1882 History of Harp Township, DeWitt County, Illinois Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Copyright 1999 Earliene Kaelin 1882 HISTORY HARP TOWNSHIP This township in form is a regular rectangle, having a length of six and a width of five and a half miles. It embraces almost an entire Congressional township, containing thirty-three sections of land or more accurately 21,852 acres In the main it is well drained; the north fork of Salt creek enters the township on section two, flows a general southwesterly course, leaving it on section thirty-three; the south fork enters on section thirty-six, flows northwesterly, then a southerly course leaving on section thirty-five: King's branch enters on section four, flows southwesterly, leaving on section six. These together with minor affluents drain the township. More than one-third of Harp is embraced in the timber belt, chiefly oak, although a variety of wood is found. Part of the surface, following the water course, is rough and rugged, whilst much is level prairie. Artificial drainage had to be resorted to, especially in the northwestern portion of the township, in order to bring it to a degree of perfection agriculturally. A superior article of tile clay has been found on section fourteen, where it is being manufactured into tile by E. R. Rom. Near it has been found clay well adapted to the manu- facture of brick, as is also true of land on section twenty- seven. It is purely an agricultural township, there being no village within its limits. Early Settlements: 0n section thirty-two, far removed from neighbors, in the deep solitude of a forest of oak, Solomon Cross erected an humble cabin, in the year 1830. It was 16x18 feet square, of rough, unhewn logs. Its door swung upon home made wooden hinges. In each of two corners were bedsteads having each one leg, the walls of the cabin furnishing the necessary support, In making a home thus upon the outskirts of civilization he had the aid of two grown sons. Solomon Jr. and Jefferson. This cabin, the first erected in the township, was only destroyed in 1880. Almost simultaneously with Cross came Jesse Mulkey and his brother-in-law, Baltus Malone, who located on section thirteen. The location is known still as Mulkey's Point. Mulkey was a very shrewd, quick-witted man. Before he ever embraced religion himself he would preach to his neighbors. He was the father, of ten children, five boys and five girls. This large family together with that of Baltus Malone, at first occupied a single cabin of medium size. Malone was a powerfully built man, and a noted axe-man. It is said that he split five hundred rails in a single day. With the broad axe too he was an adept. His strength and ready command of the axe gave him an envied reputation among the pioneers with whom he came in contact. The first winter's occupancy of their cabin was that of the memorable deep snow. Provisions were scarce. Mills inaccessible. Wood difficult to procure, but the stout hearts of these Ken- tuckians braved it all. With pounded corn made into bread and one game a they could secure they passed the winter, their nearest neighbors, equally helpless with themselves, seven miles distant When other pioneers of a later date would complain of the hard ships besetting them, Mulkey and Malone would say "it's nothing you ought to have been here during the deep snow." After remaining a little more than a year they deserted their cabin whereupon Felix Jones took possession. In the fall following he put out the first orchard in the township. Jones was an oddicity his wife more of one. He being ready with axe. and saw, aided in the construction of most houses built in the neighborhood and neighborhood implied all within a radius of eight or ten miles. Possessed of a restless spirit he aided his neighbors perhaps more than himself clad in homespun garb, his feet encased in shoes of his own workmanship, made of hog hide at that he would break new ground for a neighbor, or accompanied by his wife, would drive three yoke of oxen attached to a sled, away to the old mill on Kickapoo creek with his own and neighbors grist. His wife, with linsey shirts and a leghorn bonnet-the only one left since the days of the revolution-described by a pioneer as being the size of a buggy top surmounting a pile of corn was a sight to see. Independent in her peculiar garb, glib of tongue, she was one of the marked characters of early days. Once Felix reached the mill and was told he would have to wait a week for his grist as so many were in ahead of him, but he was prepared for just such an emergency, he took the miller to one side, drew forth a jug of "agua miraculous" and asked the miller to take a swig," then another, and asked if he couldn't slip in his grist ahead of others, to which proposition the "mellowing" miller affirmatively responded. Felix with all his shortcomings was a most useful member of society. Evidences of the occupation of the tract selected by the first settlers, by Indians, are yet shown to visitors on the farm of J. W. McCord. Mulkey's Point seemed to have been a regular camping ground for them, a station as it were out upon their happy hunting grounds. During the same year 1831, Isaac Davidson, a Tennesseean, commenced a settlement on section twenty-five. Millington Brown and J. W. McCord broke five acres for him. His new made home offered him little of cheer as he died in the autumn of the same year and was buried near where his cabin stood and near to where a camp-meeting ground was opened subsequently. He was a man of great energy, of usually happy disposition, and was esteemed of all who knew him. His was the first burial in the township. Its exact date was not preserved, but it was in the month of October 1831. In 1832 Martin Dale having won the affections of Mary Cross whose parents were opposed to her marrying, proposed an elopement which was carried into execution, so that they became the first wedded couple in the township, and the idea that "love laughs at locksmiths" found exemplification in the then wilds of Harp. The second death was that of William Cross, a brother of Solomon Cross, in October 1831. He was buried on section thirty- two, where the old graveyard is yet to be seen. Tyre Harp and Joseph Harp located on section twenty-nine in 1831. They were from Overton county, Tennessee. However, prior to this, they had lived for a brief time near Waynesville. The first school in the township was taught in the house occupied by Tyre Harp in 1836. The following year Tyre Harp, Charles Harp, Pleasant Smith and Dudley Richards subscribed $110 towards paying for a six months school, besides putting up a log school-house 16x18 feet in dimensions. Edom Shugert who had taught in Harp's house, took charge of the school. The children of a few neighbors attended, whose parents paid a part of the $110 proportioned to their attendance. Edom Shugert was also a Tennessean. He was a fair scholar for the times, and apt to teach. Many who are now ranked among the old settlers were among his pupils. The Harps have always been prominent in this county, as the name of the township in which several of them have lived would indicate. Dudley Richards, rather an eccentric character, came here in 1832. He was a backwoods preacher, possessed of the voice of a Stentor. He also taught school, alternating his labors in the schoolroom with farming. He has been known to plow all morning, leave his team in the furrow, enter the schoolroom, call " books," hear a few classes and return to his plowing, which plan he would keep up all day. For years he was recognized as a useful member of society, but a taste for ardent spirits fastened itself upon him, and his usefulness was thereby greatly impaired. John Miller, called white-eye Miller, one of his eyebrows being white, but more particularly to distinguish him from another of he same name, located on section thirty-four. The first season he lived in a tent, constructed somewhat after the fashion of a Sibley army tent, with, poles as guys, however, instead of ropes. He delighted, as most pioneers did, in bunting and fishing, indeed without these sports life would have been quite monotonous and their tables would have been bare indeed. Parched corn and venison sustained life for a month in his family without further change of diet. In 1836 G. B. Lemen and family, Isaac Swisher and family and Rachel Swisher and family located where they yet, live in the northeastern part of the township. Isaac Swisher had lived a year in Vermillion county. The others in seeking a western home came by his place and induced him to pack up and come along. Together they all brought thirty head of sheep, the first brought to this section of country, and a most toothsome bait they proved too for wolves; ten head of cattle and other stock. The winter preceding they all remained in a house owned by John Dawson in old town timber. Here they built separate cabins. Lemen says he had great difficulty in keeping out the fine driving snow the following winter. He actually put thirteen hundred clap boards averaging four feet in length by five inches in width on a house 18x2O, and yet the snow would gather on the floor and bedding in drifts. This he obviated in the spring by daubing inside and out and boarding up the outside in addition. The house thus improved, defied the storms of many winters, furnishing comfort to the inmates. During the first winter these families were put to the necessity of grinding buckwheat in a coffee mill, being unable to get to any mill, and not having corn. An improvement on the coffee mill was a hollowed log, into which grain was put and pounded with an iron wedge set in a split hickory handle. Both Lemen and Swisher are yet living, surrounded by their children, now grown men and women, in easy, if not affluent circumstances. Thomas Wilson came to this township from Maryland in 1836. He had six sons, two of whom yet live here. He was a man of great enterprise and industry. He felt the need of a saw mill, and in 1838 erected one on the north fork of Salt Creek on section two. In 1840 he added a burr stone for the grinding of corn. The stone was one of the prairie boulders which so extensively abound in parts of this county. It answered an excellent purpose, and neighbors who had been long dependent upon mills far removed, or upon " pounding" corn at home, rejoiced in the enterprise of the projector. The first land entries in the township were as follows: April 6, 1831, John Norfleet, entered W. 1, N.W.1/4 Sec. 24, 80 ac. June 16,1831, William Kincaid, " 240 ac. in section 24 July 8, 1831, William H. Brown, " W. 1/2 S.W. 1/4 section 13 80ac. Aug. 2, Parmenius Smallwood," W. 1/2 N.W.1/4 section 33 80ac. July 17, 1833, T. Harp, " E. 1/2, S.W. 1/4, section 29 80ac. April 21,1834, Gabriel Watt, " N.E. 1/4, S.E.1/4 section 24 40ac. Jan. 3, 1835, J. Pue, " S.E. 1/2, 8 E. 1/4, section 36 80ac. Of these the first and only permanent settler was Tyre Harp. The next to locate on land entered were G. B. Lemen and Isaac Swisher. Among the earliest camp-meeting grounds located within the limits of this county was that on section 25, which was located in 1835. Winding Clark was the first person to hold services in this camp. Families from a great distance came to the grounds, and caused the woodlands to ring with merry cheer as they erected a village of cabins in which to lodge. A platform was constructed for the preachers, seats arranged of logs partially hewn, and camp-meeting time was one of good cheer and spiritual refreshment. The presiding elder at the time, Rev. John St. Clair, was also present during part of the time. Jefferson Cross was the first person elected as justice of the peace. Many of his decisions, it was affirmed, were more in accordance with common sense than law. He was a man of fair education, and acquitted himself well in drawing up papers that. The first school taught in the Lemen settlement, or in the north eastern part of the township, was by John Dougherty. The second was by a teacher, of whom his pupils, several of whom yet live near, declare he never knew the difference between p and q or b and d. He was too lazy to engage in farming, and thought to palm himself off as a teacher. The first blacksmith to locate here was Solomon Despain, who first located in Waynesville in 1830, then here in 1837. He was, also a Baptist preacher after the regularly approved backswoods, style of oratory, a regular sledgehammer in speech. He put up his smithy on land owned by J. G. Wright, a son-in-law of Harp. Near Wilson's mill a man named Leonard erected a blacksmith's shop in 1860. Harp is thoroughly an agricultural township, with the exception of three mills, a blacksmith's shop, a tile and brickyard, and two small groceries, no business industries are conducted within its limits other than farming and stock raising. Salt Creek Valley Mills, a combined saw and grist mill, was built by the present owner, Simeon Morrison, in 1862, at a cost of $9,800. It is provided with a turbine wheel of five feet in diameter, also an Adkin wheel for running the saw. The capacity of the grist mill is 60 barrels per day; of the saw mill 1,500 feet per day. This mill is supplied with excellent machinery, and is well supported. It is on section 28, well located on Salt Creek, as the name implies. Levi Griffith opened a grocery store on section 15, in 1874, which is well patronized, as is that of J. W. Curl on section 2, and which was first opened in 1871 by Henry Lucas. E. R. Ross commenced the manufacture of tile on his farm, section 14, in 1877. Thus far he has manufactured about 100,000 tile, for which he has found ready sale at home. Adjoining the tile works is a brick-yard owned by him, first opened in 1869. Sale of brick, 100,000 per annum. The clay is of superior quality. The first road cut through this township was that leading from Clinton to Marion, by Hugh L. Davenport. At the time citizens obtained their mail at Clinton, which was a decided improvement upon going to Bloomington. Letter postage on mail from Kentucky-the original home of many of their number-was 25 cents per letter at the time. The Gilman branch of the Illinois Central railroad passes through this township from east to west, entering on section 24, and leaving on section 30. As yet there is no station within the limits of the township. One is in contemplation on section 20 on land owned by Thomas Snell; a switch is to be constructed this winter, and doubtless a village will be the result. Rail bonds to the amount of $55,000 were voted by the people of township in favor of the above road, bearing (late July 1, 1871 bearing ten per cent interest per annum. Much litigation grown out of these bonds, the people refusing to honor them because of non-compliance, on the part of the railroad company with agreements made and promises extended. A party named Henry J. Furber obtained judgment on the coupons held himself in the United States Court in January, 1877, and damus to compel the levy to pay off the judgment. Several have been commenced aside from this in the local courts; in so famous have the Harp township bonds become that metropolitan papers in referring to them do not mention either the county or state but simply the township. The population of this township in 1860 was 743 ; in 1870, 1161 ; and in 1880, 1077. The following statistics from the assessors books for the last exhibit the agricultural status of this township: horses, neat cattle, 932; mules, 39 sheep; 213 hogs 2069 ; carriages and wagons, 163; sewing machines, 57; piano, 1; organs, 6. Total value of personal property, $54,1130; of lands, $247,711. Supervisors since township organization have been: James Willmore, elected 1859, served two terms; G. B. Lemen elected 1861, served two terms; John P. Mitchell, elected 1863; Isaac M'Cuddy, elected 1864, served two terms; J. F. Harrold, elec 1866, served three terms; Ross Mitchell, elected 1869, served two terms; Robert Walker, elected 1871, served until 1877; Charles Willmore, elected 1877, served until 1881 ; W.H. Cundiff, present incumbent, was elected in 1881. From this township there were in the Mexican war Will Harp, Charles Harp, Calvin Paine, Isaac M'Cuddy, David Be Isaac Strain, and Joshua Jackson ; and in the Black Hawk G. Wright. ------------------------------------------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organiza- tions or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contri- butor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ----------------------------------------------------------------- File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Earliene Kaelin