Farmers' Township

Farmers' Township

This excerpt was taken from the History of Fulton County, published by Chas. C. Chapman & Co. in 1879, pages 648-650.

This township is well timbered and watered, and is underlaid with strata of excellent bituminous coal. The greater part of the surface is very broken, although the western and southern portion consists of gently undulating prairie, the soil of which is the regular Illinois prairie soil.

The first settler to locate in Farmers’ township was John Barker, who came in 1829. For further information concerning him, we refer the reader to the personal sketches of John and Joseph Barker given further on.

The township received its name in this wise: the assessment made previous to the organization of the township in 1850 show that the farmers in this community had produced more grain than any other precinct in the county. Accordingly, when the time came for naming the township some on account of this fact propose the name of Wheatland. Others for the same reasons suggested the name of Farmers’. This was received with greater favor and the name was adopted. Another version as to the origin of the name is related by an old settler now residing in this township, as follows: "This was a good farming country," he said, "and almost every person who lived here was farmers, and we call the votin' precinct Farmers’ Precinct; and when the township was organized we jist let it be the same." The first school in the township was taught by Miss Eleanor Rutledge, who afterwards became Mrs. John Barker. The first death to occur was that of Enos Rutledge, who was buried in the Barker cemetery. Joseph Barker has been living in the township longer than any one else has. The first church organized was of the Baptist denomination, and was organized June 9, 1835. The society afterwards erected a log house, which was used for both church and school purposes for many years. This building is still standing, owned by Thomas Walters, jr., and was used as a dwelling by him until the fall of 1879. The first school-house (a small log cabin) was erected in 1833. The benches for made of split logs and the floor of puncheons. The fire-place occupied one side of the house and the only window consisted of a log being removed from one side.

The St. Louis division of the C., B. and Q. railroad crosses one corner of the township, making its only town, Table Grove, a lively little business place.

A very exciting incident is related by Peter Walters, of an encounter his mother once had with a wild hog. In those early days the while hogs were numerous and troublesome. While Mr. Walters was absent from home one day a hog came to the yard fence, and seeing the cow inside concluded to have some steak for dinner; accordingly he scaled the fence and assaulted the cow, and was in a fair way to succeed when Mrs. Walters seized the gun, ran out and shot the ferocious animal; he ran off with but little if any damage, as she supposed, but was found dead nearby soon afterward.

The above was not the only adventure that this heroine of Fulton County had during its pioneer days. In the very first days after the settlers came the Indians were not only numerous but very troublesome, especially in regard to begging and stealing. On one occasion, while on a begging tour, these pests stopped at the residence of Mr. Walter's, as usual, to ask for some meat. Now, Mrs. Walters was a very generous old soul, but at this particular time her meat supply was nearly exhausted; hence she refused to give them any. Among the Indians was a very impudent squaw, who insisted beyond all reason that Mrs. W. should give them some meat. The generous woman finally concluded to give her a small piece, and went upstairs to procure the meat, when the squaw instantly followed. Mrs. Walters turned and told her to go back, but she persisted, and was pressing her way up the narrow ladder, and Mrs. Walter seized a loose board, which was lying on the upper floor, and dealt her such a blow that Mrs. Squaw came tumbling down to the floor, receiving many bruises. The Indians appreciated the good woman’s kindness and admired her courage, which they all demonstrated with one voice, crying out, "White squaw heap big brave -- ha, ha, ha!" The squaw, greatly enraged, rose and drew her scalping-knife, threatening to kill Mrs. Walters; whereupon Mr. Walters interfered, seized the knife, drew it across her throat until the blood oozed out in places, and then taking her by the hair and an arm threw her headlong out of doors. Mrs. Walters gave them the meat, when all left happy and satisfied, except the enraged squaw. The Walters family was not molested again.

It will be interesting to all our readers to learn of the encounter Mr. Enos Tarter once had with a deer. November 17, 1851, while riding home from a day's threshing with his machine, he discovered a very large deer crossing the road a short distance ahead. He thought that an excellent opportunity for having some fun, and accordingly put spurs to his old horse that worked on the threshing machine, and came up to the deer in the tall grass, and attempted to strike him down with his knife, but it being blunt, he failed in that. Then he took the deer by the tail, and at this part of the drama the animal turned and horned the horse, which caused him to make a sudden turn, and Mr. Tarter was dragged off. Now, Mr. Tarter and the nimble deer had a close encounter, both fighting hard for their lives. They had it round and round, Mr. Tarter holding on to his "tail hold", until they both found themselves head to heels in a ditch, with Mr. Tarter on top. Every time the deer tried to rise up he pressed his enemy against the overhanging turf, rendering his efforts fruitless. Finally, about 10:30 p.m., he killed the deer, and returned at 11 o'clock, with a pair of pants and a piece of shirt on. He still carries a sore on his head from a wound he received by the hoof of the animal in this conflict. The horns of this deer are still on exhibition in the office of the County Treasurer in Lewistown.

Mr. Tarter, on another occasion, caught a deer by the fore leg as it was jumping over the fence.

Laurel Hill, more commonly known as Table Grove, is situated on a beautiful eminence, overlooking as fine prairie country to the north and west as human eye ever beheld. This is a thrifty little village of about 300 inhabitants, containing more enterprising businessman, doubtless, than any village of like dimensions in the State of Illinois. It was founded in 1838 by James Spicer, Benjamin Windham and Caleb Dilworth. James Spicer built the first house, which he sold to John Bartholomew in 1841. The first store was kept by Wm. Lovell. Then came the era of schools and churches. A school-house was erected in 1845, in which the well-remembered Simon Breed taught the first school. This was during the days when the rod and the ferrule were swayed by all pedagogues as indispensable disciplinarians. As early as 1851 there was a church organization in the Grove, of which we speak below. The village now contains 7 business houses, besides a good hotel, 2 meat markets, 2 shoe shops, a saddle and harness shop, 2 milliner shops, a wagon and paint-shop, a blacksmith shop, a well-stocked lumber yard and a flouring mill.