which France ceded that ])art of Louisiana lying east of the ^Mississippi River (except the City of New Orleans and the island upon which it is situated) to Great Britain. The treaty was ratified by the treaty of Paris on February 10. 1768, and on the same day it was announced that, by an agreement jireviously made in secret, all that part of Louisiana lying west of the ^Nlississijjpi was ceded to Sjjain. Through the operation of these two treaties the jurisdiction of France came to an end in what is now the LTnited States and Illinois became a British jjossession. ]Many of the French subjects living east of the INIississippi refused to acknowledge allegiance to Cireat Britain ami removed to the west side of the river. When the English colonies in America became in- volved in war with the JNIother Country in 177.>, a large number of the French, who had formerly lived in Illinois, recrossed the river and joined the colonists in their struggle for independence. Clark's conquest of the northwest In the territory acquired by England by the treaty of 1763, several posts had been established by the French, prior to the cession. Near the present City of East St. Louis was Cahokia. Forty-five miles down the river was St. Philippe. A few miles below St. Philippe were Prairie du Rocher and Nouvelle Chartres (on the site of the old fort of that name), and a little farther south was Kaskaskia. On the Wabash River, in what is now the State of Indiana, were the posts of Ouiatenon and Vincennes, and still farther north was Detroit, the most important post of all. These posts Avere occupied by the British at the beginning of the Revolutionary war. In 1777 George Rogers Clark, a colonel of the Virginia line, sent two spies — Samuel INIoore and Benjamin Liim — into the Illinois country disguised as hunters to ascertain the conditions there. LTpon their return they reported the population of Cahokia as 300 whites and 100 negroes; that a few French families Avere living at St. Philijjpe and Prairie du Rocher; that Kaskaskia consisted of eighty houses, 500 white inhabitants and nearly as many negroes; that in none of the posts was the garrison very strong, and that many of the French inhabitants were friendly to the American cause. HISTORY OF STAllK COUXTY 53 Armed with this inloriiiation, Chirk Merit before the Viroinia Assembly and presented a phm for the overthrow of British power in the Mississippi Valley. On Jannary 2, 1778, the Assembly voted £1,200 to defray the expenses of the expedition and the same day Governor Patriek Henry gave Colonel Clark seeret instruetions au- thori/ing him to raise seven companies of fifty men each, ol)tain boats at Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh) for the transportation of troops, ammmii- tion and supplies down the Ohio River, "and during the whole trans- aetion you are to take especial care to kee]) the true destination of your forces secret. ' Clark raised but four of the seven companies. These four, com- manded by Captains John Montgomery, Joseph Bowman, Leonard Helm and \Villiam Ilarrod, rendezvoused on Corn Island, in the Ohio Ri\er, not far from the present City of Louisville, Kentucky. On June 24, 1778, the little ai-my left the island and droi)i)ed down the Ohio, Clark's intention beiirg to ascend the \\'abash and attack the ])ost at ^^incennes first. Circumstances caused him to change his plan and begin his campaign at Kaskaskia. Leaving the boats at the mouth of the Tennessee Rivei-, Clark marched his force across the country to Kaskaskia, which place was captured without opposition on the night of Jidy 4, 1778. The inhabitants were treated with every consideration and some of them joined Captain Bowman, who was sent up the river Avith his com])any to capture the post at Cahokia. Here another bloodless victory was won and the inhabitants cheerfully took the oath of alle- giance to Virginia. Clark then commenced his preparations for the reduction of the ])ost at Vincennes. Father Pierre (ribault, who liad been in charge of the parishes between the Wabash and ^Mississippi rivers for ten years, volunteered to bring the people of A'incennes over to the American interests without any military demonstration, provided his name should not be used openly in the transaction and that Dr. Jean Baptiste LafFont, a ])hysician of Kaskaskia. might be cliarged with the temporal i)art of the mission. The priest anil the doctor, with tlieir attendants, left Kaskaskia on the 14th of July, with an address to the ])co])le of Vincennes au- thorizing them to garrison their own town. etc. They succeeded in their embassy and Clark placed the post under the command of Capt. Leonard Helm, who was also appointed Indian agent for the dcjiart- ment of the Wabash. So far everything had worked well and Clark had succeeded be- yond his most sanguine expectations. But late in the fall Henry 54 HISTUllV OF STAllK COUNTY Hamilton, the British lieutenant-governor at Detroit, eolleeted a force of thirty regulars, fifty French volunteers and 400 Indians, with which he descended the Wabash and on December 1.5, 1778, recap- tured the post at Vincennes. No attempt was made by the inhabitants to defend the place. They were disarmed and Captain Helm wa.s detained as a prisoner of war. When this unfortunate event occurred Clark was making his preparations for his advance upon 13etroit, but now he deemed it more important to take and hold Vincennes. On January 29, 1779, Francis Vigo, a Spanish merchant who liad been at Vincennes, arrived at Kaskaskia and gave Clark the informa- tion that Hamilton had weakened his garrison by sending his Indians against the frontier settlements: that the garrison did not number more than seventy-tive or eighty men, and that the plan was to have the Indians gather at Vincennes eai-ly in the spring for the purpose of driving the Virginians from Kaskaskia and Cahokia. Ui^on learn- ing these things Clark realized that there was no time to be lost. On February 4, 1779, Capt. John Rogers and forty-six men embarked on a large keel-boat, with two four-pounders and four swivels and a su])ply of ammunition and provisions, under instructions to drop down the ^lississippi and ascend the Ohio and AVabash rivers with all sjiecd jiossible, while Clark, with the remainder of his force and some French volunteers marched across the country. Crossing the Kaskaskia River, Clark followed the old trail be- tween the two posts imtil he reached the Embarrass River, near the present City of Lawrenceville, where the flooded condition of the country caused him to change his course and he struck the \A'abash River about ten miles below the post. The march was one of great hardshijis. the men often wading in water up to their waists and the rations were limited for the greater portion of the march. Notwith- standing all the obstacles, on the morning of February 18, 1779, they were near enough to the fort to hear Hamilton's morning gun. Three days later, two canoes having been found, the men were ferried over the ^Vabash not far from the j^resent Town of St. Francisville. In his account of the expedition Clark says: "Our fate was now to be determined, probably in a few hours. We knew that nothing Init the most daring conduct would insure success." Confident that some of the inhabitants were friendly to the American cause, and believing that he had some friends among the Indians, Clark inaugurated his "daring conduct" polic_y by writing the following address: IIISTORV OF STARK COUNTY 55 "To the Inhabitants of Post Viiicennes: "Gentlemen — Bein,i>' now within two miles of your villa<);e, with my army, determined to takeyoui- fort this night, and not heini>- \villiiii>- to surprise you, I take this method to request sueh of you as are true eiti/ens and willing to enjoy the liberty I brin<)- you. to remain still in your houses. And those, if any there be. that are friends to the king-, will instantly repair to the fort and join the hair-buyer general, and tight like men. And if any sueh as do not go to tlie i'ort shall be dis- covered afterwards, they may depend on severe punishment. On the contrary, those who are true friends to liberty may depend on being- well treated, and 1 once more recpiest them to keep out of the streets. For every one I find in arms on my arrival I shall treat him as an enemy. "G. R. Claimv." After sending this by messenger, Clark l)egan to maneuvei- his force in such a way as to make it appear much more formidable then it really was. A few horses had been captured from some hunters near the i)ost. These were now mounted by the officers, who rode about in all directions, as though carrying orders. There were several stands of colors, each of which was fixed on a long jjole and carried so that it could l)e seen above the top of one of the ridges, while the man who carried it remained out of view. These maneuvers were kept up until dark, wiien the direction of the ad\ance was suddenly changed and before the inhabitants were aware of what was taking place Clark had gained the heights back of the village. Lieutenant liaylej' advanced with fourteen men and opened fire upon the fort, the main body taking ])ossession of the town. \Vithout going into details regarding the events of the next forty- eight lioin's, early on the morning of the "i-ith Clark sent the following communication to Hamilton under a flag of truce: "Sir: In order to save yourself from the impending storm that now threatens you, I order you immediately to surrender yourself, \vith all your garrison, stores, etc. Foi- if I am obliged to storm, you may depend on such treatment as is justly due to a murderer. Beware of destroying stores of any kind, or any jjapers or letters that are in your possession, or hurting one house in town — for, by Heavens ! if you do. there shall be no mercy shown you. "G. R. Clakk." Hamilton replied that he and his garrison were not disposed "to be awed into any action unworthy British subjects." and the attack 56 HISTORY OF STARK COUXTY on the fort was renewed. Some of the men begged to be permitted to storm the fort, but Clark knew he had no men to spare and kept his solchers from exposing themselves as much as possible. In the after- noon Hamilton asked for a truce for three days, which Clark denied, and even refused to go to the gate of the fort for a conference, fearing treachery on the part of the British commander, who liad won the appellation of "the hair-buyer general" through his custom of paying- Indians a certain price for American scalps. However, Clark offered to meet Hamilton at the church, some eighty yards from the fort, and requested that Captain Helm, who was still a prisoner, be present at the jjai-ley. The result of the meeting was the surrender of the fort, with all its stores and munitions and Clark took possession at 10 o'clock the next morning. Three days later Hamilton and liis troops took their departure from Vincennes. During the siege Clark lost one man wounded, while the British casualties amounted to seven wounded. Virginia claimed the territory captured by Colonel Clark and in October, 1778, the Legislature of that colony passed an act providing tliat the conquered region should comprise the "County of Illinois," of A\hich Col. John Todd was appointed county lieutenant in the spring of 1779. Soon after receiving his commission Colonel Todd visited Vincennes and Kaskaskia and organized in each place a tem- porary government, in accordance witli the provisions of the act creating the county. The importance of Colonel Clark's conquest can hardly be over- estimated. By the treaty of Sei^tember 3, 1783. which ended the Revolutionary war. the western boundary of the United States \vas fixed at the JNIississippi River. Had it not been for the action of Colonel Clark and his little band of heroes in driving the British out of tile 31ississip2)i ^"alley, the chances are that the treaty would have applied only to the territory included in the thirteen original colonies, the western boundary of which would in all probability have been fixed along the summit of the Apj^alachian ]Mountains, and the interior of the continent would have remained an English possession. In 1784. Virginia relinquished her claim to the region and Illinois became territory of the United States. By the Ordinance of 1787 the country ac(]uired by and through tlie campaign of Colonel Clark — lying north and west of the Ohio River — was organized as the Xoithwest Territory. In 1800 all the Northwest Territory, except the present State of Ohio, was erected by an act of Congress into the Territory of Indiana, of M-Iiich Illinois formed a part. On February 3. 1809. President HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY 57 Jeft'erisou approved tlic act uiaking lUiiujis a separate territory and appointed Xinian Edwards governor. At that time there were but two organized counties within tlie present state limits — Randolph and St. Clair. Immigration itito the new territory was ra])id and on April 18, 1818, I'resident Monroe approved the "Enabling Act," which authorized the people of Illinois to elect delegates to a constitutional convention and adopt a constitution, preparatory to admission into the Union as a state. The convention assembled at Kaskaskia in July, the constitution was ratitied by the people and a])proved by Congress, and on IJecember .'3. 1818, Illinois was formally admitted to statehood. The two counties of 1809 have been multiplied until there are now 102 counties in the state. Stark became a separate and independent county in 1839. Having thus briefly traced the evolution of Stark County, step by steji, let us recapitulate. In 1.543 the territory now comprising the comity was claimed by Spain. Through the claim of La Salle, made on ^Vpril 9, 1682, it was included in I^ouisiana and became a part of the French possessions in iVmerica. Ry the treaty of February 10, 17(i"J. which ended the French ami Indian war, it was ceded to Great Rritain and remained a dependency of that government until the re- duction of the Rritish posts by George Rogers Clark in 1778. It was then a part of ^"irginia until 1784, when it was ceded l)y that state to the United States. Ry the Ordinance of 1787 it was made a part of the Northwest Territory. From 1800 to 1809 it formed a part of the Territory' of Indiana. It was then included in the Territory of Illi- nois, which was admitted to statehood in 1818, when Stark was still lield by the IndiaTis. Ry the treaty of Chicago, Se])tember 2(), 1833. the IniUan title to the land was extinguished and the white man came into full possession. What were once the hunting grounds of the Pottawatomi Indians are now cultivated fields. Where once was the Indian trail is now tile railroad. The whistle of the locomotive has sup])Ianted the war- whooj) of the savage. The tepee of the red man has given way to the schoolhouse and the halls of legislation have taken the place of the trilial council. Indian villages have disappeared and in their stead have come the towns of civilization, with paved streets, electric lights, public libraries and all the evidences of modern progress. To tell the story of this progress is the aim of the subsequent chapters of this liistorv. CHAPTER V SETTLEINIEXT OF STARK COUXTY AX 01,I) TKAUIXG POST EA'ELAND AND KOSS ISAAC B. ESSEX THE (JKIG- IXAL I'lOXEEK FIRST CA15IX IX STAKK COUXTY LIST OF SETTLERS EACH YEAR TO 1839 PIOXEER LIFE AXD CUSTOMS THE HOUSE RAISIXG FURXITURE AXD UTEXSILS SWAPPIXG AVORK A:MUSE- 3IEXTS AXD PASTI3IES ilARKIXG xVXIMALS THE OLD TRAPI'ER's SOLILOQUY'. During the French occupation of the Illinois Valley a trading jjost was established at the site of the old Peoria Indian village, near the outlet of Peoria Lake. When Illinois was organized as a territory in 1809 and Ninian Edwards was appointed governor, this post Avas still in existence. Shortly after the beginning of the War of 1812 Governor Edwards became convinced of the sympathy of the inhabi- tants with the British cause. He therefore ordered the inhabitants banished and the seventy houses that then constituted the village de- stroyed. ^Vhile the post was in existence, no doubt some of the traders there dealt with the Indians who lived within the present borders of Stark County, and these traders were probably the first white men to visit this portion of the state. They made no settlements away from the post, however, and it was not until some years later that the atten- tion of immigrants was attracted to the fertile Spoon River Valley. In 1828 AVilliam Eveland and Harvey L. Ross, accompanied by the French interpi-eter, Edouard Plude, left Lewistown. Fulton County, with a wagon loaded with goods for the piu'pose of trading with the Indians in Peoria, Stark and Knox counties of the present day. They were gone nearly a month, when they returned to Lewis- town, where they re])orted a jjrofitable trade, and that they found ])ut two white settlers north of the Town of Canton. In the fall of that year Isaac B. Essex came to the SjJoon River Valley and selected a claim in section 1.5, township 12, range 6. He remained there long enough to cut logs and make the clapboards for a cabin, after which he returned to the "Sliual Creek Colony," M'here 58 HlSTOllY OF STARK COUNTY 59 the ti-a(liii^i>- i)()st had hceii destroyed hy order of Governor Edwards, and there passed the winter. In April, IS'il), equipped witli two horses and a wagon laden with tools and supplies, and accompanied by his Avil'e and little children, he set out for his home on the frontier. Pausing for a short time at the settlement known as "Prince's Grove," a short distance northwest of the jjresent Town of Prineeville, he there enlisted the cooperation of Daniel Prince, Frank Thomas, two Baptist preachers — Elders Silliman and Allen — Simon Reed, Stephen French, and periiaps one or two others, all of whom agreed to go with him to his claim and assist him in building his cabin. They arrived at the place late in the day and encamped the first night in the woods, but before sunset of the next day the cal)in was completed and they "had a house to sleep in." This cal)in was the first dwelling erected by civilized man within the ])resent limits of Stark County. Isaac B. Essex was born in Virginia in January. 1800. From his native state he went to Ohio, and while still a young man came to Illinois and was appointed teacher to the Indian children by Rev. Jesse "Walker, the first INIethodist minister in the state. After teach- ing a short time he took up a claim on the l)ank of the INIississippi River a short distance Ijelow Rock Island. Here he laid out a town, which he called Quebec, but the project failed and he went to I'eoria, or the Shoal Creek Colony, where he remained until he came to Stark County. He continued to reside in Stark for many years, when he went to Dongola. Union County, where he passed the closing years of his life. Isaac B. Essex was a son of Thomas and Elizabeth Essex, who were married in Virginia in IT'.'l. when he was twenty and she eighteen years of age. They followed their son to Stark County, where Elizabeth Essex died on January "iO. 18.53, and her husband followed her to the grave on May 1.), 18.53. Essex Townshii). where thej^ first settled, was named in honoi- of this pioneer family. Others of the Essex family who settled in Stark County were Thomas. Jr., William, David and Josej)h. l)rothers of Isaac, and a sister who was the wife of David Cooper. Further mention of this family will be found in the history of Essex Township. The second wliite man to build a cabin in what is now Stark County was John B. Dodge, who located in section 14, township 12, range 6. not far from Mr. Essex. After a short residence there he entered land in section 3 and his cabin in section 1-i was occupied by John E. O wings. ]Mr. Dodge it seems was a i-estless sort of an individual, who preferred life on the frontier and went to Texas aliout the time that state was annexed to the Ignited States. 60 IllSTOllV OF STAllK COUNTY III tlie spriiii^- of 1830 Eenjaiiiiii Smith, the father-in-law of John li. Dodge, became a resident of tlie county. He was accompanied by three others of the family — Sewell, Greenleaf and \\"illiam P. Smith — and they built their cabin not far from that of JNIr. Dodge, ^\'illiam D. Grant also came in 1830. On the southeast corner of the public scjuare. in the Town of Tou- lon, is a log cal)in which was erected by the Old Settlers' Association and on August 2.5, 1898, it was dedicated to the "Old Settlers of Stark Count)'." In the Toulon Public Library are two large, en- grossed panels, framed and covered with glass, giving a list of the county's pioneers to whom the cabin is dedicated. From this list it is learned that the inhabitants of the county in 1831 were: Isaac B. Essex, Thomas Essex, Sr., Joseph Essex, Henry Seely, Benjamin, Greenleaf, Sewell and William P. Smith, David Cooper, Harris W. IMiner, Sylvanus jMoore, David Gregory, AVilliam D. Grant, John B. Dodge and Peter Sheets. Those who came during the years 1832-33 were as follows: Par- don B. Dodge, Conrad, Jacob and Joseph Emery, John P. Hays, Jesse W. Heath, James Holgate, Elijah ]McClenahan, Sr., Elijah McClenahan, Jr., James and Robert ^NlcClenahan, Isi-ael Seely, iMinott Silliman, Lewis Sturms, Gen. Samuel Thomas and Jefferson Trickle. In this list there are a few names that are still well remem- bered in the county. IMinott Silliman, a son of the elder Silliman, who helped Isaac Essex to build the first cabin in the county, was the first treasurer of Stark County. The first election in the county was held at the house of Elijah INIcClenahan, Sr., and Stephen Trickle was a member of the first board of county commissioners. In 1834, according to the list, twenty-two families were added to the population, to wit: George Albright, Augustus Bailey, Isaac Chatfield, Giles C. Dana, Daniel Davis, John Finley, Xelson Grant, Charles Lake, Henry McClenahan, William ^loore, Nero Mounts, Joseph Newton, William Parks, Charles Pierce, Ira and Lyman Riddle, Thomas Scott, Peter Shafer. Robert Sharer, Henry Sturms, jNIathias Stin-ms, Dexter Wall and Thomas Winn. The next year witnessed even a larger increase, as thirty-two pioneers settled within the county. They were: Thomas Bradford, James Buswell, Capt. Henry Butler, Henry Butler, Jr.. Samuel But- ler, Jarville Chaffee, David Currier. Peter Davidson, John Davis, Augustus Dunn, Barnabas Frail, Hugh Frail, John B. Howard, James and Robert IMoore, Benjamin Newton, George Parker, Adam, Lewis and Swift Perrv, John T. Phenix, Peter Pratt, Doctor Rich- OLD sKT'ri.iats' (Ai;i.\, kh mi.n U3RARY UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY 61 ards, jMiltoii and Silas Richards, ^Vhitney Smith, Isaac Spencer, Nathaniel Swartz, James Thompson, Stephen Trickle, Thomas Watts and Calvin Winslow. In the year 18:30 the immigration passed the hall'-centm-y mark, over fifty new residents establishing their homes in Stark Couiil> . Those wiio came this year were: John W. Agard. Ephraim Rarnett. J. II. Rarnett. Moses Roardman, Charles Rolt. William Rowen. jNIyrtle G. Rrace, Henry Rreese, E. S. Rroadhead, John Rrowii, Jacob Claybangh. Henry Colwell, Presley Colwell, Enoch and Nathan Cox, Lemnel Horrance, Andrew Dray, Ezekiah and Martin Dukes, William Dunbar, George R. Eckley, Lewis Finch. Rrady Fowler. Orange Fuller. Frank Grady. George, John. Langley. Robert and William Hall, Smith Hayes, John W. and Col. William Henderson. Renjamin F. Hilliard, Philip Keller, Joseph 1). Lane. Joseph K. Lane, Nathaniel JMcClure, William JNIahany, Richar