open country, with a great deal of pretty good land for sale, at a low
rate, and not very distant from water-carriage: and having the offer
of some of the first selected quarter-sections, at a small advance of
price, in an extremely healthy situation, containing both wood and
prairie, with {250} some of it brought into cultivation, I took a
situation much to my satisfaction, and still remain well pleased with
it.
Our land is not so rich, nor the timber so large as on the
river-bottoms; but it will bear as good wheat, corn, and grass, as a
person would wish; besides having that great advantage, health. It is
true we are not so well watered as in some situations, yet through an
unusually dry and hot summer, our stock have found plenty of water,
in some creeks, about a mile below us, and have done uncommonly well.
Our having plenty of open prairie-land, for pasture or breaking up,
is, in my estimation, far preferable to clearing of woodland, which
is attended with much trouble and expence. Had I removed to the west
side of this State, on the Mississippi river, I might, perhaps, have
found as good or better land, and nearer water-carriage; but, by all
accounts, not so favourable to health. Then the expence of getting my
luggage there would have been considerable, and I should, {251} most
probably, have been surrounded by total strangers: it is true, I knew
but few at the prairies, but I had heard of many of them; and here
my family were not quite in the midst of people they had never seen
or heard of, as they would have been, in almost every other part of
America.
There is an English settlement in Indiana, about ten miles back from
Evansville, I have heard, better watered, and nearer markets than we
are; but it is in the woods, and the land is inferior to ours. This is
the account I have received of it, but I know nothing, only from the
report of those who had no interest in either settlement. I have no
personal knowledge of Mr. Hornbrook, or Mr. Maidlow, the heads of that
settlement; and should any person see my account of this part of the
country and come to America, I would advise him to see both settlements
before he fixed in either. But I do not invite any one to leave England
and come hither; for, although well pleased with the exchange of
countries myself, another {252} might not be so. And many Englishmen,
if they were to come here, would be much disappointed, as there is
no want of tradesmen. A man with some property, and a large family,
may, perhaps, do better here than in England; and a person with a
considerable property might here lay the foundation of a noble fortune
for his descendants, provided he laid out his money with caution, and
lived on a moderate establishment. But this is not the country for
fine gentlemen, or those who live in a grand style, nor for tradesmen
at present; but hard-working people, who are sober, may do well, and
settle their families in a plain way.
On the 7th August we had an election in this county, for the following
offices, (in conjunction with Wayne county, formerly part of Edwards
county):[147]--one member of congress, one member of the senate, and
two members of the assembly of the State of Illinois; one sheriff,
three county commissioners, and a coroner for Edwards county.
[147] Wayne County was formed in 1819 from the western part of Edwards
County.--ED.
{253} The State of Illinois returns one member to congress, but it
is supposed it will shortly return two; the number of the members
depending on the population of the State. There were two candidates
for congress, namely, Daniel P. Cooke, the present member, and Mr. K.
Kane;[148] as Mr. Cooke had given general satisfaction, it is supposed
Mr. Kane did not expect to come in at this election, but that he might
be known at another, as a second member to congress. As the counties
are divided into districts, there is an election in each district, all
held on the same day. In ours there were 168 people who voted, but not
all for every office. Mr. Cooke had 136 votes, Mr. Kane 18; so there
remained 14 who did not vote for a member of congress. Here every
person, who has attained the age of 21 years, has a vote; and there can
be no perjury, as there is no oath required. All strangers or emigrants
from Europe, or elsewhere, have a vote, if resident six months before
the election. There was but {254} one vote refused, and that was of a
person under age.
[148] Daniel P. Cook (1793-1827) was a native of Kentucky. He began to
practice law in Kaskaskia in 1815, and three years later was appointed
judge of the western district of the state. Elected to Congress in
1820, he served until 1826, when he was defeated by the Jackson party.
Elisha Kent Kane was also a lawyer of Kaskaskia, having removed thither
from New York in 1814. He was appointed secretary of state (1818),
and elected to the United States senate (1824). He died in Washington
(1835), near the expiration of his second term.--ED.
Three judges are appointed by the magistrate to receive the votes,
which each person delivers in writing to the judges, who have two
assistants to record the names of the voters, as they deliver in their
lists, as the voters do not sign their names to the lists. When a list
is delivered to the judges, it is folded up and put into a locked
box, by a hole in the lid, and there remains till six o'clock in the
evening, when the election closes; and afterwards the box is opened,
and the votes are counted up.
There were three candidates for the senate, seven or eight for the
assembly, and the same number for county commissioners, two for
sheriff, also two for coroner.
The voters for a member of congress are from all the counties of the
state of Illinois; but for the senate and assembly, from the counties
of Edwards and Wayne only; and for county commissioners, sheriff, and
coroner, from Edwards county {255} only; Wayne county choosing its own
coroner, &c.
I think there are about twelve districts in Wayne and Edwards county
where elections were held. I was present, in the evening, at the
opening of the box and counting up the votes. The two assistants to
the judges had each a paper with the names of the several candidates
written thereon, one of the judges took out a list, and proclaimed
aloud the names of the candidates mentioned therein, and then delivered
the list to the other judges, who retained the same. And the assistants
each entered the votes against the name of the candidate voted for, in
the following form:--
"D. P. Cooke: Congress.[149]
[149] Mr. Cooke's votes, as marked above, answer to thirty-five.--WOODS.
[Illustration]
When a vote is told out, one of the assistants calls out "One," "two,"
"three," "four," or "tally," and so continues till the whole number is
counted out. When the box that contains the lists is empty, the {256}
number of names of the voters kept by the assistants is compared with
the lists, to see if they agree. And then all the lists, and one of the
papers with the candidates' names, and the number of voters, are again
locked up in the box, and kept by the judges in case of a scrutiny.
But the other papers with the names of the voters, &c. are sent to the
county seat; where all the districts send their lists, and from these
a general one is made out, and those candidates who have the highest
number of votes are elected to their respective trusts.
The election was held at the house of Allen Emerson, Esq., a mile west
of Wanborough, in an arm of Birks' Prairie.
One unpleasant circumstance is the paper currency of this part of the
United States, and it requires some experience to know what notes
to take. The paper money is of two kinds, called land-office and
current money; land-office money is bank paper that will pass at the
land-office, but this money frequently changes. Current-money {257}
is bank-paper that will pass in trade, but is not payable at the
land-office, and is often from 10 to 20 per cent. below the value of
land-office money. It is common to make a price according to the sort
of money to be paid, and there are some articles in most stores that
are only sold for land-office money.
The United States bank notes and silver are mostly sought for, as the
credit of that bank is better than that of any other, and they will
sometimes bear a premium of two per cent. above the price of silver,
as notes are more convenient to send to the eastern states to pay for
merchandise, &c.
But there are many people who prefer silver, and I find I can purchase
many articles a great deal more reasonable with silver than with the
best paper money.
I have never yet lost but one dollar-note, nor have I discounted a
single one. Discounting of notes is called shearing, and is sometimes
much practised.
As I have before described the boundaries {258} of the state of
Illinois, and mentioned most of the rivers in it, I will now attempt
to show you our situation with regard to other places; but having
no map of the Illinois, I shall place them according to the best
accounts I have heard of them, but I do not pretend to be exact as to
distances, &c. I have, however, been more particular on the east side
of the state, as that shows our situation with regard to the Wabash
rivers, and also our road to Shawneetown on the Ohio, to Harmonie and
Princetown in the state of Indiana. And northward, by Palmyra, the
seat of justice for Edward's county, to Vincennes in Indiana. My map
should extend much further to the left or west side, as Kaskaskai town
is upwards of 100 miles west, and Coffee Island only 18 miles east of
Wanbro'; but the country between Wanbro' and Kaskaskai is but little
settled, and much of it is prairie or open land.
Kaskaskai is at present the seat of the legislature of Illinois; but
its next meeting {259} is expected to be at the town of Vandalia,[150]
on the Ochka river, as being a more central situation; that place, or
rather spot of land, was fixed on for the seat of government, for the
Illinois, two years ago. The country near it was then a wilderness,
with a single cabin inhabited by a person of the name of Vandalia. A
town is now laid out, and much building begun. The town lots sell very
high. One thousand dollars and upwards for the best lots of only a few
rods of land.
[150] As in the case of Columbus and Indianapolis, the legislature
fixed upon a site in the wilderness for the seat of government.
Vandalia, situated on the mail route between Vincennes and St. Louis,
and about seventy miles from the latter city, was laid out in 1819
under the authority of the state. It remained the capital until
1840.--ED.
Vandalia, by the Ochka, Kaskaskai, and Mississippi rivers, has a water
communication with New Orleans, the grand outlet of all the western
country.
I will now mention a few of the places of most note at present, and
those reported likely to rise into notice.
Kaskaskai is at this time of most consequence in the state, and is
said to be situated in the richest spot of land in the United States,
called the American Bottom, but is said to be unhealthy; and the {260}
removing the seat of government to Vandalia has much checked the growth
of the town. It has a land-office for the sale of public land: it is
six miles in a direct line from the Mississippi river. A road from it
runs through the state of Illinois, to Vincennes in Indiana: this lies
higher than it is placed in my map.
The inhabitants are many of them of French origin, as it was first
settled by the French from Lower Canada. There are also several
villages on the Mississippi river, that were also settled by the French
many years ago; and the inhabitants still speak the French language,
and profess the Roman Catholic religion. But within the last ten years,
many Americans are settled amongst them, and the English language
begins to be spoken.
By an order of congress a road is to be surveyed from Wheeling, on the
Ohio, through the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, to the mouth
of the Illinois river, or near it, and to the town of St. Louis on
{261} the Missouri river.[151] This road is expected to pass by or near
to Cincinnatti, Vincennes, and Vandalia, and to go about 30 miles north
of the English Prairie.
[151] This was the extension of the National Road. In 1820, Congress
appropriated $10,000 for laying out the road from Wheeling to a point
on the Mississippi River between St. Louis and the mouth of the
Illinois. Construction was begun in 1825, the road being completed
to Columbus in 1833, and to the Indiana line in 1838. The last
congressional appropriation was made in the last-mentioned year; when
Indiana and Illinois received the road from the government it was
not finished, although graded and bridged as far as Vandalia. In the
former state it was completed by 1850, but was never completed in the
latter.--ED.
Shawneetown, I have noticed before, as a place likely to be of some
consideration, notwithstanding its low situation.
Golconda is a town, on the Ohio river, upwards of 30 miles below
Shawneetown; said to be a thriving place, as many people cross the Ohio
from the lower parts of the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, for St.
Louis, and the Missouri states.
America is a new town, near the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers; being out of the reach of the floods, and in a good situation
for trade; it is a rising place, and people are fast settling at it.
Edwardsville, near the Mississippi river, has a land-office. I never
heard the place highly spoken of.[152]
[152] Golconda is a small town on Lusk Creek, about eight miles above
the mouth of the Ohio.
America, a few miles farther up the Ohio, was laid out (1818) by a land
company. Its situation back from the river proved to be a disadvantage
instead of an advantage. In 1821 the Ohio was unusually low and boats
could not land near the settlement; this, together with an epidemic
of cholera which occurred the same year, dealt a death blow to the
prospects of the place.
For Edwardsville, see Flint's _Letters_, volume ix of our series, note
92.--ED.
Carmi, on the Little Wabash, is an unhealthy place, and so is Newhaven,
a few miles further down the same river; and, I {262} believe, most low
situations on sluggish streams are so.
Palmyra, though placed on a high sandy bank of the Wabash, a county
town, and settled six years since, does not contain more than twelve
houses, and not more than half of them inhabited, owing to its being
so unhealthy; this arises from some rocks that lie in the bed of the
river, some distance below it, and by thus penning the water back it
becomes stagnant. I saw a man who said he came there six years before,
with several others; that most of them were taken ill soon after their
arrival; that they then removed about three miles into the fork,
between the Wabash and White rivers, but their illness increasing, they
returned to Palmyra, and continued there for twelve months, during
which time most of his family continued very unwell; he then removed
with them into a prairie, a few miles to the north, where he had
remained ever since; where they recovered, and continued in good health.
{263} Oxford is a fine situation for a town, being on a high bank of
the Wabash, that is never inundated; the land good, and the timber
fine, with some springs of excellent water. The road from it to the
prairies is a good natural road, there being no creeks of any account
between them and Oxford; as it is on the Wabash, and near the Bonpas
river; it is well situated for trade; but this I have mentioned before.
Bonpas possesses many of the same advantages, and is near a mile from
it.
Carlisle is a town on the road from Shawneetown to Kaskaskai; its
inhabitants are mostly English. The greater part of the land round it
is rich prairie land, and report says it is likely to succeed well.[153]
[153] Oxford seems to have passed out of existence. Carlyle was platted
as a town site in 1818, and incorporated the following year. It was
advantageously located, being on the Vincennes-St. Louis road and
on the Vandalia-Shawneetown road. It is now the seat of justice for
Clinton County.--ED.
In the state of Illinois there are a great number of other towns of
late date, but I know nothing of them. Towns are often rising up in
this new country, as almost every person, who imagines he has a good
site for one on his land; has it surveyed and laid out for a town, and
offers the lots {264} for public sale. Many of these speculations are
extremely wild, and often fail, but those that succeed are a source of
great profit to the proprietors. As a lot of half an acre of land, that
cost the purchaser one dollar, frequently sells from 50 to 500 dollars,
and in a few instances much higher.
As Edwards' county is very large, it is expected to be divided; and
should a division take place, it is supposed the county-town will be
near the prairies, for the southern division; and for the northern
division, in some of the prairies to the north of Palmyra, as most of
the inhabitants dislike Palmyra for the county seat, as it is situated
on the eastern side of the county, besides its being so unhealthy.
Shawneetown, is the seat of justice for Gallatin county.
Carmi, for White county.
Fairfield, for Wayne county.
Palmyra, for Edward's county.
Many of the American towns are named {265} from Scripture, Ancient
and Modern History; and many of them are French, viz. Mount Carmel,
Lebanon, Galliopolis, Athens, Herculaneum, Troy, Greece, Paris,
Madrid, Vienna, Newport, York, Venice, Terre Haute, St. Louis,
Vincennes, Illinois, &c. &c.
In surveying the land on the north side of the Ohio river, a point was
taken on the river, and a line run from that point due north, till
it reached the north side of the United States, as far as the Indian
title to the land was extinct. This line was called the first principal
meridian, and was begun somewhere in the state of Ohio. The second
principal meridian, I believe, was in the state of Indiana; and the
third principal meridian, in the state of Illinois, at the mouth of
the Ohio. This third meridian was first run north till it reached the
Indian boundary line, about seven miles to the north of the English
Prairie. And the land was laid out into ranges of six miles wide, on
the east and west side of the meridian {266} line; these ranges running
from the Ohio river to the Indian boundary line, and the ranges are
called first, second, third; and range east or west, as the case may be.
Next the ranges were ran into townships, six miles wide, beginning at
the Indian boundary, called the base line, the townships running the
width of the ranges, and the first line of townships from the base line
is called town one. The second line town two, and so on to the Ohio
river.
The townships are then laid out in sections of one mile square; thus
a township contains six square miles, and thirty-six sections in each
township: they are named section one, two, three, and so on. If the
sections are in the woods, they are marked near the corners on the
trees, and if in the prairies by stakes.
They are offered for sale in quarter sections, of a hundred and
sixty acres; and are called north-east, north-west, south-east, and
south-west quarters.
{267} When a part of the country is surveyed and offered for sale,
notice is given in the public papers, for some months previous, with
the time and place of sale. At the sale the lots are put up, beginning
with the lowest number, at two dollars per acre; and if there be no
bidder, another lot is put up, and so continued till the sale is ended.
If a bidding be made the lot is sold; if more than one bidder, then
the highest is the purchaser. He must then pay down one fourth part
of the purchase money, one fourth more at the end of two years, one
fourth more at the end of three years, and the remaining fourth at the
end of four years; and if it be not then paid the land reverts to the
government, and the money paid down forfeited. At the time of sale the
purchaser receives a certificate of the quarter purchased, and of the
money paid thereon, with the times of payment of the other instalments.
These instalments bear interest, from the day of purchasing, at six
per cent., but if they be paid on or {268} before they respectively
become due, no interest is demanded thereon. But should the payment
be delayed, only one day, after it becomes due, interest is demanded
from the day of sale. If a person at the time of sale should pay the
whole of the instalments, after the first, he receives eight per cent.
discount on the sum so paid, according to the length of time of each
instalment; or if at any time before the instalments are due, discount
is allowed according to time.
As many people, who have speculated in land, have let their interest
run, much will be due at the end of four years; but should the
instalments and interest be paid on the day the last instalment becomes
due, the interest will be saved on the fourth instalment; but four
years' interest are due on the second and third instalments, that is
38 dollars 40 cents, but one day later will make it 57 dollars 60
cents.
If not paid at the end of four years, I have reason to think some time
is allowed {269} before the land reverts to the government. But the
interest still runs on till the day of payment; and if the arrears be
not paid, the land and all its improvements, if any, return to the
government.
The above was the plan on which the public lands were disposed of; but
by an act of congress passed last spring,[154] a new plan has been
adopted, and took place on the 1st of July, by which all credit on
public land is done away, and the price reduced to 1 dollar 25 cents
per acre, or 200 dollars for a quarter-section; that is, for land that
has been offered by public auction.
[154] This act was approved April 24, 1820. See _Annals of Congress_,
16th Congress, 1st session, p. 2578.--ED.
I have every reason to conclude, that much remains due on the land
entered in most of the western states, and some will, most probably, be
forfeited to government, as much of it was entered on speculation, and
still remains in a state of nature.
The alteration in the price of land, the large quantities lately
offered for sale, with the shortness of money, will, I think, prove
{270} extremely hurtful to some of the large speculators; but, in my
opinion, will in the end be beneficial to the country at large, as
it will oblige those who enter land to bring it into cultivation,
instead of taking up large quantities, as it will now require a greater
capital to speculate than it has hitherto done. Many of the speculators
calculate to sell again without paying any of the instalments, after
the first deposit, but some of them are now greatly dispirited, and
would be happy to dispose of their land on almost any terms, at least
to recover what it at first and since has cost them.
I will now endeavour to give a small sketch of the plan of the survey
of the country near us, and likewise of the township in which we live.
* * * * *
From the third principal meridian, which begins at the mouth of the
Ohio river, and runs north to the Indian boundary, called the Base
Line, there is one range to {271} the west called Range 1, West of the
3d Principal Meridian; eleven ranges east, called Range 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, East of the 3d Principal Meridian; and three
ranges, called Range 12, 13, 14, West of the 2d Principal Meridian;
this survey was continued from the State of Indiana, and met the survey
from the 3d Meridian at Range 11 East, which was the reason Range 11
was so narrow, and is called a fractional range.
The townships run from east to west, beginning at the Base Line; the
upper line of townships, called Town 1, the second line Town 2, and
so on down to Town 15, near the mouth of the Ohio; and the Townships
and Ranges are called as follows; suppose at Albion, as marked in the
map, in looking on the top is seen Range 10 and Town 2, East of the
3d Principal Meridian: or at Carmi, on the Little Wabash, Range 10,
Town 5, East of the 3d Principal Meridian: or at Golconda, on the Ohio
River, Range 6, Town 12, {272} East of the 3d Principal Meridian. The
Townships are each six miles square, and are divided in sections of one
mile square, 36 of which make a Township, and are marked and numbered
as in the plate.
The Township, Range 10, East of the 3d Principal Meridian, Town 2,
South of the Base Line, contains the whole of the English Prairie, most
of Birks' Prairie, and a small part of Burnt and Long Prairie.
* * * * *