The Gilman Saturday Star

4 March 1871

Watseka Republican 13 Aug. 1936
This article was found in the Gilman weekly news. There was no author noted.
Transcribed as written and printed in the paper.

Just a diversion from the usual chronicle of news.

We wonder how many Gilmanites have taken this pleasant auto trip. The proximity of its distance makes it commonplace and yet lovers of nature in its many manifestations of interest to mankind can find topographical, botanical, historical and even zoological realities that ought to thrill and interest everyone.
Get in your car for a little outing some Sunday afternoon in these summer months and take a trip in a southeasterly direction, not that you will see better farms, buildings or people in that direction from Gilman, but nature has made a phenomenon a little different in that direction than any other. With an evening lunch packed in your basket, one as we know, will drive by he Gilman cemetery, the beautiful natural reposing home for the mortal remains of so many of th illustrious and honored men and woman that have made Gilman famous.
Across the road one will note that he is passing by a farm that is famous among agriculturists and readers of the Prairie Farmer. It is owned and farmed by Capt. W. H. Mann, and later and at the present time owned by his son, Frank I., who has won national fame as a writer, lecturer and expert on soil culture. Going southward and eastward one will go by some splendid farms such as the Parker, McGhuay, Ezra Sickles, Brooks, Medendorp, Page, Reily, Miller, and Schmidt. Years ago on his same road such honored men as Robt. And Wm. H. Noy, Civil War veterans, John and Frank Brooks, Henry Goetz, Abe Martin, John Sweeney, Wash Wickizer, Chas. and Wm. Grof, Eberhart Meinhard, Ferdinand Schmidt and John Holsam.
Near the banks of Spring Creek there once stood the log school house, one of the first built in the county, and where our old friend John Cromnecker went to school as a boy. A little further there stood at one time the great tree monarchs in the country. A tree that could be seen towering all other trees for miles around. The ruthless hand of man destroyed this great monarch for a cause that is almost inexplicable. As you cross the Spring Creek on the east, going by the Harm Long , Mart Davis and Charley Benjamin farms, Charley's farm was once owned by a sturdy young son of old Erin by the name of Stuart Young, nine of whose ten children taught school in this county. One son became a distinguished statesman and jurist in the state of Ohio.
A quarter of a mile west is a site of historical interest. Indian legends show that on the high banks of Spring Creek was once located a village of Delaware Indians and later he Illinois. Also at this point which is the portage of Spring Creek and Jefferson Creek, better known as Shavetail the Kickapoo Indian Trail crossed Spring Creek. It was on this trail that Tecumesh was hurrying eastward with his warriors to help his brother Prophet, who met such a defeat at th Battle of Tippecanoe. It was on this point that Hamilton Jefferson, a soldier of the War of 1812, settled in 1837 and which at one time had a post office at his home. The mail was carried there on pony back by Wm. Weber from Del Rey P. O. To old Middleport, at present known as Oldtown. This point has since been known as Jefferson Point. A highway once went by this point bu when the bridge went down about 45 years ago it was never rebuilt and the road was closed. Nearby the Jefferson Point cemetery as established where a number of the early settlers were buried. Today all you will find on this famous point are a few broken tombstones.
Going onward you will pass the Jefferson homestead, now the highly cultivated and splendidly equipped farm of Chas. H. Miner. Here turning westward you will cross "Shavetail," when you will arrive at what is known as the Addison Harper farm. I has long since been owned by his son, Wm. A. who was born there in 1852. Mr. Harper's two other boys lost their lives in he Civil War. Many years ago an artesian well was dug on this farm. The water emerged with such force that it washed away the ground adjacent to the well and caused quite a depression. This condition became alarming and Mr. Harper had to move his house. Finally it became necessary to stop up the well, which was finally done with great difficulty. Today you can see the depression caused by this wonderful well.
On he west side of the house stands an old apple tree that was planted there in 1848
.
(This narrative was continued Watseka Republican 20 Aug. 1936 in the Gilman news)

A short distance west after leaving Harper's you come to the home of Howard Clark, whose Grandfather, Robert Clark, settled n the same farm in the 50's. The barn still stands that Mr. Clark built nearly 75 years ago. In the early days of that pioneer settlement around Jefferson point, Mr. Clark permitted those thrifty devoted people, in the absence of a church, to hold their religious services in that barn. Rev. Cunningham sometimes walked and other times came on horseback six miles to attend and preach at those religious meetings.
In Mr. Clark's yard stands one of the most unique as well as one of the most beautiful trees that one rarely sees-the spreading chestnut tree. The one in Longfellow's poem had not greater spreading width than this tree possesses. 165 feet would be conservative guess as to its width.
A few rods farther you come to the home of Buad Clark, once the pioneer home of James Wilson.
"Dad" and Marm's and Mrs. Fannie Warfel's grandfather. It was in the log house that a room was given for holding a country school for a few months.
About 80 rods farther and you come to the Tommy Morgan homestead. No man with a cleaner character and more skilled a man lived in that neighborhood. Many an oxen yoke, axe handle, Wagon tongue and yoke he has made.
From here you turn north, leaving the Onarga trail to the south and west and again cross Spring Creek, which in the days of yore, could be compared to the "Rubicon" in so far as intensified and oftentimes manifested interest to the residents on each of its sides showed in their choice of trading points. On the north side of Spring Creek the people were decidedly pro Onarga. A mile to the northeast where you turn west the home of Frode Lund, a famous pioneer homestead and known at different times as the Tucker, Young and Collier farms. Farther west and north ½ mile was equally as famous a home. Originally the Oppy homestead and used in early history as a tavern. It was on the junction of the Butterfield and Kickapoo Indian Trails. This famous homestead has been owned since the Oppy by a number of farmers by the names of Thomas and Redenius and the present owner is Anna Nims. Mr. Thomas was a peculiar as well as a positive and cultured man. He was what is known as a 49er. Years afer he moved to Iowa he wrote a history of his life as a miner and among the Indians in the Rocky Mt. States. A copy of this interesting book can be found in the Gilman library.
Winding westward you pass the old homesteads of Porter, Looker and Carman. One-half mile to the right one can see the Creed and Jerry Sweeney farms. Further along you pass the Henry Seiple place and when you arrive at the Old Sherman home, owned at the present time by the sons of Jake Spark and farmed by the Seiple heirs. Back in the timber of this farm you will see the old Frame cemetery which at the present time contains but a few broken tombstones.
Col. James Frame, said to be a Revolutionary soldier, settled in this timber in the 30's, a century ago. He made a clearance in the timber of several acres and built his log house.
Among his children was a grown son who froze to death coming back from Danville while lost in a blizzard near Mud Creek. A daughter married a man by the name of Rouswal. Rouswal had a son killed at the battle of Shiloh at the same time a neighbor boy was killed in the same battle by the name of Ellis Parcel.
History records that 33 people were buried in this cemetery. Among the tombstones seen intact is that of Rouswal. Recently a great great granddaughter of Col. Frame and a great granddaughter of Rouswal visited this famous old historical site. If you are a treeologist you should go back into the timber within and see that peculiar old elm tree that has three roots grown from the trunk a few feet above the ground and almost equidistant apart. They look as if they were natural braces for the tree. If it is supper time you can go back to the fine artesian well in this timber and enjoy its cold draughts while eating your lunch.
As you wend your way westward you go by the Sherman School, the Cooney Scharp homestead, known in history as Round Grove. Soon you will come to the dividing point. To the left is the old farm known as the Bush and David homesteads, afterwards owned by our friend Oscar Weber, and at the present time by a Mr. Brown.
No doubt you will turn north and come to the farm owned by our grand friend, John Ossman, which is farmed by his son, William. Going west you will pass the old Wilcox home and to the west as you turn north again is the former home of Peter Farley, who was a boyhood friend of the money king of Montana, Marcul Daly, back in their native land. Across the road will be found two splendid farms of Fred Wesner and George Ruft, and at the latter place occurred the Meara Tragedy of seventy years ago. Returning home you will pass by the fine farm of Oscar Meints and McDonald Bros., and further to the west is the old Alexander homestead, later Fred Wasmer, Sr.'s and now owned by his son, Chas. Another two miles and you're back home.
To a lover of nature and a student of local history this will be an interesting auto trip. It is a pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon. 

(Transcribed by Lucy Briscoe)

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