Clark County IL Archives History - Books .....Chapter XXII Auburn Township 1883
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Book Title: HISTORY OF CRAWFORD AND CLARK COUNTIES, ILLINOIS

CHAPTER XXII.*

AUBURN TOWNSHIP—"E PLURIBUS UNUM"—ITS PIONEERS AND ORGANIZATION—THE "EMPEROR" OF

AUBURN—EARLY EXPECTATIONS—AUBURN VILLAGE—CHURCH AND SCHOOL.



* By G. N. Berry.



" Sweet Auburn! loveliest village of the plain."



IN the center of Clark County, as near as may be, lies the township of Auburn,

resembling on the map of the county, the ornamental piece which ambitious young

ladies place in the center of their first patchwork counterpane. Its history as

a separate organization dates from the year 1859, when it came into being as a

political afterthought. Its territory comprises sixteen sections, which were

contributed to its formation by the townships of Marshall, Anderson,

Martinsville and Dolson, the two latter townships contributing the larger

portion. The object of this "gerrymander" it is difficult to ascertain. It is

said that an influential gentleman in the' county desired to be elected justice

of the peace, and that in the event of a new township constructed on this plan,

his jurisdiction could be exercised with convenience to himself as well as

satisfaction to the community, and so, on this theory, the new political factor

was built up around the village of Auburn, the name of which it shares.



  Its physical features are not especially marked. The eastern part is

considerably broken, well timbered, and drained by Mill Creek which passes

through the northeastern part of its territory. Other small streams vary the

configuration of the surface, flowing to the south or southeast and finding an

outlet into other streams in other parts of the county. The soil is a light

clay, which furnishes the chief material resource of the citizens here, who are

devoted to agricultural pursuits.



  Its settlement had few marked characteristics, and though the community

brought together by its modern limits had hitherto looked to different centers

of influence, their allegiance was easily transferred to the new center

established, and so far as township affiliations are concerned the community of

Auburn is as homogeneous as that of any political division in the county. Its

settlement, owing to its central position, was rather later than many other

points. Until the National Road made it a point of attraction there was little

to invite the pioneer. Land was plenty and good as in other parts of the county

and -the lines of business activity rather led elsewhere. The agitation in

regard to the final removal of the county seat, however, aroused an interest in

its central location, and its evident fitness on that account as the site for a

seat of justice, and this, perhaps, more than any other reason, determined its

first settlement. Jonathan Rathbone, a shrewd Yankee, from one of the New

England States, entered land here and came in 1833,|largely with a view of

speculating on the event of a change in the county seat. He erected a cabin on

the site of the present school building in Auburn village and lived here until

his death in 1839. He was followed in the following year by Ralph Haskett, a

native of New York, who built a cabin on the west fork of Mill Creek, on the

National Road, and lived here eight years. Orendorff, an industrious German,

came in 1835, from New York, improved a good farm but attracted by the

California excitement sold his place to Robert Downs in 1830, and sought his

fortune in the gold-fields.



  The National Road was at this time one of the principal routes to the West. It

was very much the custom for emigrants to travel with eyes open to any eligible

site and ready to come to a permanent halt wherever the country promised the

best advantages. Notwithstanding the natural competition of Marshall which had

been recently founded, and the energy of its proprietor, Auburn profited by

these circumstances to a considerable extent. Anions the settlers thus attracted

was John Fredenberger, who came here almost direct from Germany. In his company

was his father, Peter, who was a very old man and subsequently died full of

years at the age of one hundred years. The family, noted for their thrift and

industry, improved a good farm adjoining the Orendorff place. Adam Weaver was

another accession of this year and settled where Fredenberger now lives. A few

years later he entered land at another point. Samuel Williams, a native of

Kentucky, was also a settler about this time, and reared his cabin on the

National Road near the village. He subsequently moved into Auburn and kept

hotel. About this time, or perhaps a little later, William and Zachariah Shields

came here in wagons from Kentucky. They settled near the main road west of the

village, but both moved again further west, William selling to J. Flood in 1850.

In 1836, three Davis brothers came to the township. Oliver and Hayward entered

land in the t-astern part in partnership. Allan bought land in the same locality

but subsequently sold to his brothers about 1840, and died a little later in

Iowa, whither he had removed. The others soon afterward left the county. They

are remembered as boisterous, muscular men, always ready to participate in » a

row which was not an un frequent occurrence. William Duckwall of Kentucky,

entered land here about 1840, and settled where Nicholas Hurst now lives.

Duckwall was a man of good intelligence, a blacksmith by trade but skilled as a

physician, and earnest as a Methodist preacher. He served in this triple

capacity for some years when he sold to Mr. Hurst. James, his brother, settled

near him about the same time.



  Nicholas Hurst, though not an earlv settler in Auburn in point of time, was a

prominent and influential citizen, and left his impress upon the destiny of the

township. A native of Kentucky, he first came to Douglas Township, and later to

Auburn. He early figured prominently in county politics, serving four years as

associate judge; as county treasurer four years; as sheriff one term, and as

justice of the peace fourteen years. To him is due the peculiar organization of

the township, which, at the late day in which it was accomplished, indicates the

possession of considerable influence or a general belief in the wisdom of the

change. He still survives to enjoy his success, and is popularly called the "

Emperor of Auburn," though there is little about him to suggest royalty, unless

a wooden cane with a carved serpent twined about it may so distinguish him.

Archibald Starks, a native of Kentucky, was another man of some note in the

township. He entered 840 acres in the southwest corner, and by his untiring

energy kept success always within his reach. His silk hat was the pioneer of its

kind in this community, and the man and hat were seldom seen separated. He

subsequently became involved in a law suit with Hillebert and sustained some

very heavy losses.



  There was very little of the romance of pioneer life in the community here.

Life had its inconveniences, its privations, its urgent demand for toilsome

achievement, but it lacked that last degree of exaction in all these

requirements that gives to isolated frontier experience a touch of heroism.

There were no mills at first in the township. The streams were small and

uncertain, and the near location of other mills discouraged any of those cheap

attempts that are so valuable an addition to an isolated settlement. About 1842,

however, Laban Record erected a horse mill east of the village, which was

liberally patronized for a number of years. After running it some eight years

the mill was sold to Stephen Oxendine, who operated about the same length of

time, when it was abandoned. It was a rude affair, and the old buhrs still do

service as a well top on Mrs. Gilbert's place. A steam mill was subsequently

erected in the village with a frame building and somewhat more modern appliances.



  Of the early experiences in Auburn, there is little to be said. There was

nothing to individualize the community. The people lived in log cabins, wore

home-made clothing, subsisted upon game and the products of the soil, and

indulged in the recreations common to the rest of the county. The community was

peculiar in one respect, however. The early settlers had great expectations for

the village which utterly failed, and with this failure went the prospect of the

town. The village was platted by O. B. Ficklin, Demas Ward and Jonathan N.

Rathbone, and located on the west half of section 31, in what was a part of

Marshall Township. It consisted of twenty-seven squares, through which the

Cumberland road passed as Main street, Block thirteen, fronting Main street from

the north, was reserved for the use of the county buildings, but in the event of

some other site being chosen for the county seat, it was provided that this

square should be used as a public ground. The contest for the location of the

seat of justice was sharp between Marshall and Auburn. Whisky was a potent

factor in every phase of life, and it played a prominent part in this contest.

Every form of amusement that could be devised was used to call the voters

together and entertainment the most lavish that the times would afford was

freely furnished. While Auburn had the advantage of central location and

pleasant surroundings, Marshall had the heaviest vote. This defeat ruined the

prospect of the village. This first show of village growth was a wayside inn, by

R. B. McCowen, about 1836. He was an emigrant from Kentucky in 1834, but in the

latter year he entered land near the site of the village, erected a hewed log

house and hung out a sign on which a deer was painted. There was considerable

travel oti the road, and the old "Buck Tavern," as it was called, did a good

business. McCowen was a man who looked upon his own achievements with great

complacency; was something of a horse jockey and politician. About the same time

John Burks, a Kentuckian by birth, put up a blacksmith shop just west of the

village site. He subsequently moved to York Township. On the laying out of the

village Samuel Williams moved on to the plat put up a cabin and opened it for

public entertainment. It became the stage hotel and for some ten years did a

thriving business. A second tavern was started by George Baker and was

maintained for a number of years. These were the pioneers of the village

business, which had but little following. A store was early opened in a log

cabin near the central part of the village by John Salmon, where a few groceries

and dry goods and a good deal of whisky was sold. This store was noted as a

rendezvous of rather rough characters. A second store of much better character

was kept by James Booth, and several others have since had little mercantile

ventures here. The village is now marked by a store, two blacksmith shops, a

wagon shop and a dozen houses.



  The first school was held in a little cabin west of the village, and taught by

Robert Rankin, who came from Kentucky about 1838. He was an illiterate man,

addicted to gambling, and ruled his school by main strength. When subsequently

elected constable, he proved one of the best collectors in the county, a man

without fear, and successful in the most difficult cases of arrest. It is said

on one occasion he was given a warrant to arrest a man who lived on the east

side of the county, his house being, in fact, on the Indiana side of the line.

He had been over to the man's residence several times, but found no opportunity

of catching him within his jurisdiction. Rankin had gone out on another

occasion, but the man, suspecting the constable's errand, refused to be drawn

over the fatal line in a heedless moment, and so the former resorted to a ruse

which proved successful. After talking upon indifferent subjects for a time he

rode over to the Illinois side of the line, and suddenly feigned to fall from

his horse, at the same time giving an outcry for assistance. The whole maneuver

was so cleverly performed that it threw the observer entirely off his caution,

and the man ran to the constable's assistance only to realize it was a ruse when

Rankin seized him and read a warrant for his arrest.



  Another early teacher was an old man by the name of Kennedy, who, though quite

an old man, was very strong, and acted upon the theory that whipping was the

main part of school teaching. Samuel Lowry was one of the early teachers also.



  The first frame building was built near the central part of the village, about

1846, by Thomas Leise. Since then the township has been divided into four

districts, each of which is provided with a frame building.



  The first effort to introduce Christian worship in this township was met with

no more encouragement here than elsewhere in the county. The people were rather

given to the excessive use of whisky, gambling and horse racing, which did not

prepare them to accept religious services in a decorous way. There were among

the settlers notable exceptions to this general rule, but their number was too

small to protect traveling ministers from the rude jests and gibes of the crowd.

The first religious services in the township were held at the cabin of Samuel

Williams, by Rev. Chas. Doyle, an Irishman, but a protestant and a Methodist. He

was a loud-voiced speaker and accompanied his sermons with the most violent

gestures. This was a novel entertainment and of a character to draw out the

majority in the settlement. On one occasion some of the "boys " intending to

embarrass the speaker, placed a pack of well-used cards in his hat. After his

sermon, on taking up his hat the cards fell out before the audience, and without

the least hesitation or embarrassment, he said: "If the brother who owns this

property will come forward he may have it again." Rev. Mr. Witherspoon was an

early itinerant of the Protestant Methodist denomination, who held religious

services in the private houses here. In 1842 he organized a society which

flourished for several years, holding its meetings in the houses of the members.

The society never erected a house of its own, and gradually passed out of
existence.



  About 1850 Rev. Robert Carson organized a Missionary Baptist church at the

village of Auburn. There were about twenty-five members, and very soon after

organization the society set about erecting a place of worship. It was not

completed by the church, however. The project halted and finally fell through

entirely. It is now finished and used as a stable. After some years of existence

it was merged into the Bethel church.



   In 1851 Elder Gilbert moved from Ohio to Auburn. He was a Missionary Baptist

preacher, and finding there was no church of his denomination nearer than ten

miles he determined to organize one in the township. In the following June,

those interested in the movement met in a school-house and effected an

organization, with the following: members: Elder Gilbert and wife, Electa

Norris, Sarah Wright, Willis Gilbert, William Beabout, Sr. and wife, Celia

McCune and Eunice Gilbert. Soon after this organization, Revs. Fuson, J. Riley

and H. Humphrey met with $he society and formally recognized it as a church, in

regular standing. In 1860 a new log school-house, about two miles northwest of

Auburn was erected and the little church held its services there until 1872,

when a frame building, 30 by 40 feet was erected on the National Road, two miles

west of Auburn and three miles east of Martinsville, at a cost of about a

thousand dollars. Elder Gilbert preached for the church about fifteen years

without pay, and was succeeded by Revs. R. O. Hawkins, Bridgman, J. Bratton, A.

Jones, and R. Wiley, the present pastor. The church is out of debt, numbers

about eighty-six members, and holds services about once a month. A Sunday school

was maintained from the first nearly every summer. In 1880 the school was

reorganized and since has been regularly maintained, using the regular quarterly

lesson helps, and having an attendance of about sixty-two scholars.



  The "Christian" denomination organized a society in Auburn, in 1863, and met

at the school-house for a year or two under the ministrations of Elder Thomas

Good, but it since has died out.



Additional Comments:
Extracted From:



HISTORY OF CRAWFORD AND CLARK COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

EDITED BY WILLIAM HENRY PERRIN.



ILLUSTRATED



CHICAGO: O. L. BASKIN & CO., HISTORICAL PUBLISHERS,

LAKESIDE BUILDING.

1883.



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