The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-05-21
Monday. May a, ls77.
Communication from the Aledo Recrod.
PIONEER LIFE IN MERCER
COUNTY.
BY AN OLD SETTLER.

and such other matters as best point con- |
trast with the same things at the present |
dav. A strong religious feeling pervaded
a majority Of those who were the pioneers
of Mercer county, yet they adhered to GER
tain codes which. regarded from our pres
emit standpoint Of christianity, would most
certainly be looked upon with marked dis
favor. A code of honor, too, existed
among the settlers, which was rigidly en-
forced by an memorable public sentiment,
and the man who attempted to defraud an
other, by what we at present term the
technicalities of the law, would have been
scorned from the community. If one man
insult0d another, resort was most gener
ally had to trial Of muscular strength,
and if powerful man thus attempted to
take advantage of weaker, some friend of
the weaker party would always be found
to take his place in the gage of battle.
| recollect one instance at Sugar
Grove, where large, muscular fellow was
about to engage in a fight with a much
smaller man, when a peddler, an entire
stranger, stepped forward and volunteered
to act us substitute for the small man, to
the great admiration Of the surrounding
crowd. The peddler succeeded in whip
ping his antagonist, to the hilarious delight
of the assembled multitude, and the
greatly increasing sale of bis wares. Whis-
XIV was in very common use in settler life.
and yet there was but little drunkenness. A
confirmed inebriate was looked upon with
the same disfayor that he is to day. 1t is
true, that on some gala day whisky flowed
pretty freely, but il il ended with the occa-
sion, none were thought much the worse
for having INDUCED to the extent of jovial
intoxication. With rare exceptions the
preachers would take their regular drains
Of whisky, with no thought of the baneful
example. And yet, as indicated 10 my
last, the temperance movement waged a
war against the iniquitous habit of whisky
drinking, fully as successful as that of to-
day. The Washingtonians were power
full temperance organization, and they
achieved glorious results,
The early settler, with the surroundings
Of hardship and privation, was extremely
fond of fun. There were some noted wits
among the pioneers of Mercer, of whom
many anecdotes are still extant, and to give
the reader something racy as well as his
tOrical, | purpose, IN this sketch, to inter
sperse a few humorous stories, with other
matters, and all jumbled together in de
sultory way. But first let me relate in re-
ference to claim jumping. In the fall OF
1887 there was quite feeling created by q
man Of the name of Donahue jumping q
claim of a man named Boone. The whole
neighborhood was aroused and indignant
For stealing horse, man was though
to be dirty thief, but to jump a claim
was regarded as-an objectionable offence
So an organization was effected embracing
every settler in the region of Sugar Grove
Resolutions were adopted, setting fortl
that each settler would be protected in
claim of oue-half section of land and fort,
acres Of timber, and that any person at
tempting TO jump a claim of another shoulC
be knocked down and dragged out, " ant
notified to leave the country inside o
twenty four hours, under pain OF a severe
penalty. An oath was taken binding eacl
one to the solemn compact. When thi
company was formed, two preachers wer
in attendance, one named Jones, the othe
Montgomery and one of them demurre
at first at the knock down and drag out
clause, but they both signed and becam
members. At the first land sale at Galen
members of this organization were there i
force, armed to the teeth, and it would nc
have been well for any of the land specul'
tors to have attempted buying the claim
settler
In 1887, Ed. Burial and William DOa
kept bachelor hall in a little rude log shaI
ty which they had constructed near Sugi
Grove. A man named Herbert live
not far off, and when not particularly e
gagged he found congenial company at Il
bachelor quarters. On one occasion Blu
raj and Herbert started out hunting, vii
the agreement that the one returning witt
in a certain time with. the least amount
game, should go to Millersburg for su
ply of whisky. Burial returned first, vii
fine large turkey, and seemed quite col
fdent that he would win; but soon aft
Herbert was seen in the distance carryiI
on his shoulders what was then taken Fl
a deer, Doak slapped Burial on the shot
der and told him he was beaten. Up can
Herbert unloaded-nOt deer but a no
He had seen in the bushes what he suppose
was a wolf, and firing, had killed sa
dy-haired hog belonging to Georgia Mile
Sr. Discovering his mistake, Herbert shou
dered the hog and carried him home, agre
ing to go after the whisky provided the sto
was kept quiet.
Ed. Burial had been appointed a jul
tice OF the peace, and had his office in Il
bachelor quarters above spoken of. The
lived in Milersburg Doct. Mark Wilt
and his boys had been annoying Germs
carpenter named ROutsong, who had
shop near Willis house. The boys wou
throw stones on the roof anG against Il
side of the shop until the Dutchman cou
stand it no longer. So one day, in his a
ger, he picked up foot ADJ and tire
through the window at the children, ma
rowly escaped hitting them. DOct. Will
went to New Boston and got out warral
to arrest Routsong "for an attempt with
deadly weapon to commit bodily injury
The warrant was placed in the hands OF
constable named Jenkins, "a rather pon
pous fellow. and u Kentuckian. Whe
the constable approached the shop, Rou
song ran out the back way and into ii
bushes and woods near town. JenkiI
after him on horseback, but could N
follow in the brush. A crowd had cole
ted to see the fun, and they laughed lou
ut the discontinue OF the consLabl
Finally jenkins shouted, Il commar
you, in the name of tine Commonwealth
Kentucky, to help in the arrest of tn
man" This only made the crowd laug
all the louder, and the more they laught
the more angry got the constable, ar
he would repeat the communicative,
in the name of the Commonwealth
Kentucky. After considerable sport
certain party acted as intercessor betwet
the constable and Routsong. Routsor
agreed to accompany the constable, provi
cd he would go before Justice Burra
TO this the constable consented. Doc
Willis had gone to New Boston to be
hand for the trial an TINT nv this arran0