A Valuable Contribution to the Pioneer History of Fulton County.
CARTHAGE, ILL. Dec. 31, 1883
DEAR BROTHER: Having noticed in the last issue of ‘The Democrat’ an inquiry
respecting the deep snow of 1830-31. I happened to remember a conversation with
a venerable and excellent citizen, Judge Ebenezer Rand, residing in this
vicinity, respecting his coming to this state in 1830, his first stopping place
being at Lewistown, and the residue of the winter being spent in the
neighborhood of Major Hackelton’s Bridge. His highly interesting letter herewith
is written in response to an inquiry about the deep snow. You will see that he
settles that question beyond further controversy. His recollection of dates and
circumstances is considered unimpeachable history by all who know him.
J. M. Davidson
JUDGE RAND’S LETTER
Friend Davidson: In the spring of 1830, in company with a
fellow townsman, Samuel Hackelton, whom I met at Pittsburg, Pa., I arrived at
St. Louis. We crossed the Mississippi River into St. Clair County. Our object
was to seek a home in the west. We took it on foot. Our travel extended as far
north as Yellow Banks, (now Oquawka); thence to Lewistown. Here I left my friend
Hackleton. Taking it alone I arrived at Vandalia, (then the capital of the
state), foot-sore and weary. Here I took the stage for Louisville, thence by
boat to Beaver, Pa., crossing to Lake Erie, boat to Buffalo, canal boat to
Albany. Here I was strapped and footed it home, arriving there early in July.
The 17th of September found me with family often on my way toward the
setting sun. With me was Simon Lamprell, wife and child. Our route was from
Boston via Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Sandusky, Fort Wayne and Logansport,
crossing the Wabash River,
into Illinois at Vermillion County, Danville being the county seat. Crossing
the “grand prairie” we in a few days arrived Pekin. At this point we crossed the
Illinois River in a crazy flat boat. The weather was cold, and our progress with
our wearied teams was slow.
On the 10th of December, 1830, we arrived Lewistown, Fulton County, way-worn
and weary, but all in excellent health. It was nightfall when we arrived, and it
had commenced snowing. We put up with Mr. Phelps, who kept a public house. The
next morning my friend Hackleton, with others who had settled on Spoon River,
made their appearance at Lewistown, proffering to to assist us in our removal to
Spoon River bridge. This bridge and Hackleton’s place were about two or three
yards above the present C. B. & Q. bridges across Spoon River—ED.]
Arriving there we were distributed around among the settlers as convenience
admitted. There were at that time a number of families settled at that
point—among them James Freeman and his two sons, Moses and Alexander, and a
younger son, James; also Peter S. Wood, _____ Fairchild and _____ Ulmstead.
These two latter joined the Mormons in 1831 and went to Jackson County, Mo.,
calling on me on their way, I having settled near Camp Point, Adams County.
Being too late to cut prairie hay we boarded out our horses and oxen at 50
cents per head per week. As fortune would have it, in a few days we procured a
cabin belonging to Alex. Freeman. It had two doors, no window, puncheon floor,
on the end a hole cut out for a fireplace and built up with logs, but no brick,
stone or clay to build a chimney with. The cabin was 16 x 16. In this my family
lived all that dreary winter. You may ask about our food. Well, wild game was
plenty—deer, wild turkeys, prairie chickens, rabbits, et., and wild hogs could
be bought at $1.50 per hundred lbs., dressed. We also had corn bread and hulled
corn hominy. Some time during the winter a small grist mill was erected near the
bridge.
Such a winter for snow I have never seen before nor since. You may ask me the
depth. I am unable to say; but had you visited Spoon River bottom in the spring
of 1831, after the snow had disappeared and noticed the stumps of the trees
which had been cut, you would have thought giants had been at work.
In the month of February, (forget the date, but there was a good eclipse of
the sun that day) Hackleton and I started for Ross' Ferry at Havana. The snow
was so deep that one of us had to go ahead to break a track for our horses.
Arriving there we staid over night; obtained corn at 20 cents per bushel,
brought a cow for $4.50 and started for home.
Feed for out stock became so scarce that we were under the necessity of
resorting to the bottoms to cut down the soft woods for our stock to sustain
life on. On account of the deep snow many of the deer, turkeys and other game
perished. We had not anticipated such a winter in Illinois; but the pioneer in
any new country must expect to undergo more of less deprivations and hardships.
But he generally is quick to devise means to render the circumstances in which
he placed more endurable. If his shoes become worn, and he cannot obtain
leather, he may make soles of some of the soft woods. More that two-thirds of
the settlers about the settlement wore shoes with the soles made from wood of
the Linden Tree. The soles of leather were torn off and the old uppers tacked on
to these wooden soles.
In talking of these early times some may think that time hung heavily. Not
so. The holidays passed pleasantly with an interchange of good feelings. Every
one was ready to assist his neighbor. Hospitality and good feeling was the order
of the day all through, that dreary winter.
EBENEZER RAND
Prairie Township, Hancock Co., December 31, 1883