TEXAS TOWNSHIP (Pages 337-339)
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TEXAS TOWNSHIP is so called from the fact that Daniel Newcomb, a citizen of Clinton, sold out with the intention of going to Texas, changed his mind and located within the limits of this township, saying it was good enough for him and as far into Texas as he wanted to get. The joke was perpetuated in the bestowal of the name. It is located in the central southern part of the county, and contains thirty-six square miles. The northern part is quite hilly and well drained by Salt creek and its tributaries. Salt creek enters the township on section twelve and flows a general westerly course across the township, leaving it on section seven. Its principal tributary is Coon creek, which enters on section three, flows south-west and empties into it on section seventeen. The southern part is prairie, part of it low and wet, and part high and rolling. The timber belt, following the water course, covers an area of nearly one-half the township.
Indians, both Kickapoo's and Pottawattamie's, were found camped here by the first whites who spied out the country. They had a burial ground on the banks of the creek on section sixteen, from which skeletons have been exhumed. Here they met in council and in worship. At one of these meetings, perhaps a little west of here, Thomas Davenport saw nearly five hundred Indians gathered together. Their exercises consisted in dancing, eating and talking. They built a fire and hung over it a large kettle in which they put a beef to boil. Then they would march around the fire, stopping now and then to hear a harangue. For the benefit of the whites present, an interpreter told them that their orator said "good men go up, bad men go down", pointing up and down as he said it in the Indian tongue. They had paddles about eighteen inches in length, on which was something written in their language, and to which they most attentively paid attention at a given signal. This paddle the interpreter called their Bible. Davenport says he never saw better order than was maintained at their meeting. Two parties were deputized as marshals and provided with sticks, which they used whenever any display calculated to mar the usual prevailing harmony was made.
There was a tradition among the early settlers that a pot of gold was buried with a chief in the graveyard on section sixteen. They set to work to find it, and many a day was lost in fruitless search.
Among the earliest settlers was Thomas Davenport. He came to this county from Sangamon, where his father, a Kentuckian named George Davenport, had located in 1820. At that time their mail was procured from Edwardsville, Madison county; it being the nearest post-office. Postage on a letter from Kentucky was twenty-five cents. In 1829, Davenport came to this county and located on section four. He brought with him a wife and two children. A son, George F., who was born in February 1, 1832, was the first birth in Texas township. Davenport was in the Black Hawk war. He was a great hunter, and relates his experiences in this field of sport with much zeal. He once caught eight coons in a single stump. At another time, in company with Josiah Clifton, he found a bee tree containing a comb eleven feet in length. These pioneers together frequently would find three or four bee trees in a single day. Their usual mode of traveling on such hunts was ox back, a thing not uncommon in an early day. At one time he killed four large wild turkey gobblers before breakfast. He relates that in 1841, having heard that C. H. Moore, a lawyer, had located in Clinton, he concluded now was his chance to get a little cash for some fish, as he thought a lawyer would certainly have money. He took a nice lot to town and offered them to Moore, who said he would like to have a fish very much, but hadn't any money. "Thus it is", reflects Davenport now old in years, Moore now has the money but I still have fish".
Benjamin Slatten, a Kentuckian, came here in 1829, lived a few months in what is now Clintonia township, then moved to Texas. He built a cabin on Coon creek (which took its name from his being a great and very successful coon hunter and having survived for weeks on coon meat), where he lived until sometime in 1832, when he was married to Henrietta Lane, daughter of Tillmon Lane, Sr. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. James K. Scott, a minister in the Christian Connection order. It took place at Tillmon Lane's home in Waynesville township.
Nehemiah Clifton located here on section twenty-one. In common with most of the early settlers, he was also from Kentucky. He was a large, muscular man, well calculated to "rough it", as pioneers had to do. He brought a family of five children, of whom Job and William were twins.
Following these came John Lowery and a nephew Trink, from Kentucky, who located on section twenty-one; also David Willis, in 1835, to section twenty-three.
The first land entries were:
April 25th, 1881, Nehemiah Clifton entered E. ½ S. W. ¼, section 21. 80 ac.
June 21st, 1831, Benjamin Slatten entered S. E. ½, section 3, 160 ac.
June 21st, 1831, Lase Oarlock entered W. ½ S. E. ¼, section 11, 80 ac.
July 16th, 1831, William Spillers entered E. ½ S. E. section 21, 80 ac.
July 16th, 1831, James Dogget entered ½ S. E. section 21, 80 ac.
July 16th, 1831, Richard Dogget entered W. ½ S. W. ¼ section 22, 80 ac.
Of these parties, William Spillers was a bachelor from Kentucky who remained on his land for a year or two, thence went to Texas; as did also Richard Dogget. Their stay was so brief that little is known of them or their history. The first land broke for agricultural purposes here was by William Spillers in 1832, in all about eight acres; and to Richard Dogget is accredited the honor of having planted out the first orchard, perhaps the same year. Some of these trees are still standing. They were all seedlings; some of the fruit was fine in quality.
The first wedding was that of James Lowery and Sarah Clifton in the summer of 1833. They were married at the house of the bride's father, Nehemiah Clifton. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Solomon DeSpain, a Baptist minister of Waynesville.
Among the first deaths, if not the first of adults, was that of William Smith, who accidentally killed himself whilst attempting to cut a limb from a tree when on horseback. He maimed his aim, the axe buried itself in his arm severing an artery, from which he bled to death. His remains were deposited on his own land, a place used simply as a family burial ground. This occurred in 1837.
The first grave in a regular burial ground was that of a two year old daughter of Job Clifton on section twenty-one, in 1843.
The first preaching was by the venerable Rev. W. S. Crissey, of Decatur, a Methodist minister, at the house of John Lowery, in 1835. Soon after Moses Clamp followed, having been assigned to a circuit including this place.
The first teacher was George Davenport in 1837. The schoolhouse was a rude structure of round timber, very rough puncheon floor and seats. In all, he had about a dozen pupils. Among them he remembers Frank, Joseph and Wesley Lowery, David Willis, William Cox, Louisa Lowery, Matilda Willis, Rhoda and Emily Davenport. Text books used were the old Elementary Speller, Pike's Western Calculator, and the New Testament.
The first mill was built on Salt creek, section fifteen, by _____ Allen in 1837. It was a water mill provided with an undershot wheel. Both sawing and grinding was done. The second, and only other mill, was built by _____ Mayall on the Mine creek, on section thirteen, in 1848. It is now owned and operated by Asbury Smallwood. It is a good, substantial mill, provided with an undershot wheel, and is also a combined saw and grist mill. Its capacity is quite limited, being dependent upon the water supply, and the grinding being limited to a single run of stone.
The first and only blacksmith in the township was George Clifton, who was a Baptist minister as well. The small kit of tools he brought with him would not to-day receive recognition as a smithy. His labors were confined to mending and horse shoeing.
The first Justice of the peace was Trink Lowery. There are in the township two houses of public worship belonging to the Baptist and Christian orders. They are in close proximity, both being on section twenty-one. The only industry carried on independent of farming is milling at the Mayall mill. Although the township has twelve miles of railroad within its limits, it is without a station. One is in contemplation on the line of the Midland railroad on section thirty. The roads passing through the township are the Illinois Central from North to South, entering on section three and leaving on section thirty-five; the Havana branch of the Wabash, better known as the I. B. & W., which enters on section one and leaves on section two; the Gilman branch of the Illinois Central entering on section five and leaving on section six; the Illinois Midland, or P. A. & D. railroad, entering on section thirty three and leaving on section thirty. In order to avail themselves of either of these roads, patrons have to go into adjoining townships where facilities are offered.
Since township organization has taken effect, this township has been represented on the County Board by Wilson Allen, from 1859 to 1867; D. M. Walker, 1867; George Hartsock, 1868; William M. Moore, 1869; J. W. Blue, 1870; W. H. Greer, 1871; William M. Moore, 1872; W. M. Phares, 1873 to 1877; Thomas Cornwell, 1877; Edward Weld, 1878; A. E. Newman, 1879 to 1881; and Cornelius Kelly, 1881, the present incumbent. Of these the first elected, Wilson Allen, was chosen chairman of the Board during the years 1860, 1863, 1865 and 1866.
This is pre-eminently a grazing district. Sheep husbandry receives marked attention. Sheep men say that the township can well sustain five head to the acre of grazing lands, an aggregate of over twenty thousand head. Among those most Interested in this industry are William Haberfield, Job W. Blue, Samuel Wade and David Schenck.
The following statistics are gathered from the assessment for the year 1881: In the township there were 597 horses; 1,872 head of cattle; 60 mules; 2,406 sheep; 2,091 hogs; 223 carriages and wagons; 33 watches and clocks; 93 sewing machines; 2 pianos; 15 organs and melodeons. The total value of personal property was placed at $53,069; of real estate $262,807.
An application has gone forward on behalf of the location of a post office to be called Blue Ridge, in honor of the prime mover on this behalf, John Blue, on section twenty-five; doubtless before this work is in the hands of its readers, the location of the office will have been an accomplished fact. John Blue, a man of enterprise and energy, has secured from the railroad company the location of a station at the same point. Its erection will doubtless be followed by other industries.
The population of Texas township in 1860 was 893; in 1870, 1,064; and in 1880, 950.
There are two neat church-houses occupied respectively by the Baptist and Christian orders. The Baptist was the first built, the original house being erected in 1843, whilst the Christian was built in 1870.
Prominent among her farmers are William Phares who came from Ohio in 1847; Charles McCuddy, from Kentucky in 1839; Uriah James, who was born in this county in 1849; David Schenck, William Haberfield and Eason Johnson, who came from Ohio in 1859. Eason Johnson brought a family of six children with him: Amos, Hulda, Ira, Alice (who died September 25, 1873), Joseph E., and Emma J. They all live in this county except Amos, in Kansas, and Ira, in Colorado.