Crawford County IL Archives History - Books .....Chapter XVI Montgomery Township 1883
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Book Title: HISTORY OF CRAWFORD AND CLARK COUNTIES, ILLINOIS

CHAPTER XVI.*
*By W. H.Perrin.

MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP—PHYSICAL FEATURES, BOUNDARIES, ETC.—EARLY SETTLERS AND WHERE
THEY CAME FROM—THE HURRICANE—FRONTIER INDUSTRIES—A RACE FOR THE BOTTLE AND ITS
RESULTS—THE POISONING OF REED—VILLAGES—RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL.

"What is the tale that I would tell? Not one 
 Of strange adventure, but a common tale."

PIONEER hardships and privations on the frontier are a "common tale" to the
writer of western annals. Those who have heard the old settlers tell of their
hunting frolics, log-rollings, house-raisings, wolf-chases, etc., etc., were
sometimes led to believe that pioneer life was made up of fun and frolic,
amusement and enjoyment, but it is a woeful mistake. While there was more or
less of pleasure and happiness among the frontiersmen, with their rude, wild
life, "wild as the wild bird and untaught, with spur and bridle undented," there
was much more danger, toil, privation, self-denial, a lack of all the comforts
of life, and many of its necessaries. Indeed, these were the main constituents
that compose the grandeur of frontier life and past a glamour over its dangers
and hardships. To the early settlers of this division of the county we will now
devote our attention, and transcribe some of their deeds and adventures.

   Montgomery Township is the southeastern division of Crawford County, and
borders on the Wabash River. It is an excellent agricultural region and contains
some very fine farms. Like all the Wabash bottoms, the lowlands along the river
are frequently inundated, sometimes subjecting the people to serious loss of
property. The center line of the township forms the divide, from which the water
flows both ways—to the east into the Wabash River by Doe Run and Buck's Creek,
and to the west into the Embarras by Brushy Fork which runs in a south-southwest
direction. The east part of the township, a distance of two miles from the
river, was known as the "Rich Woods," and was very rich, heavy-timbered land,
and is yet as rich land as there is in the county. But the largest portion of
Montgomery was called "Barrens," on account of its barren appearance, being
almost entirely destitute of timber, except a few scattering, scrubby oaks and
shelbark hickories. The barrens were caused by the great fires which annually
swept over the prairie districts. After the prairie grass burned, the fire died
out, the barrens disappeared and the heavy timber began. It was usually black,
red, water, white and burr oaks, hickory, sassafras, persimmon, with soft wood
trees along the streams. The Rich Woods produced several kinds of oak, walnut,
beech, sugar tree, elm, poplar, linn, hackberry, sycamore, honey locust,
coffeenut, pawpaw, etc. Only the northwest corner of the township was prairie,
and was called Beckwith Prairie, and was but a few hundred acres in extent.
Montgomery Township lies south of Lamotte Township, west of the Wabash River,
north of Lawrence County, east of Honey Creek Township, and by the census of
1880 had a total population of 1,959 inhabitants.

   The first settlement of Montgomery Township was made seventy years or more
ago. There is a prevailing tradition that James Beard settled here as early as
1810, but it is hardly probable that it was much before the close of the war of
1812. Beard was from Kentucky, and had been brought up among the stirring scenes
of the dark and bloody ground in the days of Indian warfare. He had a nephew
named Eli Adams, who came to this county with him and lived with him here. Their
cabin stood in the southeast corner of the township. Beard was killed by the
Indians, as detailed in a preceding chapter. But it is not known what ever
became of Adams.

   Thomas Kennedy, who figures prominently in this work, both as an early county
officer and as a pioneer Baptist preacher was an early settler in this township.
He was from southern Kentucky, and first squatted on the place where John S.
Wood worth originally settled, the improvement of which he sold to Wood-worth.
He then settled in this township, on what is known as the Gov. French farm, and
at present owned by Mr. Fife. Kennedy lost several members of his family by the
milk-sick, and sold out and moved to Beck-with Prairie, where he died at a green
old age. He was a good, honest man, somewhat illiterate, but endowed with sound
common sense. As stated, he was a Hardshell Baptist preacher, but much more
liberal in his religious convictions than many of that stern and zealous creed.
He used to often cross swords with Daniel Parker upon church government and
relations, and the church once tried to turn him out for what it termed his
heresies, but failed in the attempt. Old "Daddy" Kennedy was a man who possessed
the confidence of the people among whom he lived, and enjoyed a reputation for
honor and integrity, that remained unstained during a long and active life.

   Another early settler was John Cobb. He came to Montgomery Township in 1820
and opened a farm. He had six children, some of whom grew up and made prominent
men. One of these, Amasa Cobb, studied law in St. Louis, and at the breaking out
of the Mexican war, entered the army, taking part in that unpleasantness. He
afterward located in Wisconsin; was sent to the Legislature and to Congress from
the Badger State, and was in Congress when the war clouds rose on the southern
horizon in 1861. He at once offered his services to the government, was
commissioned colonel of a regiment, and distinguished himself in the field. At
this time, he is serving his second term as judge of the Supreme Court of
Nebraska. Another son is living in this township, and is a prominent farmer.

   The following incident is intimately connected with the early settlement of
this section. About the year 1811—12, a hurricane swept over the country,
passing from the southwest to the northeast, through the northwestern part of
Montgomery and the southeastern part of Lamotte Township. Marks of its
destructive course may yet be seen in many places. It was about half a mile in
width, and the timber was felled before it, as grain before the reaper. A family
named Higgins had just moved in, and had not yet had time to build a cabin and
had constructed a rude hut to shelter their heads until better accommodations
could be provided. The hut stood directly in the, path of the hurricane, and
after the storm was over the people gathered together, and knowing the location
of Higgins' hut, supposed the family all killed, and that nothing remained to
them, but to make their way into the fallen timber, get out the unfortunates and
bury them. Upon working their way to them, they were found to be wholly
uninjured, not a single tree having fallen upon the hut, or touched it, but the
huge monarchs of the forest were piled promiscuously all around them, rendering
their escape as remarkable as that of Tam O'Shanter's Mare. It was the only spot
in the whole track of the hurricane for miles that was not covered over with
fallen timber. The incident is still remembered by many who have received it as
a family tradition.

   Among the settlers of Montgomery, additional to those already mentioned were,
Joseph Pearson, Ithra Brashears, James Shaw, John Waldrop, Gabriel Funk, Sr.,
Andrew Montgomery and others whose names are now forgotten. Pearson came from
Indiana, and setled [sic] here, but not much was learned of him. Brashears was
in Fort Lamotte, and when peace was established received from the Government 100
acres of land for some service against the Indians, but just what the service
was is not remembered. He was from Kentucky, and like all those old pioneers
from that region, was a trained Indian fighter. He had one of the early mills of
the county. His children are all dead except one daughter. James Shaw settled
what is now known as the Winn place. He has descendants still living. John
Waldrop was from Kentucky, and settled very early. Gabriel Funk, Sr., came here
in 1815, and was a great hunter. He had a son named Gabriel, who followed in his
father's footsteps in regard to hunting. Andrew Montgomery came from Ireland and
settled here very early. He raised a large family of children. Mr. Montgomery
was a prominent man, and the township bears his name, an honor that is not
unmerited. Many others might be named in connection with the early settlement,
but after this long lapse of time, their names are forgotten. Others will be
mentioned in the biographical department of this work.

   For many years after the whites came here, they had hard work to live. Even
up to 1845-50, times were hard and produce low, commanding the most
insignificant prices. Particularly from 1840 to 1845 were farm products low.
Corn sold at 6 1/4 cents per bushel, after being hauled to the stage-stand at
Vernon in the north part of the township. Wheat was 37 1/2 to 40 cents per
bushel in trade for salt, after being hauled to Evansville, Ind. Pork, from
$1.50 to $2.00 per hundred pounds; cattle, three and four years old sold for $6
and $7 a piece. Clothing was coarse and cheap. Many wore buckskin, and all wore
home-made clothes. A family who came here from Virginia made clothing of cotton
and the fur of rabbits mixed, the latter being sheared from the backs of the
rabbits like wool from sheep. This is a pioneer story, and like many of their
stories, is somewhat huge in proportion, when we consider how many rabbits it
would take to furnish wool enough to clothe an army. But it is told that Mr.
James Landreth wore clothing composed of the material above described.

   Mills were among the early pioneer industries of Montgomery. James Allison
had a mill very early in the south part of the township. Jesse Higgins built an
early mill where Morea now stands. Ithra Brashears also built a mill in an early
day, and James Brockman had a mill near the Wabash river, in the southeast part
of the township. He was killed by his step-son, Bill Shaw.

   Distilleries were also a prominent industry among the pioneers. Veach had a
distillery a half mile east of Flat Rock, while Shaw owned one in the east part
of the township. Adams had one of the first in the country Another distillery
was built in the southeast portion of the town, and afterward a tannery
established at the same place. Hatfield was the first blacksmith, and Wm.
Edgington was a pioneer blacksmith and run a sort of gun factory in the township
for sixty years.

   Roads.—The Vincennes State road was one of the first public highways through
Montgomery. It was surveyed in 1835. It was usually called the State Road, but
its proper name was Vincennes and Chicago road. The "Purgatory Road" as it was
called, was laid out in 1836. It was so called on account of a large swamp
through which it passed. It run from Vincennes to Palestine, and is the real
State road. While the Vincennes road, is merely an improved Indian trail,
probably several hundred years old. The township is supplied with roads of as
good quality as any portion of the county, and in many places good bridges span
the streams.

   An incident occurred in this township some years ago, which shocked the moral
sensibility of all the better class of people. Leonard Reed was a well-to-do
citizen, and a man who stood fair among his neighbors. He lived five miles
southeast of Palestine, and was poisoned by his wife that she might secure his
property all to herself. She dosed him with arsenic, putting it in his victuals
in small quantities, with the design of killing him by inches and thus escaping
suspicion. The drug gave out and she was compelled to procure a second supply.
One morning the hired girl saw her put something in her husband's coffee from a
paper, and his violent pains a few moments afterward aroused the girl's
suspicions. It seems the woman had given her husband a larger dose than usual,
infuriated perhaps at his tenacious hold on life, and from the effects of it he
died. The hired girl then told some of the neighbors what she had herself seen,
and a medical examination was the result, which revealed the presence of arsenic
in the stomach. The woman was arrested and lodged in the jail at Palestine.
Before her trial came on she attempted to escape by burning a hole in the jail
wall, which was of wood. She would burn a little at a time, and then extinguish
the fire in order not to excite suspicion. One night she let the fire get the
mastery of her, and when seeing that both she and the jail must burn together,
she screamed for help. Sam Garrard, still a citizen of Palestine, was the first
to reach the scene and succeeded in rescuing her from the flames. She was
afterward transferred to Lawrence county on a change of venue, tried for the
murder of her husband, condemned, and finally hung in Lawrenceville.

   Another tragedy occurred in this township, which, though accidental, was none
the less deplorable, inasmuch as it resulted from a barbarous custom. A young
man named Green Baker, who lived in the southeast part of Montgomery, in "racing
for the bottle" at a wedding was thrown against a tree and instantly killed. It
was a custom in those early times at a wedding for two or three young men to be
selected to go to the house of the bride for the usual bottle of spirits that
graced the occasion. At the proper time they started on horseback at break-neck
speed, as one would ride a hurdle-race, turning aside for no object or
impediment. The one who gained the race by first reaching the bride's residence
and getting possession of the bottle was the hero of the day, a kind of champion
knight among the fair ladies. In obedience to this rude custom Baker and one or
two others started on the race for the bottle. They were running their horses at
full speed, and at a turn in the road by which stood a tree somewhat bent, Baker
swayed his body to the side he supposed the horse would go, but contrary to his
expectations it went on the other side. His head struck the tree and death was
instantaneous. Thus, by observing a rude and barbarous custom, an occasion of
gayety was turned into the deepest mourning.

   The people of Montgomery Township take an active interest in education. It is
not known now who taught the first school in the township. It is known, however,
that schools were established as soon as there were children enough in a
neighborhood to support a school. There are now ten school-houses in the
township, but the school township extends two miles into Lawrence County. All
the school-houses are frame, and their average cost is about $850. The state of
education is the best in the county aside from the towns. Especially is this the
case in District No. 1, which is noted for its interest in education, and in
which stands the McKibben school-house, one of the best in the township.

   Villages.—There are several villages in the township, but all of them put
together would not make a town as large as Chicago. Although they are dignified
by being called villages none of them have been regularly laid out as such. One
of the first places to be designated as a village, was Vernon. It was on the
Vincennes road and was a stage-stand when the old-fashioned stage-coach was the
principal means of travel. A small store, a post-office, a tavern and a
blacksmith shop comprised its proportions. The tavern was kept by Spencer Hurst,
and one Salters was the blacksmith. The town, however, has disappeared.

   Morea is another hamlet, and consists of a half dozen houses or so. Wm. P.
Dunlap built the first store-house, but the first goods were sold by Wm.
Wallace. The place contains but one store which is kept by Henry Sayre. A
post-office was established here, with A. W. Duncan as postmaster. It is now
kept by Dr. J. A. Ingles. These, with a church, school-house and blacksmith
shop, constitute the town. The first move toward a town was the building of the
church, which is a Presbyterian church. Alexander MacHatton gave the ground upon
which it was built. He also gave one acre of land to David Kelchner, who erected
a house upon it.

   The school-house was built originally about a quarter of a mile from the
post-office, and was a log structure. Later the present school-house was built,
by parties, who made a kind of stock company of it, taking shares of stock. The
upper portion is used for religious and literary purposes. The church will be
referred to later on in this chapter.

   Heathville is another of the same sort. A post-office was established, and R.
Heath, an old pioneer now living in Russelville, was the first post-master. The
present one is Mr. Sullivan. A store, a shop or two, and a few houses are all
there is of this lively town.

   Crawfordsville is situated on the line between Montgomery and Honey Creek
Townships. The first record we have of the place, was when Edward Allison built
a water-mill here about 1830. Allison sold out to a man named Kiger, who in turn
sold to H. Martin, a son of John Martin, who came to the county in 1810-12. He
built an ox-mill afterward, and later, a steam-mill, which is still standing,
and is owned by Dennis York and J. T. Wood. H. Martin kept a blacksmith shop
about 1855. Elijah Nuttalls established a general store, and afterward several
others had stores at different periods. During all this time it was known as
Martin's mill, but when a post-office was established it was then called
Crawfordsville. Samson Taylor was the first postmaster. The post-office was
removed to Flat Rock when that town was laid out after the building of the
railroad. A woolen-mill was connected with the steam-mill about 1870, and
operated until 1879, when it closed business.

   Churches.—Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal church is among the oldest
churches in the county, dating its original organization back at least to 1825.
The Methodists being missionary in their style, this church grew out of work
done years previous to organization. Among the original members were James and
Nancy McCord, Edward N. and Mary Cullom, Nancy Funk, Smith Shaw and wife, John
and Mary Fox, S. B. Carter and Margaret Carter, Daniel and Christina Funk,
William Garrard and wife, and Jacob Garrard and wife. It was organized by Rev.
John Stewart, one of the earliest preachers of the Methodists in the Wabash
valley. The first church edifice was built in 1845, and was a frame, 26x40 feet,
costing about $800. In 1878 a laborer and more commodious house was commenced,
and finished the next year. It is 30x50 feet, with many of the modern
improvements—two class-rooms, gallery, belfry, stained glass windows, and will
seat comfortably some 250 persons. It has at present about 100 members. Many of
the churches surrounding country grew out of this venerable church, among which
was that at Palestine.

   The following is furnished us of the different pastors of this church: Rupert
Delapp, a good preacher, but rather too plain spoken to be popular; Wm.
McReynolds, a good man and polished gentleman, and much liked by all; John, his
brother, and very similar; Samuel Hulls, a good man but common preacher, one of
those who wept when he preached, very excitable but popular and influential,
held many responsible positions in the church, and is still living; John Miller
and Finley Thompson officiated together, and were both good men; John McCain, a
devoted and influential preacher, Israel Risley rather dry, but a man of good
sense; Charles Bonner, a warm-hearted young man, and a preacher of medium
talents; James M. Massey, one of the best preachers the church ever had, and
faithful to the end; a son, T. J. Massey, is now in charge of the Robinson
circuit; Ira McGinnis, a good preacher; Wm. S. Crissy, promising young preacher;
John Chamberlin, an elegant gentleman, and a mediocre preacher; Asa McMurtry and
Wm. Wilson together; Wm. Ripley; Isaac Barr; Jas. Woodward; Americus Don Carlos;
W. C. Blondill; Michael S. Taylor; John Shepherd; Jacob Reed; J. F. Jaques;
Joseph Hopkins; W. H. H. Moore; Z. Percy; John Hill; John Glaze; Levi English;
John Johnson; James Holey; Jacob Reed and V. Lingenfelter; D. Williamson;
Charles McCord; Wm. Nail; John Leeper and W. J. Grant; S. P.Groves; James
Thrapp; Lewis Harper; D. Williamson; Wm. Cain; O. H. Clark; O. H. Bruner; Wm.
Hennessey; Joseph Rutherford; W. W. McMorrow; Wm. Bruner; J. J. Boyer; Jason
Carson; John Weeden and D. B. Stewart; John Weeden and Joseph Van Cleve; J. D.
Reeder, the present pastor. Under his pastorate forty-four members have been
added, "a record that has not been beaten," since the organization of the church.

   A Sunday-school in connection with the church, has been in operation since
1873. The regular attendance is about seventy-five children, and Wm. Fox is the
superintendent.

   Canaan Baptist Church is another of the old church organizations of this
section of the country. It was established by Elder Daniel Parker, a Hardshell
Baptist preacher, near Fort Allison, away back about 1820, under the name of
"Little Village Baptist Church." A few years later it was moved to this
township, and is now of the Missionary Baptist faith. They have some eighteen
members, and hold their meetings in the Canaan school-house, in which they own
an interest.

   Liberty Baptist Church was organized July 15, 1843. The old Lamotte Baptist
Church, great in numbers and in boundaries, contributed toward its formation.
The members in the southeast part of the congregation, thought it best to form a
church nearer their homes. Among those who entertained this belief were D. Y.
Allison, Sarah Allison, Benjamin Long, Jane Long, Isaac Martin, Mary Martin,
Thos. F. Highsmith, Elizabeth Highsmlth, Wm. V. Highsmith, Sina Allen, Rebecca
Rush and Amos Rich. Elders Stephen Kennedy and Wm. S. Bishop officiated at the
organization. Since then the pastors have been: Elders Hezekiah Shelton and A.
J. Fuson, by direction of the New York Home Mission Board; Solomon D. Monroe, D.
Y. Allison, J. T. Warren, T. J. Neal, and J. L. Cox, the present pastor. The
first church was built of logs eighteen by twenty feet, and a few years
afterward another room of the same size was added, at a total cost, perhaps, of
$200. The second church was built in 1874, and cost about $1,200. It has
sixty-three members, and a Sunday-school, which was organized in 1865, by Jacob
Clements and Rachel E. Dickinson. Clements was superintendent.

   This church had but little ministerial aid in the early days of its
existence; ministers being scarce and hard to procure in a new country such as
this was then. But its members persevered, and it increased in power and
usefulness. Two churches were afterward organized chiefly from its membership:
one north of where it is located, and the other southwest, and just north of
Lawrenceville.

   The United Presbyterian Church of Morea, as also the Associated Presbyterian
Church and the United Presbyterian Church of Duncanville, had their origin with
a few families, mostly from East Tennessee, who settled in the Maxwell
neighborhood. At their request they were organized into a "vacancy" of the
Associated Presbyterian Church (commonly called seceders), under the care of the
Presbytery of Northern Indiana; Rev. James Dickson, of the Presbytery,
officiated at the organization. Not long after, A. R. Rankin, a licentiate, was
called to be their pastor, and accepting the call, was installed in the fall of
1852. A church was built a few years later, which served as a house of worship
for nearly a quarter of a century. Rev. Rankin remained with them some five or
six years and the congregation increased rapidly. He was succeeded by Rev. J. D.
McNay as stated supply, and about 1858, while he was yet with them, the churches
were united under the name of the United Presbyterian Church. Rev. McNay and a
portion of his flock declined going into this union, and Rev. R. Gil more,
assistant editor of the Presbyterian Witness, of Cincinnati, re-organized the
church and reported it as a "vacancy," under the care of the Presbytery of
southern Indiana. Rev. Alexander MacHatton was pastor in 1861, at which time the
membership was thirty-eight. The congregation used the Beck with Prairie church
until they could build one of their own, which they did some years later; a good
substantial building, and free of debt. This was the first building erected in
Morea, and is still occupied by the congregation, though there is not one of the
original thirty-eight now in connection with it. Soon after building the house
the membership increased to 120. A few families then in the northwest part of
the congregation obtained leave and formed a new church, and erected a building
at Duncanville, where they have prospered, and for some years have had a settled
pastor in Rev. Hugh MacHatton. In April 1877, after about sixteen years' service
Rev. Alexander MacHatton resigned his charge, and is now living on a farm near
Morea. The next pastor was Rev. O. G. Brockett, in 1879, who remained until
1882, since which time the church has had no pastor. It has now about fifty-five
members and is in a flourishing condition.

   A Sunday-school is maintained, and was organized in 1862, and since then it
has continued uninterruptedly. The attendance is about ninety children.

   The Green Hill Methodist Episcopal Church was organized about 1850—55.
Although the Methodists had held meetings in the neighborhood ever since 1830 in
log school-houses, and in the cabins of the early settlers, it was not until
this time that an organization was effected. One Dr. J. R. Winn, who came here
about 1837, made a will, in 1855, in which he donated land on which to build a
church, and also gave $100 for the same purpose, on condition that the people
would build it within a given time. A frame church was erected, and the original
members were twelve in number; at present there are but sixteen members. The
first minister was Rev. Bruner. The church is in the same circuit of Wesley
chapel, and since its organization has been administered to by the same
preachers, except in 1878 and 1879, when they had their own minister, Rev. Mr.
Hennessey. The present pastor is Rev. J. D. Reeder. The church was dedicated by
Rev. C. J. Houts, presiding elder. A Sabbath-school, established in 1874, is
maintained under the charge of the church, of which J. Landreth is superintendent.

   Another denomination, the Christians, have an organization here and hold
their meetings in this church. It was organized by Rev. J. R. Wright, who is the
present pastor. But other ministers have been with them at different times.


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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