Page 995

REMINISCENCES

By Samuel Williams

The following incidents the writer, Rev. Samuel Williams, gives as facts connected with the early history of Rochester township:

"In the fall of 1821, in company with Elias Thompson, Orange Babbitt and Samuel Draper, with their families and some stock, we crossed the Wabash river near Terre Haute, and after traveling a few miles through heavy timber, we came to the eastern edge of the great Illinois prairie. There we saw a patch of cotton and a small log house, but we did not see another house until after traveling several days, when we arrived at the house of Titus Gragg, near what is now called Campbellsburg, in Christian county.

"In March, 1822, my father and the family having arrived, he rented a part of Fields Jarvis' farm, situated in the southeast part of the township, on the farm now owned by Benjamin Auxier. Further north, there was another farm, which was also rented in 1822, by Elias Thompson. At the north edge of the timber were the residences of John Warrick and Daniel Parkinson, and across the prairie, further north, lived James McCoy, with whom his brother Joseph usually resided, Archibald Sattley, Robert Sattley, Oliver Stafford, William Roberts, James Bowland, John T. Benham and James Gregory, Sr. Further west, Isaac Keys, Sr., Levi Gooden, James Vaughn, the large blacksmith, and Philip Clark, Sr. And in the Round Prairie, Edward Clark, Andrew Jones, Andrew St. John, Wm. Woods, Christopher Paine, some of the Sheltons, Levi Locker, and a family in a house near the present residence of Joshua Graham. Andrew Johnson, the father of John and Samuel Johnson, was a millwright by occupation, and he came from Scotland at an early date, and he and James Gregory, Sr., were the principal architects in the erection of Mr. Clark's mills. Besides these, there may have been other settlers in the township whom I did not know, or whose names I cannot recollect after a lapse of more than fifty years.

"In those early times, there were many wild wild bees, wild deer, turkeys, raccoons, minks, muskrats, and some others, still hunted in many places by small parties of Indians.

"There were also many patches of cotton and flax in Sangamon county. The women spun and wove the raw material into cloth, from which substantial clothing for both men and women was made. But cloth of a finer texture, mostly white, but delicately striped with bright colors, was also made, which was chiefly designed for women and children's fine dresses. When clothed with such dresses, the young women appeared, not only modest, but very attractive.

"In the year 1822, there was a military company muster in the township, at which many persons were present, some of whom lived many miles distant. Elias Thompson was captain. Some of the men had guns, others used various substitutes. Before proceeding with the exercises, there was some debating with reference to the choice of military tactics, some preferring those of Scott, and others Duane's. The performance was awkward and in some respects comical. After the drill was ended, the captain, as was customary in those days, treated the company to two or three gallons of whiskey. Soon after, some of the men became very boisterous, and several of them stripped to the pants for a fistic fight, but finally wiser counsels prevailed, and all went home peaceably.

"There being much rain in those early days, there was much ague in the country. Drs. Darling and Jayne were the first physicians, and in later times were Dr. James P. Kipper, and Dr. Todd, of Springfield.

"In the year 1822, Rivers Cormack, a local Methodist preacher, and William Roberts, of the Baptist persuasion, were the only preachers. Mr. Roberts was rather eccentric, and manifested considerable antipathy against preachers, who received money as pay for their labors. He is said to have given it as his opinion, that 'the gospel cannot be carried on silver wheels.'

"In the summer of 1823, I taught my first school, the first in the township, in a log cabin, located on the open prairie, on the land now owned by Robert Billings. In 1825, there was a school taught in the Sattley settlement, by Richard E. Barker. In 1924-5, there was a school taught on the south side of the river, near Mr. Clark's mills, by Jabez Capps, a worthy man, and an excellent scholar, but, as reported, as easy and indulgent with children in regard to his discipline, that his school was considered by some as very defective. The first school house on Round Prairie was built in the year 1827 or 1828. William Jones was the first employed as teacher, and taught one day, when the house was burned down at night, supposed to be maliciously, as there had been some contention before it was built, as to its location.

"The following is a description of a school house on Sugar creek, in which I taught school in the year 1824: It was built of logs; was about fourteen by sixteen feet in size, very low; had a clapboard roof, kept down by poles; the chimney was made of wood and clay, with stone back wall, and jambs; the size of the fireplace was about three feet by six; the house was daubed, both inside and out, with clay mortar, up to the roof. If I remember correctly, it had a puncheon floor below, but none above; the door shutter, was made of clapboards fastened together with wooden pins, and hung on heavy wooden hinges. When raising the house the upper and lower half of two logs, in the south end and west side, were cut out for window spaces, in which, strips of wood were placed up and down, on which paper was pasted, and afterwards greased, in order to admit the light; in the lower logs two-inch augur holes were bored, in which strong pins were inserted, as a basis for the puncheon writing desks or tables. The seats or benches, were made of split logs. There were two or three clapboard shelves, on which spare books and the childrens' dinner baskets were usually placed. There was a small puncheon table and a split bottomed chair, for the use of the teacher. This completed the furniture of the room. Now all was ready for the admission of teacher and pupils, who in those early times enjoyed much pleasure, and seemed proud when meeting together in this very modest and humble school house.