Cheshier Reminiscenses

Comment:

This is a copy of a handwritten document describing events in the life of the Cheshier family that started with a move from Virginia to Illinois. A copy of the original document was given to Ronald C. Cheshier by his father Billie Eugene Cheshier and was transcribed to this Word document by Ronald C. Cheshier starting on 11/15/2003. Spelling and grammar were not altered.

Cheshier Reminiscenses (sic)

With the view to rescue from the past some of the fast-fading traditions of pioneer life, this sketch is fondly submitted by the author.

Early in the Nineteenth century, a boy, James D Cheshier was born as it seems at Murphysboro, Tennessee went with the family to Virginia. When he was eight years old, his parents moved to what is now Wilberton township, Fayette Co., Illinois taking their household effects on horseback. Little James walked all the way carrying a skillet. One day when his folks had left him some distance behind, and he was tired and discouraged and crying, a man on a fine horse came by, and said, “Bub what is the matter?” James surprised and abashed made no answer. The man threw a half-dollar at his feet, and went his way. James did not know the value of the coin, but he knew that it was money, and forgetting his weariness, he ran to catch up with his parents and show them his new treasure.

When they reached Illinois the father, Jonathan Cheshier settled in a log house which he built near what is now the Cheshier Cemetery. He was a wheelwright and mended and sharpened plows, and made spinning wheels and looms. At a later date he moved to Arkansas. The ld James grew to be a sturdy man and married Nancy E. Shelton, a daughter of early settlers from Kentucky. Some distance from the log house, James built a frame house and took his bride to live there on a stretch of prairie in sight of the timber. Here the deer would run, and at night the hungry wolves would prowl. One evening before Mr. Cheshier had returned home the wolves came about the house in large numbers. A certain outside door had not yet been hung; and a quilt was suspended in its place to close the opening. The young wife and John her first child in her arms and feared that the wolves would crowd in and devour her and the child. So with the long-handled shovel she would throw burning coals from the fire place out among the wolves. They would snap at the coals, burn their mouths, burn their feet, and snap again. Finally they all ran away.

Here where the prairie and timber met, nature appeared in many forms. Birds were ever in the air, prairie chickens and wild turkeys were numerous; the streams were full of fish, and the woods were full of game; and the strong and virgin soil produced abundantly. Each season of the year had a beauty all its own; and while there were hardships, there were also compensations.

Each family to a large extent was its own doctor; and the virtues of live forever, plantain, horseradish, black mustard, pecoon (frecoon??) root, golden seal, cherry bark, wahoo, and dogwood were well known. Wool and flax were raised, spun, woven, and made into clothes. Ax handles were made; and plows and wagons mended by skillful hands. Fruits and vegetables were dried, and meats cured for winter use; and every household had its own homemade soap.

Apple cuttings and corn huskings were marked social occasions, as were also spelling matches, and school literary exercises, and debates. The simple life tended to ruggedness , not only of body; but also of character; and get-rich-quick schemes were few and far between. Whittier’s Barefoot Boy was much in evidence with
“Health that mocks the doctor’s rules,
Knowledge never learned of schools,
Of the wild bee’s morning chase,
Of the wild flower’s time and place.”
The tasks of the pioneer life kept each one busy; and true reward was the fruit of honest toil. Each earnest day was full of work; and when it ended,
“Something attempted, something done
had earned a nights repose.”
The lowing of cattle, the hum of the bees, the song of birds, the calls of the plowman to his team were a symphony that marked the gentle progress of the happy days. Sturdy honest men and God-fearing women and rosy laughing children did their part to make this the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Ten children; - four boys and six girls came to bless the home of James Cheshier. Also other tracts of land were added to the farm from time to time until he owned 200 acres. This land was partially bought with money from the sale of butter and eggs. Mr. Cheshier gave the use of land for a school house which was called the Cheshier School. He also donated land for a cemetery which was called the Cheshier Cemetery. The surrounding vicinity was called the Cheshier neighborhood.

Later Mr. Cheshier was converted and joined the Christian Church of which he became and official. He enjoyed the services of the church, and would pray; and sometimes he would shout. On Sunday after church, there was always a goodly number of the congregation and other friends who came by the house for dinner. The boys of the family were kept busy tending the horses; and the women of the family were busy preparing the meal. If Washington Irving were alive, he could fittingly describe those Sunday dinners at the Cheshier home.

A visitor of the Cheshiers in the summer would have seen pictures of prosperity. Flocks of guineas would have been making a noisy welcome. Stately roosters martialed their flocks and filled the air with their busy notes; and squadrons of thirsty hens were running here and there giving the promise of juicy drumsticks and baskets of eggs. Rows of hives with their humming workers forecasted a wealth of sweetness for coming days, and contented cattle helped to fill out a picture of abundance and peace.

At the time of Christmas holidays a custom was observed which continued many years. All the families of the married sons and daughters would meet together at their different homes going from one to another in turn. For between one and two weeks, they did no work except to feed the stock; they spent the time visiting and feasting. Each family had its own particular delicacy in the preparation of which it excelled. And each set forth its best and engaged in friendly rivalry with the others. It was the Harvest Home of the Cheshiers: The year was closing, its work was done, the harvests were in and the time had come to rest and rejoice.

One of the occasions worthy of mention was hog-killing time. It is an art to butcher a hog quickly and neatly and also to preserve the meat; and in that neighborhood all were artists. James Cheshier was always secured to do the killing; and when his gun discharged, the hog dropped without a struggle. Each man was busy at one of the many tasks involved; and all worked together like the soldiers of an army. While the men were employed at their various tasks the women in the house were making sausage. James and his son Benjamin generally rendered the lard. Tubs of sausage were made and many gallons of lard were rendered. Swift and Armor never sent out as palatable meat as that which was prepared by the Cheshiers and other pioneers.

The winter was the favorite time for holding revivals of religion. When the snow was on the ground the favorite vehicle was the sled,- a wagon box on wooden runners. Families would load up the sleds with their friends and neighbors until they were crowded. Hay or straw was laid in the bottom of the sleds, and then comforters which were also brought up around them. B.F. (B.H.?) Cheshier was specially busy in taking people to church.

In those days people took their religion seriously. They sang not only with the understanding but also with the Spirit. The preachers preached with the authority of the Word and said, “Thus saith the Lord”. Prayers were fervent and faith was strong and the people came in crowds and packed the church and expected results. Sometimes when stirred by the positive preaching, men and women rose up out of their seats and exhorted and praised the Lord in loud tones.

Center Baptist Church, as its name would indicate, was a religious center, and thither in large numbers people would come to its meetings; one of the most ardent worshippers of its congregation was Sister Betty Hunter. One night inspired by the sermon, and the tone of the meeting Sister Hunter felt that she had something to say. In fact she felt that she had several things to say, and she proceded (sic) to say them.
Heaven was near and Christ was dear and God’s Word was true and she wanted everybody to know it. As she rose to greater ecstacies (sic), she made a sweeping gesture and the long stove pipe fell down, and clouds of smoke and soot filled the room. Several men had to make themselves useful and there was not much more meeting that night; but the next night the meeting was in full blast;- no one was discouraged. God bless the memory of Betty Hunter! May there be more like her who by their faith will knock down, not merely a stove pipe; but certain modern walls of Jericho!

The rising generation can hardly understand the conditions of pioneer life and the attendant toil and sacrifice. There were no concrete roads nor automobiles; but there were muddy roads and slow means of travel. Mr. James Cheshier in the early part of his career had a fire place where there was a back log and where the cooking was done; and he knew what it was to see by the light of a candle made in the family candle mold. He used the long muzzle-loading rifle, moulded (sic) his own bullets, and rammed the charge down with a ramrod; but after the gun was loaded it spoke with deadly effectiveness. He was an expert marksman, and when he went into the woods (sic) with the long rifle into the woods to hunt and his family heard the crack of his gun, they knew that a squirrel or other game had yielded to his skill.

The men of the time were sturdy men, and the women were true Americans. At a later day during the Civil War it was rumored about the neighborhood that a certain rebellious leader would come with his gang and raid the neighborhood. On the night of the expected attack, a large number of the men of that neighborhood and of others, organized as home guards, lay in ambush. They were armed and hidden on both sides of the road which the attacking force was expected to travel. But evidently the would-be attackers heard of the plans for defense and there was no conflict.

True strength and the higher qualities of mind and heart tend to go together; and the softer side of life was not neglected. The place of the Cheshiers was not merely one for eating and sleeping and planning to make money; it was also a home. There were to be found hollyhocks, peonies, old fashioned running roses, marigolds, bachelor buttons, sweet Mary, live forever and old fashioned pinks (???) One of the most striking features of the garden was a profusion of gourds, thick gourds, slim gourds, short gourds, and long gourds. Some of the gourds were used as drinking cups, some to hold eggs, and some as soap containers.

Strength and simplicity were the ornaments of the home, and hope and peace brooded over the household. Living near nature’s heart they learned lessons too deep for words. “Life was real, Life was earnest”, and nobody asked if life was worth living. By day the songs of the birds were praises; and by night the voices of the insects made soft music. The winds brought consoling messages, and the stars of heaven soothed the heart. Summer and winter, day dawn and night were parts of the great plan; and back of the plan was God.

The town with its many changes has it place; but so also has the country. Here men have the opportunity to study nature; and nature speaks of fixedness of plan. Here “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork.”

Summer and winter, the ripple of streams and the falling of snow, the rainbow in the sky, and the dewdrop in the morning, seedtime and harvest, steady toil and its reward; all are an inspiration to those reared out on the soil and this inspiration they carry out with them to the hall of learning and the marts of trade. The town draws its blood from the country, and continually demands fresh blood. From a fountain in Wilberton township (sic), many streams flowed out in many channels over the land. From the old home generations of people have marched forth in the many walks of life.

Mr. James Cheshier had a sister Betty who married a Mr. Oliver; Mrs. Ollie Higginbottom of Vandalia is her granddaughter. One of his sons James Cheshier was a noted stock buyer and could determine with his eye almost the exact weight of a drove of cattle or a herd of swine. Mr. George Cheshier another son was a natural genius in construction and put up many buildings in Fayette Co. Another son, John Cheshier was versed in legal lore and acted as constable for a long period of time. B.F. Cheshier another son made a reputation as being a successful restaurant keeper in Vandalia. We have neither the time nor the knowledge to follow the careers of the members of this large family that has multiplied as fast and spread so far. The sons and the daughters, and the grandchildren and great grandchildren and the in-laws have become a great host. One grandson is a preacher, and also a great grandson. One grandson is custodian of the State Park in Vandalia and another grandson is the sheriff of Fayette County. Illinois. Josephus the Jewish historian tells us that the Ten Tribes of Israel across the Euphrates River at the time were a great host. In a land greater than that of the Euphrates, the tribes of the Cheshiers have become a great host. Let us say: “See what God hath wrought,” and let us give our trust to the Great Shepard, and walk humbly before Him.