Ebenezer Mitchel

As printed in 1874

Ebenezer B. Mitchel was born August 17, 1813, in Morganfield, Union County, Kentucky. His father was Rev. Peyton Mitchel, and his mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Briggs. They were both of purely Scotch descent, but of the third generation, since their ancestors came from Scotland. Rev. Peyton Mitchel was minister. in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He devoted his time to the ministry and was a very effective preacher. During the war of 1812 he enlisted in the army and was elected captain of a company, but was never called into active service.

In December, 1818, the family of Rev. Mr. Mitchel moved to Sangamon County, Illinois, on Fancy Creek, about eight miles north of Springfield. They traveled in a wagon drawn by four Aorses. At one time the horses started to run and seemed to be unmanageable, when Mrs. Mitchel, who was a woman of remarkable resolution, ran forward, grasped the bridle of one of the m'lean county. 439 lead horses and assisted in stopping them. On the way they met old Billy Hodge, who had come to the country and was returning eastward. The Indians were then numerous and occasionally troublesome. They were the Kickapoos, Pottawatomies, Delawares and others. At one time a band of Indians went to Springfield and became intoxicated, and on their return attempted to go into Mitchel's house, when he was absent; but Mrs. Mitchel barred the door, and the dogs outside fought them. Mrs. Mitchel told the savages that her husband was sick, and insisted that they should leave; but they hung around until nearly morning, banging against the door, selling, whooping and fighting.

The country there was very unhealthy and everyone suffered from bilious complaints. On the third of March, 1825, the family came to Stout's Grove, in what was then Fayette County, but now is McLean. There they found only two families, those of the two Ephraim Stout's, father and son. The Indians were plenty and were always anxious to trade. They came sometimes single, sometimes in small parties, and sometimes in great numbers. They would trade anything they had, except their labor; no inducement was great enough to make them work. Mr. Mitchel tried them again and again, and was particularly anxious to have them husk corn; but they would husk half a dozen ears and stop. They had queer ideas of value, and would give more for a rooster's feather than for anything else, and would put it in their hair and be perfectly delighted. Their dress usually consisted of leggins, moccasins and a blanket, while their ears and noses were ornamented with rings. They had high cheek bones, and their skin was the color of tanned leather, or perhaps of copper, but not so red. Their feet were large and flat; their legs and arms were small, but wiry, showing the Indians to be good for walking, but not worth much for work.

Rev. Peyton Mitchel was active in the ministry and did good work. He preached the first sermon in Funk's Grove, and wherever he could find an opportunity he engaged in the work of the great Master. Churches were soon organized and schoolhouses were built, and Ebenezer Mitchel thinks the society at that time was much more reliable than it is at present. He thinks the promise of an old settler was much better than most people's bonds.

The deep snow fell in 1830 and '31. Mr. Mitchel took repeated measurements of its depth in the timber, where it had not drifted, and it there averaged forty inches. A crust on it was soon formed, and the wolves ran over it; but the sharp footed deer broke through.

When the heavy fall of snow came, a certain Mr. Barnes, an old sea-faring captain, was caught at Mr. Mitchel's house, and in order to go to his home in Mosquito Grove, the former was obliged to make some snow-shoes. They were made of bows shaped like ox-bows, and were covered with light, strong splints made of wood or bark. When they were worn they were fastened to the toe of the foot by a kind ot slipper, but not fastened at the heel. When the toe was inserted in the slipper, some straps passed back, crossed the foot on the instep, and were tied behind the heel. This prevented the toe from being withdrawn and left the heel free. While walking, the feet were held wide apart, and the shoes were dragged along over the surface. If the snow was fresh, they were usually pressed down a little, but bore a man's weight pretty well. During that winter the Mitchel family were pretty well provided with corn, but soon ran out of meal. Ebenezer chopped a hole in a log as deep as he could cut, then with fire burnt it still deeper, then cut oif the section containing the hole and brought it in the house and used it as a mortar. He then cut a thick stick about three feet long, worked one end small for a handle, slipped over it an iron ring, which was pressed clear to the other end, which was left large enough to prevent the ring from being slipped oif. Into the larger end a heavy iron wedge was driven, and with this as a pestle, the corn was pounded in the burnt mortar. After a long pounding, the corn was sifted and the fine was used for meal, while the coarse was boiled for hominy.

When the land came m market, the settlers were usually careful not to enter each other's claims, and used all means to protect each other; but sometimes they differed as to the ownership of a claim, and their differences were aggravated by the uncertainty of the law, which allowed what was called " floating" claims, A settler could enter a quarter section of land and locate it anywhere within the section, that is, he could " float down" on any quarter section not previously entered. Somem'lean county. 441 times he would accidentally or otherwise " float down" on some one's claim, and then would follow a land contest. But these contests resulted more from the uncertain law than from any quarrelsome disposition on the part of the settlers. They were fair-minded men, and these land contests afforded them no pleasure.

Ebenezer Mitchel was no hunter, but he occasionally went after deer and wolves, which he chased on horseback with dogs. But on one occasion he found some wolves a little too strong for him. He started a large timber or gray wolf and chased it for some distance on horseback, when it was joined by four or five others, and then they refused to run, but stood their ground and drove back Mitehel's dog. They showed their teeth and were ready for fight, and Mr. Mitchel went back for his gun, but on his return the wolves were not to be found. But as a usual thing the danger of chasing wolves did not arise from the ferocious nature of the animal, for it belongs to one of the most cowardly species, and is very easily killed. A skillful blow with a club is usually sufficient to do the work. But riding over the prairie at a breakneck pace has dangers sometimes not thought of. While Ebenezer Mitchel and his brother were once chasing a wolf, the horse, which the former rode, plunged into a slough and fell, while its rider was thrown twenty feet ahead. He rose and told his brother to go on, " he'd be up in a minute." But Ebenezer was not up in a minute. His horse's head was jammed under its body, and by the time it was loosened, his brother and the wolf had vanished. The cowardice and fear displayed by a wolf is sometimes most abject and mean. "When it is run down it crouches on the ground and quietly receives the blow, which kills it. Mr. Mitchel remembers one wolf, which ran its nose into a hole and was killed in that position.

Mr. Mitchel has occasionally hunted deer and had some lively sport and some strange adventures. At one time he killed a deer after a somewhat exciting chase, and went home for help to bring it in. He and his brother, after some discussion, decided to carry it on an ox. They went out for the deer and placed it on the ox, and Mr. Mitchel rode the animal to steady the load, while his brother led the way. When they had gone about half-way home, the ox commenced bouncing, and raised its load high in the air, and both man and deer came down together. Mr. Mitchel's ankle was much hurt, and did not become well for three months.

The fires on the prairie were a great annoyance to the early settlers, but they were grand sights. They lit up the heavens and made everything as light as day for many miles around. The grass was long on low ground, and, as the fire passed over it, the blaze rolled up magnificent These fires often did great damage, and Mr. Mitchel sometimes lost his stacks and rail fences by them.

The sudden change in the weather of December, 1836, so often described in this volume, caught Mr. Mitchel about half a mile from home, and when he returned everything was cracking; the water and slush were turned to ice. The intense cold drove his stock nearly crazy; the chickens cured up and fell from their roosts, and everything was in confusion; but by care and great exertions nearly all was put under shelter and saved.

The country in early days was sometimes troubled with horse-thieves. They were thought to have a family in Mosquito Grove, who sympathized with them. This was the Reddon family, consisting of old man Reddon and his two sons, Jack and Harrison. At one time, when some horses were missing, Isaac Funk, Robert Stubblefield and some others came to Mr. Mitchel's house and asked him to go with them to the Reddons. He did so, and they all arrived there in the night while it was raining. The Reddons were waked up and the old man Reddon came rushing to the door saying: "Who are you, horse-thieves ?" They said they were after horse-thieves, and told the Reddons that their house must be searched. After some parley it was done, but nothing was found. But suspicion of the Reddons became so near a certainty that it was decided to drive them ofi*, and the Fourth of July was appointed as the day for a grand ring hunt, with the understanding among nearly all, that the Reddons should be the game. They went with their rifles and gave the Reddons notice that they must leave the country, and they went. Before this time a horse had been stolen, and the thieves were pressed very closely, and Robert Stubblefield with a one-eyed horse succeeded in catching up with them, and found Jack Reddon riding the stolen animal. Mr. Stubblefield had m'lean county. 443 neither pistol nor club to stop the thieves, and after riding a short time with them, and making great exertions to stop them, while all parties were going at rapid speed, he was obliged to fall back, and Jack Reddon escaped. After the Reddon family was broken up, the neighborhood had peace.

Ebenezer Mitchel married. May 26, 1836, at twelve o'clock, M., Rachel Vance. They have had seven children, of whom three are living. They are:

Mrs. Elizabeth Christian, wife of Matthew Christian, lives in Springfield.

Mrs. Emma Price, wife of Edward L. Price, lives near her father's.

Ebenezer Mitchel, jr., lives at home.

Mr. Mitchel is of rather less than the ordinary stature, but he seems to be a very active, wide-awake man, with a great deal of energy and good muscle. He is a man, who is straight-forward himself, and admires honesty and fair dealing in others. This is one cause of the great interest he takes in the doings of the early settlers. He found that their word could be depended on, and that they would make great exertions to fulfil their agreements. He says that the associations of McLean County and the many incidents which have happened while he has been in it, make it very dear to him. His children are, some of them, buried here, and the old settlers, with whom he was associated in early days, are many of them living here. He feels that they have worked together for so many years, and endured so many hardships, that they should be considered members of a common family. Mr. Mitchel has been very successful in life, and has become very well to do in the world. He has been fortunate in the enjoyment of the society of a good woman, his wife, a lady remarkable for her goodness of heart and quietness of manner.

Hon. Matthew Robb.

As printed in The good old times in McLean County, Illinois / containing two hundred and sixty-one sketches of old settlers, a complete historical sketch of the Black Hawk War and ... all matters of interest relate (1874). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.