The children of Henry and Rachel:
On the 1830 census of Hurricane Township, Montgomery County, Illinois, we find:
This was from Ancestry.com image 15/38. Their neighbors were Henry Sears, A C Watkins, Joseph Wheat, Richmond Bennett, * , Benjamin Harris Sr, Joseph Carter, Henry Hill Jr, and Bazzel Hill. Living in Jackson County, Illinois were Henry's father and stepmother and in Perry County, Illinois his brother, Samuel Pyatt.
On the Montgomery, County, Illinois, 1840 census:
Is this John Griffith in Montgomery County, Illinois, the one married to Henry and Rachel's daughter, Harriet? Two of their children, John and Milburn, appear to be in Fayette County - Western Division as follows:
This family was enumerated 2 Oct 1850 #867/883 page 155. Their neighbors included Rachel's son, Cornelius Piatt, at #864; her son, Henry Piatt, at #865; and Daniel Kimbro at #866.
Found on the Bond County, Illinois, Hurricane Church site at http://www.llcc.cc.il.us/justice/hurricane.html:
Settlers on the Hurricane
These are identified as Virginian famlies in the 1700s
The story of the settlement of the Hurricane is unique, but not unusual. They happened to be some of my ancestors. By learning more about them, I may learn more about myself. The names are not found in "History Books", but in reality they are history itself. Some of these men fought in the American Revolution. They were the sons and daughter of women and men that ventured through the famed Cumberland Gap. And by thier surnames,circumstance and culture they were the grandchildren or great grand children of Scots-Irish or English immigrants to North America.** Between 1700-1750 nearly 250,000 folks came in this " Celtic fringe wave" to North America. Today, their descendants count into the millions and the influences are immeasurable. I marvel that their lives were so similar to our own. Family, church, and material survival were the elements of theirs lives, as it is ours. A few lived long lives and many died so very young. I must believe that there is more to me than the genetic material they passed down. Something of their souls and spirits resides in me. I can feel it as I read about the lives they lived.
Ivan Wright (**Note: Many of these families were in North America in colonial time and were in the area of Williamsburg and Richmond, Virginia.)
Early Members of Hurricane Church
Additional names of 1819
James Street, Richard Bradley, Harris Reavis, Rev. George Shipman children
(Henry 1808 Ky., John 1810 Ill. Massac, Sarah 1819 Bond, Preston 1826 Montgomery)
1832 additional names
Easton Whitten, E. Rush, E. Hill, H. Mason, R. Hinton, H. Landers, C. Bass, J. Kirk, B. Roberts, B. Garland, E. Linn, Sam Alexander,
J. P. Evans, W. Carter, T. Welch, J. Rowe, H. Prater, J. Walker, M. Kirk, B. Welch, Tom Whitten, Henry Sander, Br. Scribner
* These folks all contribute to the building of a Hurricane Church Burial Grounds "for all public citizens not of color".
Hillsboro, Illinois newspaper of Monday March 31, 1980 carried an article "The first county church, 162 years old". Additional names from that article are:
Joseph Williams, William McDavid, John and Henry Hill, Charles Wright,Jesse Johnson, John Kirkpatrick, Aaron Case, Henry Rose, John Russel, David Bradford, E. Gwinn
Bond County State of Illinois North Precincts brought April 1819 A.D.
Jesse Alexander, Malinde Beck, John Beck, Rachel Alexander, Cyrus Walker, Elizabeth Coy, Moses Kirk, Mary Coy, George Shipman, Susan Rush, John Kirk, Mary Shipman, Zebulon Revis, Chrissy Harris, Richard Bradley,
Mandy Beck, Benjamin Rowe, Margaret Coffee, Mark Mason, Polly Willson, Thomas Sears, Mary Willson, Colbert Blair
Hurrican 34; Coffee 18; marryed 5; Beck 7; dead 16; West Fork 18; nigers 8; Savage 3; Mility no; marryed 12; voted at election 28;
boy not in poll 16; Joseph Wright J. P. Hurrican Fork Bond Co. Caryed by Harris Revis Mar 19 to registar
Meeting notes:
meetin open with prayer by member of this beleef-by preecher if have one members of sister churches be make know-open a door for new members, members with unbeleeving mates must labor with them- if new be by letter read letter before all if not tell eperce.
all members receeved by a oneness vote other bizness by majority- all must strive for unity The moderater has not vote liberty of speech is his, if vote tied moderator can vote.
only one shall speak at one an not on the same matter 2 times unless by leev of majority The direction of the Gospel Matthew 18 chap 15,16,17 verses shall be our guidanc in all greevos mattrs. Moderator shoud read each meetin orders Moderatr has charge of all church bizness but lettng preechers of oders speak in our meetin. This done by leeeve of members only- any member leeving seat without cause will cited why.
All members shill be at meeting unless ailin or creeks out or big snow
member get wood when meeting held in house of widdow or ailin man.
We at Huricane favor a New County no Perryvill is 2 days with a good horse then- I can not get books or paper for the precinct bizness. I used the church paper for the county biznes with pay-this is wrong. In 3 electons were unjustly acused 2 time. In West Fork, it the the same- Bor. Forhan cant get court necessary. We are belittled anytime we have electon or go to court, If we make a little county, We will be off. if to big we Will have the same truble. I do not favor taxs by necessary for court bizness and jurys and roads must be had an payd for . come spring they will be enouf peeple to make a county.. There be 64 now and 6 familys to come by Winter, West Fork will more from edwardvill and we will be more from Kentucky. We be not well favod in Bond so most here will like a new county Bond will make a new seat at Davison but we want a new county.
The ranges 7 and 8 and part of 9 is all that has timber and will be settled, The rest of this county lands in 10-11-12 is worth little only for stock range. The most settlers are in the south East corner in 7 and part of 8 2 West being 34 families in Hurrican 4 Bear Creek 7 Cleer springs 6 West Fork. 2 Mc Davids 3 Sewerd Hill. The seat of count must be closer to the most people nearer to Hurrican. A rest on the lands in the south part of 8-3 would be near to all. The settlers could not get to the in view only if dry or froze. We are more at Hurrican and will have a strong voice in this matter. I will favor not the seat where is
139 Hurrican / 86 rest of county / Joseph Wright
1825 State Census of Hurricane Fork
Signed a deed in January 1846:
Following article were written by Henry Pyatt Jr. published in the Hillsboro Democrat
Hillsboro, Democrat 1874
"Joseph Wright, one of our early settlers, was born in Virginia. He emigrated to Kentucky, probably with his father, Jarrett Wright revolutionary solder under General Washington. They came to Warren County Kentucky, I don't remember but he remained there until grown. He was in the last war with England. He was in hearing of the Battle of New Orleans and on the battleground in a little while after the battle was fought. The reason he was not in the battle was that his company was unarmed."
"He was married in Kentucky to Miss Sarah Revis, daughter of Harris Revis. The had ten children eight sons and two daughters All lived to be men and women, except one who died when young." "Joseph Wright was a Baptist by profession commonly known as the Predestrian Baptist. He was a member and clerk of he Hurricane Church. "
"He was an honest man and esteemed by all who knew HIm. He a Justice of the Peace, a farmer, a blacksmith and a gunsmith. He possessed considerable ingenuity, repaired all the gunlocks an dressed the guns. The guns in used at that time were rifle guns and needed to be dressed out as it wad called which is cutting rifles deeper means of as to fit the rifles on the inside.
"The early settlers practiced bleeding when they were sick. Uncle Joe used to go far and near and bleed people. The writer has a scar on his arm made by Uncle Joe some thirty years. He also made all the coffins that needed in the settlement."
"The first school was taught in the settlement by Mr. Brazzleton in the winter 1818-19. Indians came to play with them at noontide."
Hillsboro Democrat Feb. 29, 1873
"My, father, Joseph Wright and Easton Whitten Sr. counted at on time four bear cubs. Old Uncle Easton carried two to Kentucky, We had no threshing machines to thresh our wheat. The mode of threshing in the early days was done cleaning off a place on the, put the down, tramp it out horses, in cleaning our wheat two men would stand with a sheet and make wind while one would take up the wheat in vessel and hold it up and pouring it before the two that make wind"
"From about the first of June we had to do the most of our plowing late in the evening and early in the morning on account of green head files. The big flies would the the horses after dark.
My father (Henry Pyatt Sr.) moved to this state or territory in 1812 in the south part of the state. It was on a water score called the Big Muddy. In the fall of 1815 he brought his hogs with him from the south part of the state, so he was the first man that had hogs on the hurricane. I remember of hearing may parents say when they made their first cabins that they had venison of the fattest. I have already mentions about the indians being very numerous. I remember hearing my other say there came about 60 indians one when my father was gone. The Indians stole several things not withstanding they were closely watched. My mother caught on indian slipping a roll of shoe leather from the loft and put it under his blanket. Mother made his haul out. At another time Mother was washing at the spring there came an indian he left his gun at the fence and came were she was" he make signs the he was hungry. Mother sat down to nurse her baby, He make signs the he had a wife and child in the woods, He would "Squaw, Papoose" Mother make wait until she done washing. She then gave him a pone of corn and he went away well pleased."
Hillsboro Democrat Jan. 15, 1873
"The early settlers came here with their families to better their condition and were disposed not only settle near together but usually selected timber land near water courses. At the the time of the formation of the county there were probably less than 100 families in it. The settlement on the Hurricane and East Fork were the first commencing in 1816 and mainly in 1817 when their first crops were made. Earliest settler included Harris Revis the old revolutionary soldier, Henry Pyatt, John and Levi and Aaron Casey, Joseph and Charles Wright, John and Henry Hill, Wm. McDavid , Jesse Johson, Henry Sears, Easton Whitten, James Card, John Russell, Nicholas Kirk.
"One of the first duties they performed was to provide for the teaching of the gospel and they organized a church in 1820. The first building was erected of logs with split logs for benches."
"The next settlement was on Shoal Creek. Here another church was erected in 1823 following the church organization in 1821. These were Baptist churches yet so liberal were their sentiments that provisions were made for only one Saturday and Sunday in a month for Baptist and any other denomination could use the rest of the Saturdays and Sundays. Religious services were occasionally hold in private house."
"Schools were also establish and school house built in the settlements at a very early day. many of these churches and schools did no have glass windows."
Hillsboro Democrat Mar. 19, 1873
"The First election held on the Hurricane at Joseph Wright's for Senator and Representative to the State Legislator in the year 1819. Joseph Wright and Aaron Casey acted as judges, Josiah Whitten and John Woolen acted as Clerks Jones and Crisp were elected. Their election was contested on the ground of the ballot box of the Hurricane Precinct not being according to law. But it was proven that the ballot box was sufficient to contain the votes without fraud and that every vote in the precincts was cast so they were considered legally elected. It was the only ballot box in the county as all the other precincts had hats and boxes in place of boxes, it being the law that the county should furnish the precincts with boxes. Joseph Wright went to Perryville for a box it being the county seat of Bond County. Not having any lock and key the lid was fastened with a nail. The hammer was on the table and called the key."
Hillsboro Democrat Feb. 5 1873
"I have in my possession the old church book of Hurricane church and oldest date that is on recorded is March 19, 1820 We are well satisfied that organization of Hurricane church reaches still further back. On the date above mentioned James Street and wife, John Norton and wife, Gilford Parish and wife, George Shipman and wife, Abel Fox, Rachel Currandeil, John Wright, Margaret Wright, Deborah Viles and Jordan Jourdin all received by letter. On July 20, 1822, the above persons were lettered off to constitute a church called Clear Springs. Joseph Wright was the first clerk of the church. George Shipman the first Deacon, James Street the first pastor that stand on record. Levi Casey, Joseph, Benjamin Roberts and Easton Whitten wee some of the first Justices of the Peace.
The first lands were sold at a land sale in Edwardsville in Madison County. Mr. (Henry Pyatt Sr. and Joseph Wright bought 160 acres together. Then each one had to make each other a deed. Irsael Seward took the ackowledgement of the deeds. I think the deeds were written and recorded by Hon. Hiram Rountree.}
When my parents first settled on the Hurrricane they lived in a camp made by putting forks in the ground so as to make a shed. I remember my mother speaking of a circumstance that occurred while they was living in their camp. There came some kind of varmint one night, they had two or three very severe dogs, it chased the dogs into the camp and they couldn't be made to go any further. My father was not at home and children were small she had two of the Hill boys staying with her.
At another time, in the day time there came a bear close to the house and father was not at home. There were wolves to any amount, grey, black and prairie wolves. The prairie wolves would very often run the sheep up the house in day time. The sheep had to be put in a pen every night. The rising generation are unacquainted with the hardships that attends frontier life.
The first settler had to go to St. Louis for there salt, iron, sugar, coffee and clothing that did not manufacture themselves. No market for any of there produce nearer that St. Louis . We tanned our own leather, made our own shoes, bridle leather, backbands and For horse collars we made then of corn shucks and linn bark
June 18, 1872
I am now living with 300 yards of were I was born and raised and never lived anywhere else, have never been out the state since I can recollect , only to St. Louis a few times. I was born March 5 th 1821, and Married Miss Elizabeth Snider, daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Snider in the year 1843, the year Mr. Miller predicted that the world was to come to an end. I remember his publishing a paper "Midnight Cry" and in one of his paper, I remember a piece of poetry and the end of each verse run thus "Be ye warned while mercy is free,
Your time will will end in forty-three"
Jack Cole has original minutes of s church organized in March 1818. The minutes indicate some dissension among the remembers late in 1819 which may have led to a reorganization in 1820
*The burial ground and church mentioned are northeast of the village of VanBurensburg, Illinois in the southeast corner of Montgomery County.
Henry Pyatt Sr. and Joseph Wright purchased land together in 1819. Sec 15 Twp 7 Range 2 NE Aug 19 160 Bond. This property is north of the Indian Springs Golf Course. The Old Wright Cemetery in on the Wright homestead. The last house on the property and most likely the first cabin was located on a stream on the first twp. road north. There is new bridge the will take you from the homestead site up to the the Hurricane Church and cemetery.
Tidbits and lore:
Land records from the Illinois Public Domain Sales include:
These land records would appear to belong to the Henry Pyatt who married Rachel Farrell. Search the entire database.
Source:
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