Col. Judy is an old citizen of great energy and has a great reputation throughout Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri as an auctioneer of fine stock. North of Clary's Grove we come to a little old man, who was the central figure in Petersburg in the "forties"-Jesse Gum. He had a large tract of good farm land and raised a large number of big boys, big stalwart fellows, that could throw a two-year-old Texas steer over the fence by the tail, but Uncle Jesse's best hold was peddling. He had a cart and a small yoke of oxen. His main articles of trade were honey and sweet potatoes. Uncle Jesse always endeavored to impress the people with the idea that honey and sweet potatoes were mightly scarce. After he had sold out his load and trade a little he would take his seat in the cart, and the black steers would head for home without a driver. A little further north lived. Uncle Johnny Watkins, Gaddie Davis, Joe Watkins and Lige Jones, more familiarly known as old Snag. There were three of the Jones boys, Lige, Bill and John. Old Snag always called his wife Fattie. Lige Jones was a good neighbor, but a very profane man and addicted to the use of liquor. His team finally ran away and killed him. The Jones were all tall, good looking men, and were fighters, though Gaines Green, when only a boy, whipped Bill Jones at a race at Joe Watkins' track. John Jones was a fiddler and ground out the music of the cat gut at many a dance in Menard county. He finally moved to Iowa. The Jones could always be found at Petersburg.

Tom Dowels was a quiet man and had the respect of his neighbors. He did not farm very extensively, and had plenty of boys to do his work. Then in the same community lived the Bonds and Arnolds and the Arterberrys. Old Daniel Arterberry was a tall, raw boned man, who had a tremendous grip in his hand, and if you were not careful in shaking hands with him, he would crush every bone in your hand. He had such powerful strength in his hand that he

made every fellow afraid of him. Daniel Arterberry was well known all over the county as a good law-abiding citizen. There were numerous families of the Arterberry's and to this day the village of Arterberry derives its name from some of these descendants.

We will now swing around to the Miller's Ferry, where, in 1846, lived Peter Ellmore. He was a jolly, good natured old fellow, unlettered, and could neither read nor write, but gathered up what information he could from his surroundings. We often stopped with Uncle Peter over night as a half way house between Havana and Petersburg, and always found him in an inquisitive mood. "Where have you been?" said he. We told him "out to Springfield." "Is the legislater sitten?" he would ask, and then we would tell him a long story about what they were doing, and Uncle Peter would say, "The Lord deliver us." Miller's Ferry, where Uncle Peter lived, was once surveyed for a town and was called Huron. My brother, R. J., has a plat of it in Abraham Lincoln's own handwriting and prizes it very highly. The town looks very fine on paper, though there was only one house in it in its earliest days. K. Watkins is now the sole owner of Huron, "and is monarch of all he surveys."

He

Concord was settled in an early day. Samuel Berry, a brother of John M. Berry, James Pantier, William Rutledge, Reason Shipley, Jack Clary and Rile Armstrong were the first settlers. Jack Clary first settled at Clary's Grove, but was living at Concord as far back as I can recollect. had a large family of boys, of which Rile Clary is the oldest. Samuel Berry lived south of Concord Church, was a very religious man and could exhort as well as any of the preachers. He was a very solemn man, and seldom laughed or cracked a joke. William Rutledge was one of the large family of Rutledges. His son, McGrady, died two years ago. He was over eighty years old. Reason Shipley

lived north, near the Sangamon river. George Kirby lived a few miles farther north than Squire Masters. We met Kirby and Masters two years ago. They were both eightysix and were both strong for that age.

CHAPTER XXIII.

CITY OF PETERSBURG

MONG the early settlers of Petersburg were the Taylors, John Wamsing, the Davidsons, Chester Moon, Charles Brooks, Martin Morris, the

Colbys, George Warberton, Peter Lukins, A. D. Wright, Dr. John Allen, Dr. Bennett, Henry Onstot, James and William Hoeys. The Bennetts came from old Virginia. James Carter came from Virginia. He was a cabinetmaker. Jacob Lanning came from New Jersey in 1838. The Lanning family still live in and around Petersburg. John McNamer lived in Salem and after its decline moved to his farm north of town. Chas. B. Waldo was the village schoolmaster. He and Nathan Dresser were brotherin-laws. Dresser was the first circuit clerk. George U. Miles was a prominent merchant with his wife's brother, James McCoy. Martin Morris was a fine blacksmith. Robert Bishop was a gunsmith and served in the Mexican war. George Warberton and Peter Lukins were at one time the proprietors of the town. They both were addicted to drink. Lukins went by taking an overdose of poison. He was one of three brothers, Jesse and Gregory, being the other two. We stated in another chapter that Gregory died in Sugar Grove. In this we are mistaken, as he died in Topeka, Mason county, about ten years ago. The Brahms settled north of Petersburg. They were Germans and at one time, with John Wamsing, were the only Germans in

the county, with the exception of Peter Himmel, who lived in Petersburg one year before-he moved to Mason county. The Colbys were wagonmakers and had their shop on the branch just north of the Charter Oak mills.

The Bales lived at Salem till Hardin moved his machine to Petersburg in 1841, on the west side of the street from Onstot's cooper shop. Jacob Bale first lived west of Petersburg. The Bales appeared to be adapted to the running of machinery. Aaron B. White was a carpenter and builder, and finally studied theology and made the discussion of baptism his hobby. William McNeely and his brother, Tilton, were prominent citizens of the county. William was a bricklayer and plasterer and lived in Salem when it was in its glory. He then moved out to the prairie west of Salem, but for forty years was a resident in the suburbs of Petersburg. Thos. McNeely was a son of Tilton's, who was a merchant. These persons comprise most of the early settlers around Petersburg.

Petersburg is beautifully situated on the west bank of the Sangamon river, where the Chicago & Alton crosses the Sangamon. It was first called the Springfield & Northwestern. Since the advent of railroads the glory of the Sangamon has departed. The river is spanned with numerous bridges, which are built without draws, and could not be navigated even were there plenty of water.

Petersburg has many fine residences on the bluffs which belong, we are told to lawyers. "They toil not, neither do they spin, yet Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these." No discredit to lawyers. Peter Lukins and George Warberton did not have much success in selling Petersburg town lots, so they sold out to John Taylor and Hezekiah King, who infused new life into the town.and it began to grow. Lots sold high. My father paid $300 for two lots, that had a branch running through them at an angle. As Petersburg grew, Old Salem dimin