HISTORICAL

 

The County of Warren in the State of Illinois was created by an act of the General Assembly approved January 13, 1825. At that time it was bounded as follows: Beginning at the point where the township line between seven and eight north touches the Mississippi river, thence east on said line to the Meridian; thence north on said meridian line to the northeast corner of township twelve north, range one west of the Fourth Principal Meridian; thence west on said township line to the Mississippi river, and thence down the river to the place of beginning.

Warren county then extended from the Fourth Principal Meridian to the Mississippi river. The General Assembly of 1841 passed an act detaching all the territory west of range three, forming a new county with the name of Henderson.

Greenbush township is situated on the southeast corner of Warren county, Illinois, being township eight north of the base line, range one west of the Fourth Principal Meridian.

James B. Atwood was the first white man that settled in what is now known as Warren county. He arrived in 1828 and located on section 27, now Kelly township. Adam Ritchie and family came the same year and located on the south end of Sugar-tree Grove on the farm afterwards owned by Mr. Quinn in Hale township. John B. Talbot with his mother and cousin, Allen C. Andrews, settled in the northeast corner of Monmouth township, on section one.

The first settler in Greenbush township was Rowland Simmons. He came from Warren county, Kentucky, to Morgan county, Illinois. In 1830, he moved from Morgan county to what is now known as Greenbush in Warren county, Illinois. Here he camped in the edge of the timber about one-half a mile west of where the village of Greenfleld (afterwards the village of Greenbush) was located.

He came in a covered wagon, driving three yoke of cattle. His mother, wife and one son came with him. This son was William Simmons, who was four years old at the time. Mr. Simmons brought in his wagon a few cooking utensils and household furniture; also a few tools. His chairs he tied on the outside of his wagon.

He immediately set to work building his cabin, which was thirty-six feet long and twelve feet wide. He used mostly hickory logs. This house could not be called a hewed log house, as very little hewing was done on the logs. It contained three rooms and was made comfortable by being chinked with blocks of wood and daubed with clay. He also built a huge fireplace in the west end of the building.

 

He found plenty of Indians here when he came. They were located on sections seven and eighteen; and spent their time hunting, fishing, making maple sugar and riding on their ponies about the country.

“Uncle Roley” Simmons was a hardy pioneer and a man possessed of considerable courage, but sometimes he felt a little ticklish or nervous in regard to those Indians. They were a little too numerous for him; so he always carried his old Kentucky rifle when he went any distance from his house. Sometimes a band of thirty or forty Indians would come hooting and yelling up to him on their ponies and, after dismounting and shaking hands, would ride away.

These Indians, however, proved to he peaceable. They left a few graves on the hill south of “Nigger” creek not far from a small stream called the Wash branch. Numerous flint arrowheads have been found in this locality from time to time. When the Black Hawk war broke out in 1832, they left the country.

Mr. Simmons continued to live in his cabin until the Indian trouble began in 1832. He then moved his family to Morgan county for safety and joined the “Rangers” engaged in the Black Hawk war until the Indians were driven west of the Mississippi river.

After Black Hawk, who was a chief of the Sacs and Foxes, was defeated, he was made the ward of Keokuk, another chief, which humiliation of his pride broke his heart. He died on a reservation set apart for him in Iowa, in 1838, aged 71 years. His body is said to have been exhumed nine months after death and his articulated skeleton is alleged to have been preserved in the rooms of the Burlington, Iowa, Historical Society until 1855, when it was destroyed by fire. After the Black Hawk war, Keokuk became the chief of the Sacs and Foxes. He lived on the reservation in Iowa until 1845, when he removed to Kansas where, in June, 1848, he fell a victim to poison supposedly administered by some partisan of Black Hawk.

After the Black Hawk war and the same year (1832), Mr. Simmons with his family returned to his home in Greenbush. An infant son of his (John W.) died about this time and was buried on the hill west of the village, it being the first grave in the Greenbush graveyard.

In the spring of 1833, Uncle Roley took possession of the sugar camp left by the Indians, they having left their sugar-making outfit consisting of kettles, many small troughs and a few large ones.

That same year James Simmons, a brother of Rowland’s, came from Madison county, Illinois. He drove three yoke of cattle to his covered wagon and had also one horse hitched to a light wagon, some cows and three dogs. One of these dogs was a famous hunter and was the leader in many deer chases in those days. Uncle Jimmy intended to kill one of his cows for his winter’s meat, but he found game so plenty that he did not need to. With his trusty rifle he was nearly always sure of a buck or doe when he went after them.

In the spring of 1834, he took possession of the sugar camp that had been used by his brother Rowland the year previous.

At this time it was difficult to obtain breadstuff. Rowland Simmons went to Morgan county for breadstuff at different times. His son William went with him to help yoke and unyoke the cattle.

In 1834 the Bond family came. This family consisted of Jesse W. Bond and wife and their children, John Crane, Benjamin, Joel, Ruby, William Barnet, Jesse W., and Nathan.

Paton A. Vaughn came in 1837; John Wingate and Thomas Moulton in 1838. Sarah Snapp and family, consisting of Franklin G., Robert M., William, Ezekiel M., George, Mary, Elizabeth, and Maria, came in 1837. Aaron Powers and Col. John Butler came in 1839.

Charles Stice came in from what is now known as Henderson county in 1834. The same year Amos Pierce and his son Clement came from Vermont. William H. Pierce came from Vermont in 1835. Alexander Willard and family came in 1837. For a more particular mention of these families, see biographical sketches elsewhere in these pages.

The village of Greenfield was surveyed and platted by Wm. C. Butler, county surveyor, April 14, 1836, and was located on the northwest corner of section five. The first plat contained a public square and sixteen blocks. Rowland Simmons and James Simmons were the owners of the land on which the town was located.

Afterwards Rowland Simmons added four blocks on the west and James Simmons four blocks on the east. The name of Greenfield was changed to Greenbush in 1843.

Jesse Blankenship had the first house erected in the village. John Sheffield was the carpenter and builder. It was a hewed log house containing two rooms. In the erection of the building, John Simmons notched and fitted one corner; or, as they called it then, he “took up” one corner. William Vandiver also helped on this building.

 

Mr. Blankenship moved into one of the rooms; the other room he used for a store house, it being the first store in the village. In after years this building was used for various purposes. Wm. H. Pierce used it as a residence and his son Almiron 0. was born there July 4, 1838. Woody Alexander kept a grocery in it at one time. Philip Karns finally purchased it and used it for a cooper shop for many years. When Dr. Wm. Randall came to Greenbush in 1858, he used the east room for his office for some time. The old building was pulled down a few years ago and moved to the Karns farm north of Greenbush.

Among the early merchants, or storekeepers as they were then called, were Crocker and Martin, and one Mr. McMahon.

Edwin A. Sheble came in the early ‘40’s and engaged in the mercantile business. His father, brother David, and his father-in-law Major McCormick came with him.

Mr. Sheble was an energetic business man and was well liked by the people. After leaving Greenbush he took to steam boating on the Mississippi river; became captain, and afterwards owner in different packet lines. During the civil war, he was engaged in conveying troops and supplies for the union army. He was with General Grant at the siege of Vicksburg, and with General Canby at the surrender of Mobile. During his career he built and commanded twenty-four steamboats. The last one owned by him was the “City of Alton.” He was at one time general freight and passenger agent for the Rockford, Rock Island and St. Louis Railway Company. After amassing a considerable fortune, he died at No. 4300 McPherson Ave., St. Louis, Mo., February 22, 1904. He was nearly eighty-four years old.

Major McCormick is still remembered by some of the old settlers. He kept fast horses and engaged in racing here. During the ‘40’s he owned the horse known as “Billy Woods” which ran against Dan Meek’s horse “Big Colt.”

The village of Greenfleld became quite a trading-point in 1839. Many newcomers had arrived and located in the vicinity. At that time coffee was 20 cents a pound; sugar, 12½; nails, 12½; starch, 25; tea, $1.50; saleratus, 25 cents; madder, 37½; alum, 25; sulphur, 25. Indigo was 20 cents per ounce; camphor, 25. Writing paper was 37 1/2 cents a quire; common andirons or “dog-irons,” $1.50 per pair. Almanacs were 12½ cents; calico was 37 1/2 cents per yard, whisky $1.00 per gallon and brandy, $2.00.

A list of the persons trading in Greenfield at that time is here given; and while it is not claimed to be a complete list, it will give names of many who then resided in this locality:

Pleasant Atkinson, Truman Allen,

John Armstrong, Jacob Bair,

Eli Butler, Joel Bond,

J. W. Bond, Jr., John C. Bond,

J. W. Bond, Sr., Wm. Barnet Bond,

Nathan Bond, Wm. G. Bond,

Benjamin Bond, Alanson Bostwick,

Isaac Bell, Wm. B. Blankenship,

John Butler, James Bay,

Stephen Babbet, Ezekiel Chambers,

Wm. Cutherd, James F. Chambers,

Lively Cayton, Asa Clevinger,

David Clevinger, S. D. Clevinger,

Joseph Craig, Walter Clark,

Otha Carr, Abel Chase,

Samuel Cochrane, James Carr,

Moses Doty, Peter Downey,

T. J. Defrice, Harvey Darneille,

Capt. John Darneal, Levett Emory,

John C. Foster, John Fisher,

Wm. A. Fish, G. Geer,

Wm. Gunter, Hiram Gray,

Jacob Gross, Francis George,

Thomas Gunter, Joseph Gunter,

Julius A. Hill, Elijah Hanon,

Wm. Hewett, Mahala Herrington,

Reuben Holeman, Ralph. Heath,

Levi Heath, Joel Hargrove,

John M. Hoisington, Reuben Hammond,

John Herrington, Peter Hedges,

Abraham Holeman, Stephen Howard,

Levi Hedges, Phebe Hedges,

Polly Hedges, J. E. Heath,

Edson Heath Sally Jones,

Jacob Johnson, Zack Jennings,

Wm. Johnson, Wm. Jared, Jr.

John Jared, Joseph Jared,

Thomas Jones, Ezra Jennings,

Aaron Jennings, Wm. Jones, . John Johnson, Edmond Jennings,

Wm. Jared, Sr., Sam. K. Kertley,

James Kelsey, Larnard Kidder,

Elijah Lieurance, Patrick Lynch,

B. W. Lewis, Abijah Lieurance,

John Long, Peter Lieurance,

Stephen Lieurance, Horace Mathews,

James Meadows, John Murphy,

Marlin McAdams, Wm. McMahill,

Henry McMahill, Thomas Moulton,

G. M. McCartney, Andrew Millstagle,

Samuel Morse, Henson C. Martin,

Elijah Meadows, W. R. Monroe,

John McMahill, James McMahill,

David Nickerson, John Plymate,

Daniel Perkins, Wm. H. Pierce,

Solon Powers, Stephen Pierce,

Aaron Powers, Amos Pierce,

Samuel Russel, Milton Powers,

Lauren Rose, Samuel Rodgers, Jonathan Ratekin, Joseph Rodgers, E.Roberts, Joseph Ratekin,

George Ratekin, Thomas Rogers,

Samuel Reynolds, John Riggs,

Wm. Reed, Abijah Roberts,

James Robinson, Thomas Reed,

Ephraim Smith, Joseph Robinson,

Joseph Sisson, Peter Simmons, Wm.M. Sterling, James Simmons, Jr.,

Hasadiah Smith, George Simmons,

Robert M. Snapp, N. P. Swan,

Ashael Sisson, Samuel Simpson,

John B. Spinner, Samuel S. Smith,

Alexander Stanley, A. B. Smith,

Andrew Simmons, Rowland Simmons,

John Simmons, Francis Staat,

F. G. Snapp, James D. Smith,

James Simmons, Sr., Wm. Snapp,

Nathan Sutton, James Simmons (Stiller),

David Simmons, Sally Snapp,

David Smith, Peter Shoemaker,

Hiram Taylor, Ezekiel M. Snapp,

Wm. Tally, Charles Tinker,

Thomas Teeter, Wm. Trailor,

Charles Vandiver, Thomas Titus,

Wm. Vandiver, P. A. Vaughn,

Levi Wilder, John Vandiver,

Samuel Welty, Wm. Willard,

John Willard, Thomas West

T. J. Willard, Alfred White,

Alex. Willard, Edward White,

Jesse Wollard, Joseph Wilcher,

John P. Wood, Anna Walworth,

David Young, John Young,

John Young, Jr.

 

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Illinois Ancestors

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