Shelton Smith

As printed in 1874

Shelton Smith was born February 27, 1825, in Switzerland County, Indiana. His father's name was John Smith, and his mother's name was Cassandra Wiley. John Smith was of Scotch descent, and his vife Cassandra was of English, and, perhaps, partly of Welch, In 1834 the Smith family came to the Henline settlement in Mackinaw timber, Elinois. They made their journey in the fall of the year, and had a pleasant time. When they came to the prairie they followed the Indian trail; but at one time lost it and wandered out of sight of timber. They returned on their own track for some distance, and employed a guide to take them through. When they came to Mackinaw timber they bought a claim of George Henline and commenced farming.

During the winter of 1836 Shelton Smith commenced going to school. His first teacher was an Irishman, who made the scholars study at the top of their voices. As they shouted their lessons he stood in the middle of the floor slapping his hands and sajnng: "Whoop ! boys, I'll take ye through the arithynathie in four weeks !" This Irishman taught school until the day after Christmas, and then suddenly disappeared and was never seen again. It was supposed that he left because the scholars gave him to understand that they would bar him out and make him treat, between Christmas and New Year's. The last day of school that season was in December, 1836, on the day of the great "sudden change." When school was dismissed, the Mater and snow had just commenced freezing. While he and some larger boys were on their way home, they came to low ground covered with running water a foot or more in depth, and fifty or sixty yards w\de. The tall boys started across it while a thin scale of ice was freezing. When they were coming out of the water on the opposite side, they had some difficulty in breaking the ice, as it partially bore their weight. Shelton stood watching them and they hallooed to him to come across, and if he could not wade through they would pull him out. He started, and the ice bore him up all the way over.

m'lean county. 691

In the winter of 1834-5, when the Smiths came to this country, Shelton Smith and his younger brother John set traps for the prairie chickens. These traps were set near the house, where some flax, belonging to George Henline, was rotting. The chickens came there in great flocks to eat the flaxseed, and the little Smith boys watched them as they filled up the traps. The chickens were taken out, and the traps were filled again and again. During that winter these boys caught seven hundred and fifty chickens. The breasts of the chickens were salted away in barrels, and the other parts were eaten. The family obtained enough meat from these chickens to last during the following summer.

When Shelton Smith was fourteen years of age he often took his father's gun and went out to hunt. On his first bunt he discovered a deer, which came close to him, but instead of shooting, he climbed a tree from fear, and the deer ran off". Little Shelton determined to be more brave the next time, and not long afterwards, on another hunt, he saw a deer and laid his gun on a log, took deliberate aim and fired. The deer fell, and with boyish excitement little Smith dropped his gun and ran up. But when he approached the deer it rose to its feet, threw its hair forward and sprang towards him. He went up a tree in a moment, and the deer came near and laid down. Little Shelton remained in the tree for several hours, shivering with fear and cold, and throwing down branches to frighten away the animal below. At last, being fearful of freezing to death, he descended and found the deer cold and stiff". The deer were very plenty. At another time little Smith shot a very large buck on the side of a hill, and was much excited and jumped on it with his knife to cut its throat. But as he caught hold of the large antler he thought he would first count the wrongs, and he counted seven; just then the deer doubled up and gave little Smith a kick, which scut him rolling down the hill, and as he looked up, the deer was running away. It was never seen again by little Smith.

When Shelton Smith became large enough td chase wolves on horseback he had great sport. He once tired out a wolf after a long chase, and his horse stumbled over it, and Smith was thrown. In the struggle he succeeded in getting hold of the wolf, choked it down, tied its mouth with a suspender and brought it home alive. Mr. Smith tells a story on Samuel Ogden, which has often been related by political speakers to illustrate their points. Samuel Ogden had a fine greyhound, called Sharp, which was fleet after deer. Once, while Sharp was coming up to a buck, which was running with all its might, the latter became frightened and confused and ran in a zigzag course. Then Samuel Ogden exclaimed: "Oh, you may gee and you may haw, but Sharp will take you at last." This incident has often been told by political speakers to illustrate the zigzag courses of their adversaries, and that justice will overtake them at last.

. Shelton Smith married, November 16, 1851, Melinda Powell. He has had seven children, of whom five are living. They are: Emma, Lucinda, Charlotte, Shelton, jr., and Albert. Those who are dead, are: Harper and Cassandra.

Mr. Smith is five feet and ten inches in height. He is straight in build, and pleasant in his manner. He loves fun, though he is somewhat slow of speech. He appears to have succeeded well in life, and has an interesting family. He is a very reliable man and much respected in the community where he resides. He likes to play croquet, which is a favorite game in Lexington.

Milton Smith.

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.