In the early 60's the merchants doing business in Mt. Carroll, as appears from memoranda found in the above diary, were Lindaur, Liehtenstine, Reynolds, Sam Campbell, Blake & Stowell, and some others, all of whom seem to have been able to supply anything from hank of thread to a threshing machine. There are also some pleasant commercial transactions with one familiarly called "Natty." This was N. H. Halderman. Hub's father. The druggists, about this time, were A. H. Lichty and Mr. Bitner. Mr. Lichty's assistant or clerk being Dan Lichty, while Morris Rea and ; "Jim" Cormany performed like duties for Mr. Bitner. Crouse & Eby were the doctors, as appears from the following entry under date of Jan. 21, 1865:

"Paid Crouse & Eby $19.50 in full for medical services."

Doctors Pratt, Miller, and Belding arc also occasionally mentioned. The historian seems to have had no dealings with the legal fraternity except to consult C. B. Smith once or twice about a railway mortgage. Up to the year 1866 there are more than thirty ministers, mostly Presbyterian, mentioned as having preached either in Mt. Carroll or at the Oakville School House. Some of these were candidates for the vacant pulpit, the majority of them in fact, while some were stationary for different periods. The time and place of serviee is recorded as well as the text up­on which each discourse was founded. Among these are many names that may be remembered by the older people in and around Mt. Carroll: Revs. Mr. Gray, Ormsby, Cunningham, McCorlde, Carey (Freeport), Kidd, (Joliet), Lewis, Skelly, Aurand, and many others too numerous to mention.

Many social events of Mt. Carroll, Preston Prairie, Oakville and Lanark are recorded; one brief but par­ticularly interesting one. under date of Jan. 30th, 1865, being us follows:

"In Lanark attending The Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Scott."

While these entries relate largely to the doings of the" grown-ups, " the" youngsters," as they are some­times called are not forgotten; particularly the young people of Oakville. Their spelling schools, singing schools, exhibitions, social parties and sometimes their pranks, are duly recorded in the order of their occurrence. Their spelling schools were competetive, one school arrayed against the other. Sometimes at the Fairhaven school house, or Emmert's; but most frequently at the" Red Schoolhouse" or the brick at Oakville, the pupils of the latter, in every instance coming off victorious. Oakville's champion spellers of the late 50's and early 60's were Will Graham and Annie Mackay (Moore); and either of these two always won. Later their places were taken by Rob Graham and his sister Annie (Mrs. English. of Villisca, Iowa), and the Mackay girls, Jennie (Mrs. Van Patton, Los Angeles), Kate (the late Mrs. Ford of Kansas City) and Ellen (Mrs. Hawse of Morrisorl.) The whole settlement took great pride in these champions and their admiring school mates were always confident in ac­cepting the challenge of any school near or far.

One sombre feature of these journals is found in the records of the funeral ceremonies over friends old and young. In nearly every instance the name of the officiating clergyman is given, as well as the text upon which the funeral discourse was founded. But the most pathetic part of this feature are memoranda of funerals of boys who died of disease or were killed in battle in the South. Under date of July 12th, 1863, is found the following entry:

"In MT. Carroll attending the obs. of L. B. Fiske. Funeral sermon by Mr. Ormsby. Text Exodus: 32-27. Eloquent Eulogy by C. B. Smith."

Maj. Leander B. Fiske of the 45th Ill. Infantry was killed June 25th, in an assault upon thc Confederate fortifications at Vicksburg and his body was after­wards taken home and interred in the cemetery at Mt. Carroll.

Under date of Aug. 27th. 1865 , is this entry:

" Attended funeral services of G. W. Downs. Sermon by Rev. Cartwright, Chaplain of the 92nd. Text Phil.3: 12 "

This refers to Waite Downs, brother to Charlie of Chadwick, who was, some considerable time previous to this date, killed in battle in the South.

Under date of Feb. 4th, 1866, appears the follow­ing brief entry:

"Funeral of Dan J. Mackay. Sermon by Mr. Gray. George Hay and wife to dinner and attending the funeral."

Dan J. was the eldest son of Duncan Mackay, Esq., and a fine type of rugged young manhood was a member of the 12th Illinois Cavalry during the war and upon the collapse of the Confederacy re-enlisted under a renowned General flushed with victory, who was then concentrating his forces near the frontier of Mexico, preparatory to driving the French army out of that country. While these preparations were going forward, young Mackay died and was buried in Texas, his body afterwards being disinterred and taken home to Oakville and laid in the cemetery at that place, as indicated by the entry quoted.

A part of the entry of July 15th, 1862, reads as follows:

"John Ross arrived from Seceshhland."

This is certainly a novel and entirely original name for the "Sunny South" and is used but once. John Ross was a friend and neighbor who had gone down into western Louisiana in the fall of 1860, and was working at railway bridge building in that country, when the war broke out. In order to escape being forced into fighting agzinst his principles, he took to the woods. The story of his hairbreadth escapes from rebel scouts and confederate conscription officers, and long and dangerous flight through a hostile coun­try full of wars alarm, would make a thrilling vol­ume. Under date of Jan. 24th, 1863, appears this entry:

"Mass meeting to endorse Old Abe's Proclamation."

At this day it seems funny to cala a man of 51 "old." Some of those who will remember to have attended that meeting, would hardly like to be called "old" even now. The .entry probably refers to the Emancipation Proclamation, and it would be interesting if some of the speeches made on that occassion were preserved. They must have bristled with exultant abolitionism, or the aggressive anti-slavery sentiment entertained and expressed by the men of that locality and time wns something to conjure with. March 3, 1862, has the following record:

"Walked to Mt. Carroll. On grand jury. No judge, Roads too bad."

This incident seems comparatively amusing in this day of rapid transit and convenient traveling facilities; and from the fact that this Grand Juror plodded through five miles of mud in order to escape being fined for non-attendance or being late. The probability is that the judge had to come on horsebaek or on foot from some distant town that was without a railroad, and got stuck by the mud. However, the judge arrived later in the week and court convened. It does not develop that he fined himself for keeping the grand jurors and attorneys waiting for the best part of a week.

The Mirror seems to have been the only newspaper published in Mt. Carroll about this time, and it must have flourished as a factor in local affairs. The editor must have been happy and prosperous for one sub­scription, at least, was kept paid up, usually a year or two in advance. And that same subscriber paid a dollar for an advertisement about a lost purse, and it does not appear that the money was recovered either. The Chicago Tribune seems to have been the only daily reaching Mt. Carroll and appears os the political bible though it was then comparatively expensive. The every day issue cost 5 cents per copy and it does not appear that there was a Sunday issue

These journals contain diurnal records of weather conditions throughout each year; the memoranda showing that the elements were just as erratic in that region then as now. That the extremes of heat and cold prevailed in and sometimes out of season. But there appear to have been some conditions that, if occurring in this age of vast crops, would prove disastrous to agricultural interests and must have been distressing to the farmers of that day. On April 16, 1862, occurred a terrific rain and thunder storm, followed by a great freshet that washed out roads and destroyed mill-dams and bridges. On July 13th, 1863, then was a heavy frost that killed the corn, potatoes and garden vegetables generally. Also on Aug. 25th of the same year, frost did much damage. January 1st, 1864, was "the coldest day of the year." A terrific wind prevailed and many people caught abroad in the icy blizzard, were severely frost­bitten and some perished.

The following memoranda of meetings held either in Mt. Carroll or Salem will indicate some of the events that engaged the interest and activities of the people of that locality at the times mentioned: "March 25th, 1863, meeting at Red School house to hear Holmes and Becker Road Appeal. Present, Supervisors French, Groves and Eacker."

"April 13th, 1864, Trustees meeting at John Mackay's to divide Townsnip into School Districts."

Aug. 6th, 1863, President's Thanksgiving for vic­tories in the field; Rev. Mr. Lingel preached patriotic sermon in the Baptist Church."

"Sept. 9th, 1864, Special town meeting to vote tax for bounty to volunteers."

"Jan. 20th, 1865, meeting to revise enrollment of Salem."

At Mt. Carroll, Dec. 17, 1865, was held the semi­annual meeting of the Bible Society, at which John Irvine delivered the principal address. And on Jan. 25th, the Historian attend­ed "a railroad tariff indignation meeting at Mount Carroll" There are several entries referring to the enrollment in Salem. This enrollment was for the purpose of draft in case the town failed to enlist its quota of volunteers for the army. But there was no draft in Salem. In fact, it taxed the watchfulness of the wise fathers to keep their younger boys at home.

Age didn't matter much provided the boy was long enough up and down, had sufficient sand, and was adroit enough to get away, several boys filled this bill. One young lad, on one occasion, purloined a horse from his.rather's stable in the wee, small hours, galloped bareback across the prairie to Polo in order to enlist; but the recruiting officer at that place asked him if he had brought his nursing bottle, and he returned home much crestfallen, got a spanking from his father, and went to bed with the prayer that he might be like Jonah's gourd that grew up in a single night. Resolving that if he, were so blessed, there would be someone else to thrash beside the rebels. The meet­ings noted are but a small percentage of those that are recorded. In 1866 there were a series that extended, through a considerable period. These were termed the F. W. B. and occurred three or four times a week Al­though there is frequent memoranda showing some member of the family to have been present there is no data by which the work .and object of the society can be determined. Perhaps some reader will remember and be able to explain. But wait! perhaps a modern utility can give the required information. Yes! It has just been learned by telephone from Mrs. Boyd, formerly Eliza Fraser of Oakville, that the abbreviation prohably means Freedmen's Bureau. At all events there was an organization of women about that time whose object was the amelioration of the condition of the liberated slaves. They met frequently with Mrs. Gray (Rev.) as presiding genius, to make shirts for the picanninnies, skirts for the wenches and coats for the colored men, and sent barrels of supplies to the parent institution at Washington.

A trip to Chicago though comparatively inexpen­sive, was, in those days, something of an event, and took time, as will appear from the following entry un­der date of June 16, 1863. Left Mt. Carroll depot 8:28, A. M. Reached Chicago 3:30 P. M. Excursion round trip ticket $2.00. (17th). In Chicago. Paid Thomson & Bishop, Dearborn St., R. R. Mortgage. Left Chicago at 3:30 P. M. Arrived at Mt. Carroll 1:30 A. M. the 18th." The mortgage noted was one of many sim­ilar mortgages that in 1856, caught hundreds of farm­ers and other residents along the line of a proposed railroad to run from Racine, Wisconsin, through Mt. Carroll to Savanna. These mortgages were made to the Racine & Mississippi Railroad Company, so-called. At that time there was no railroad west of Freeport, and the farmers of that locality were sorely handicap­ped for the want of a market for their surplus grain and cattle. The promise of a railroad was encouraging and the prospectus of the Racine & Mississippi Company alluring in the extreme. Farmers were not only to have a market at Chicago but were to be stock-holders in the road as well, with large dividends in view. The railroad was being built, as evidence the line of railway cutting disfiguring the Hurley farm. Ccr­tificates of stock were easily and rapidly sold. Mort­gages were given when the ready money was not at hand. But the scheme ended when all that could be caught were in the toils. The railroad was still a dream or a "story that was told." But the unsightly banks in Hurley's field remained for many years a monument to the craft of schemers and credulity of honest men. Mr. Hurley had the ready money and paid cash for a large amount of stock. He was to have the depot, but all he got for his money was a hole in his farm, without a "Thank you, Sir!" It was alleged that the mort­gages had been sold to (so-called) innocent purchasers and therefore must be paid. Some contested payment but in the end there was little or nothing saved. The mortgage noted, with certificates 'of stock attached thereto, was preserved as a relic and a warning and bears the date of April 7th, 1856. It is drawn in favor of "The Racine & Mississippi Railroad Company of Racine, Wisconsin," with the names of H. J. Durand as President, John Dickenson Vice-President, .and A. Redburn Secretary. Witnesses to the execution are Geo. N. Harris and S. D. Clough. The certificate or record is by J. P. Emmert, Clerk and ex-Office Recorder. The release is dated at Racine, Wisconsin. June 26th. 1863, signed by H. J. Durand and by him sworn to before Moses Miller Notary Public, with James Bowors as wit­ness. The Certificate of Record at Mt. Carroll is by B. P. Shirk, Recorder. There is a marvel in the placid discharge of this alleged obligation in the light of its prima facie errors. The orthography of names appear­ing in the body of the instrument is widely different from the signatures thereto. One statement gives the day and year without the month, and the mortgagees contract to do impossible and even super-natural things and to break the law. But the instrument still shows that there were men in those days who could peacefully submit to injustice and wrong rathern than repudiate a promise.

The priees shown as having been paid for land in those days will be something of a surprise to those who occupy or own the small farms today. A deed made on the 20th day of December, 1853, by Duncan and Jessie Mackay to the historian. shows that the consideration for the 80 acres describ­ed therein was $170. This was the west 80 of the Fraser farm, land that was a few years ago sold by Rob. Graham to Henry Bast for something in the neighborhood of $100 an acre. The consideration paid for the east 80 of the same farm was $500, the deed being by John and Catharine Harvey of Delaware County Can­ada, by Duncan Mackay, their attorney, and dated Dec. 5, 1854. The acknowledgement was before J. P. Emmert, Clerk of the Circuit Court.

There is at hand also a deed of the same property made a year earlier by Sobeski Brown and Sarah Ann Brown of Middlesex County Canada to John Harvey in which the consideration is Four Hundred Dollars equal to the value of one hundred pounds currency." The affidavit to this Canadian deed was made before Thomas Dickson Warren, Notary Public of St. Thomas. Middlesex County, Canada, and closes with these words: "In test veritas," and the whole document is an example of elaborate and painstaking care.

The reason of the greater value having been placed upon the eastern 80 was the fact that there were fences, buildings and a large apple orchard thereon at the time, and some fields were under cultivation. There was a long rambling log house on a side hill near the creek at the edge of the woods, and a log barn farther up the slope, with plastered compartments for holding grain and vegetables; a room for "curing" to­bacco, and a wide "mow" under the roof for storing hay. There was also a partly dismantled Block House that had been used by the earlier pioneers as a defense against marauding Indians. The floor of this partial ruin was composed of large hickory and oak logs hewn smooth on the upper side with the three lower logs of the ancient walls still in place. Beneath this floor was an excavcation, later utilized and called a "root house" and from this ran a tunnel that had its outlet among the willows on the bank of the creek, evidently a line of retreat in case the fortress were overwhelmed or set on fire. In later days this ruin, caving in, became a safe refuge for skunks and rattle snakes, and to the child mind a place of "spooks" by night and a lair where the scarioo and cave bear slept and snored through the long summer days.

Prairie land brought a much higher price than grub or timber hind. But about this time all kinds, whether improved or otherwise, begun to advance in price. Ten years later unimproved land had nearly quadrupled, as will appear from the following entry under date ot Feb. 3rd, 1864:

"Sold John McKiel's 40 to Anton Spinka at 7.25 per acre. Order from Duncan Mackay on H. A. Mills for the amount $290."

The land here referred to was located in the neighborhood of the old Daggert farm. Six years later land was bringing upwards of $10 per acre. Today $100 will not touch a single acrc of the land and twice that amount is sometimes refused.

The social events of those years as recorded, show that the country including Lanark. Mt. Carroll, Hanover and Elizabeth on the north, Preston Prairie, York or the "Bailey Settlement," so-called, Salem and Fair­haven on the south, was one vast neighborhood, the people pooling their sorrows and their joys, "bear­ing one another's burdens," and cheerfully uniting to soften the hard lines of life and make the time pass happily. The pioneer life developed such a needed spirit and resulting association and helpful friendship made land-marks of uplifting joy. The Baileys, proverbial for genial qualities and wholesome cheer, stormed the Oakville homes, and their friends return­ed the welcome favor. The English's dined at Gunn's and Fraser's, and were in turn assailed by cheery neighbors. "Parties" were held at "Duncan's" "William's" and at "John's," and Finlayson's, Cameron's, Craig's, Graham's, Hildt's, Reynolds', Goldings', Liberton's and Hallett's and scores of others joined in the wholesome mirth. No member of this wide community was for long left to brood in isolated loneliness, and over all their gatherings hung the benediction of mutual helpfulness end good will.

The singing and spelling schools of the younger people were not only places of improvement in these lines, but bureaus of information as well, where the activities of that wide region were discussed and news from different quarters was exchanged. These seem to have been matrimonial bureaus as well, for the fol­lowing are frequently recorded as having attended such gatherings and afterwards paired for life's onward journey: James Beatty and Divina Mackay; Jim Graham and Phoebe Reynolds; Robert Moore and Anna Mackay; Frank Brown and Jennie Graham ; John Becker and Ellen Graham: Jerry Hall and Amelia Stearns; John Zuck and Emmaline Becker; Rob Gunn and Jane Cameron; Will Ashby and Molly Gunn; Dave Carr and Katie Hildt; John L. Smith and Barbara Mackay; John Kahler and Theresa Kline; Dan Graham and Annie Bailey; George Francks and Lucinda Kline; Robert Jack and Lena Mackay; James Mackay and Sam Isenhart; and Partis English and "Little Annie" Graham.

Here are a few entries abbreviated simply to indicate some of the "doings" in the Christmas season:

January 1, 1862, Dined at English's."

"Christmas, 1862, John and Jane McKiel and Anna McLellan to dinner. Youngsters at Jerry Hall's in the evening."

"January 1, 1863. To Mrs. English's with Finlay Fraser and Jay McDougal (of Wisconsin) and the Gunns and Baileys. Youngsters and Anna McLellan at Willoughbys."

"Christmas, 1863. Sleigh-riding with the children. Mrs. McKiel [Jill] family to dinner. All hands to town."

Judging from the itemized expenditure of this rare "splurge" the kids must have" blowed" themselves to a grent extent. Let the exploits of the others remain a secret. But Tommy spent 35 cents of papa's money and Uncle William invested 10 cents in a Christlnas present for Martin. What that present was, history saith not, possibly a rattle; or mayhap a miniature barometer or comic almnnac.

"New Year's Day. 1864. Self and Mrs. at Finlay Fraser's, Waukesha, Wis. Coldest day known in many years. Around the fireside talking over boyhood days in Scotland." Finlay Fraser, though no relation of the historian, was a school-mate and boyhood friend in Scotland. Each knew that the other had come to America, one to Nova Scotia and the other to the "States," but it took many years of inquiry and search before the friends located each other, and during the last few years of tbis search they had been little more than a hundrcd miles apart.

"Christmas, 1865. English and family and Charlie Reynolds to dinner."

"Christmas. 1866. Dined at English's with W. Fraser and wife, John Fraser and W. F. McCormick of Elgin. Youngsters at Gunn's in the evening."

There are many records of social events of other days as well. One mentions a husking bee at Ira Bailey's. The boys gathered to husk corn and the girls to sew, with a dance at night, which is not record­ed. One New Year re,cord mentions a gathering at the Fraser home, a dinner and after that a game of shirley by the " youngsters," in which the grave and dignified elders took an enthustiac and enthusing part. "Shirley, or shinny;" as it was often called" was the leading game of the young men and boys in those days. Why called shinny? Perhaps because the shins were as of­ten a mark for the contestants' clubs as the ball. The ball, usually of bounding rubber, was dropped between the two chief contestants standing in the middle of of the field, and their clubs came together with a bang. Then pandemonium broke loose, when each side armed with curved sticks, sought to drive it to either goal. It was a wild and strepuous game, with few rules to govern the resultant fights and tumult. But it was a game to make active and hardy men, as those who came out of the Oakville school well know.

Those with wise, grizzled heads who now live largely retrospective lives, and realize the swifter flight of time, may turn regretfully to memories of those golden days, but gathering still a sunbeam here and there that shone upon their earlier years forget the heart-aches and the sorrows by the way, rejoicing always that their greater share was joy.

Illinois - "Our Way"