|
Book Passages The book "A Womans's Story of Pioneer Illinois" by Christiana Holmes Tillson (written in 1870, first published in 1919, and re-published by the Southern Illinois University Press in the 1990's with an introduction by Kay J. Carr) contains several references to Colonel John Seward, his son Israel Seward, and their respective families. The book is primarily about the experiences of the author and her family after settling in frontier Illinois. The book’s jacket reads in part: "John and Christiana Tillson moved from Massachusetts to central Illinois in 1822. Upon arriving in Montgomery County near what would soon be Hillsboro, they set up a general store and real estate business and began to raise a filmily." John Tillson had apparently spent at least some time in the area on and off for a couple of years before bringing his wife there to settle and building a home. Israel Seward and his family are credited with being among the first settlers in the area arriving in 1819. (Whether Col. John Seward and his family came to the area with his son Israel or followed a couple of years thereafter is not clear.) The book’s author more than once talks of travelers staying at Col. Seward’s residence. It is not mentioned in the book but I believe it possible that this residence was also home to Israel Seward and his family during the time period covered in the book (the early to mid 1820’s) as Israel is well documented as being in the inn-keeping business throughout his life. Information in square brackets [ ] are Ted Hine's notations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 15: “The next winter, 1820-21, he [John Tillson], with Israel Seward, Hiram Rouontree, and Eleazer Townsend, went with a petition to the legislature, then in session, asking that a new county (Montgomery) be formed north of Fayette and Bond, their lands being within the new county. Their petition was granted, and in the spring Mr. Seward received the appointment of probate judge…..” Page 74: “Mr. Black said that Colonel Seward [Col. John Seward, Israel’s father] had been down, and left word for us to go to his house and remain until ours could be made ready for occupancy…” [I believe this would have been in 1822 when John Tillson first brought his wife to the Hillsboro area.] Pages 75-77: "We arrived at the Seward’s, three miles from our place, about sunset. Mrs. Seward [Mary Butler-Seward, wife of Col. John Seward], a dear, good woman, and Harriet [daughter of John and Mary Seward], now Mrs. Wm. H. Brown of Chicago, were the only members of the family at home. Before our evening meal was ready the Colonel [John Seward] with his boy, John [John Butler Seward, Israel’s brother], arrived from Vandalia. The legislature having removed from Kaskaskia, were to hold their first session at Vandalia that winter, and Israel Seward, Jr. [son of Col. John Seward, brother of John Butler and Harriet Seward - Israel was not a “Jr.”], with his wife [Margaret Slayback] and niece, Sally Slayback, had taken a house there to board members of the legislature, leaving their two older children, William and George, with their grandfather [Col. John Seward]. The old Colonel was all smiles and gave me a most cordial welcome, as had also Mrs. and Miss Seward; and it was a cordial to my feelings, particularly after my introduction and experience with my nearest neighbor. I wish I could describe him as I first saw him in front of the house. Imagine a very tall, lank man, with his legs encased in a pair of linsey pantaloons, rough and dirty; over these, leggings that came above the knees, made from an old bed-blanket and tied up with some buckskin strings; then an old drab overcoat and a shabby hat; a saddle girth tied around his waist, and a coarse, woolen scarf around his neck, and all dirty....................................." "It was the twenty-eighth of November when we arrived at Colonel Seward's, and I had a more homelike feeling than for many weeks. We had a clean, comfortable meal, Mother Seward (Mary Butler-Seward] and Harriet each performing their part in the domestic duties, while the Colonel [John Seward] talked politics and discussed the affairs of the state. Their house was about the size of ours, but had not been divided by any partitions. On the opposite side from the fireplace were two beds, standing foot to foot: there was a square frame over each, from which were suspended curtains that went around the front and foot of each bed. The curtains were arranged to leave about a foot of space between the bed and the curtain, to which we could pin our dresses, and by inexpansiveness could stand within the curtain and feel that we had all the privacy of a dressing room. One of the beds was for the Colonel and his wife and we had the other, while Harriet slept in a small bed, which during the day, was rolled under the Colonel's. After breakfast Friday, Mr. Tillson left on business planning to return Saturday night. I had a pleasant, quiet day with Mrs. Seward and Harriet. Towards night it began to snow and blow, and as I stood by the window - the house had but one - watching the storm, a loud rapping announced the arrival of more company. Miss Harriet opened the door and ushered in two respectable-looking gentlemen. One she introduced as Mr. Conover; although I well remember the looks of the other, I cannot recall his name; but as if it had occurred yesterday I remember how he divested himself of his leggings and buffalo overshoes, and with what a satisfied look he gazed at the fire and took a survey of the room. They were members of the legislature from Sangamon, on the way to Vandalia. Before we had finished our evening meal Mrs. Butler Seward came to call on me. She lived about a quarter of a mile from the Colonel's, in the same grove. As they had other company at the Colonel's she invited Harriet and myself to return with her and pass the night, so we went, Harriet arising while it was yet dark to go home and assist her mother, while I remained to breakfast. Saturday night your father came up, bringing the carriage, and said he would take us all to preaching the next day. Sunday morning, December 2, was cold and pinching: winter had commenced in earnest. We rode about two miles to a log cabin which, during week days, was the schoolhouse of the village .............. When we arrived the service had just commenced: a movement was made to give Harriet and myself a seat by the fire................ The preaching had commenced at ten A. M., and it was not until between four and five o'clock that we were released from the rant." Page 85: "The Townsends and Sewards, New Yorkers, were the only families who had any better notions of what belonged to refinement and comfort within twenty miles......... We remained at Colonel Seward's about two weeks." Page 86: "I will not stop to relate any of the oddities of old Colonel Seward. He was always pleasant to me, and after we were in the carriage starting for St. Louis [apparently for a visit] he came to say he was sorry we could not have stayed longer and very confidentially told us that next week Mr. Brown and Harriet were going to be married. I had suspected that something was brewing, but Mrs. Seward and Harriet had hinted nothing..................." [My information shows that Harriet Seward married William H. Brown on December 22, 1822.] Page 105: “The mail was brought in once in two weeks. The mail carrier would arrive on Monday night about sunset, leave the mail for Montgomery County, and proceed as far as Colonel Seward’s on his way to Springfield, that being the northern terminus of the mail route.” Page 125: “The next year, the winter of 1824, the brick house at the county seat – Hillsboro – was commenced, and our arrangements made for renting the farm. The house was to be built by contract – a one story brick house. The reason of our giving up our abode at the farm, where your father had expected to remain, was a dispute that had been going on between Colonel Seward and the county commissioners about the county seat. It had been located on the west side of Shoal Creek, and adjoining Colonel Seward’s farm and but a mile from our house and had been named Hamilton, after Hamilton, Ohio, Colonel Seward’s former place of residence. Things worked out smoothly for a while, until the misunderstanding with the Colonel. Then there was a petition to the legislature and a new location. The county seat was changed from the east to the west side of the creek.” Page 144: “I spent one day at Colonel Seward’s , one at Butler Seward’s………” Page 145: “When preparing breakfast I never know whether it was for my own family, or several more. The ‘bounty-landers’, who were on their way from the military tract to Vandalia, would, after spending the night at Colonel Seward’s, get on in the morning as far as the land-office, of course arriving just in time for breakfast.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |