COL. BARNEY pg 206-209-210 In 1826 there came to Atlas, from Berkshire, Mass., that eminent man, Col. Benjamin Barney, who still survives, residing at Barry. He "was a man of great physical powers, of strong natural sense, benevolent, patriotic, not learned in book lore, but wise in that which made him a leader in trying times; was sober, industrious and always at his post. His tales of early adventure are marvelous, and yet undoubtedly true." - Grimshaw. He was born in September, 1795, emigrated first to Sandusky. O., and afterward was one of the first five settlers in Seneca county in that State. In Ohio he married Minerva Harris, who died in 1849. He was the first blacksmith in Pike county. And probably the first in the whole Military Tract. He made the first plow ever made in this county, and was for a long time known as "the county blacksmith." He was induced to stop at Atlas mainly on account of his being offered the position of Deputy Sheriff by Capt. Ross, the newly elected Sheriff. Col. Barney bore a prominent part in the Black Hawk war, and his life has all along been so identified with the history of Pike county that his name will occur frequently in this volume. COL. BARNEY's TRIP TO CARROLLTON During this age of quick transit we often speak of mail "facilities," but for pioneer times it would be more appropriate to say mail "difficulties." It must be borne in mind that it cost 25 cents for the early pilgrims who came to this country to get a letter from their friends in the East or South, and then the mails came only at long intervals. Col. Barney relates a bit of experience as a mail- carrier in early day, which is quite thrilling. There had been no mail received at Atlas for about six weeks. The Illinois river was high, and filled with running ice so that it was impossible to cross it with any degree of safety. Capt Ross was postmaster at Atlas, the only place in the county where there was a postoffice, and he as well as the other settlers were exceedingly anxious to get the mail from Carrollton, the point from which the Pike county mail was brought. Carrollton is on the east side of the river and 40 miles distant from Atlas. Postmaster Ross had made liberal offers to induce some one to go after the mail, but none had yet succeeded in getting it. The six dollars he had offered was a great motive, and at least three men at different times had attempted the trip, but could get no further than the Illinois river, and would return discouraged. At last, becoming exceedingly anxious to hear from the outside world, Mr. Ross made the very liberal offer of ten dollars to anyone who would carry the mail to Carrollton and return with the mail from that point. This offer was made Saturday night, and Col. Barney resolved to attempt to win the prize. It must be remembered that in those primitive times ten dollars was considered a large amount of money; and the Colonel said, when he returned and got his money, that he felt as though he was rich enough to start a bank. Mr. Barney was up before day Sunday morning getting ready for the trip. His wife prepared a lunch of corn-cake and venison for him to take with him and eat upon the way; but unfortunately he forgot it when he left home. He had traveled but a few miles ere it began to snow. The large flakes began to fall thicker and faster, and the wind began to blow and soon the storming elements were raging around him with great fury. He quickened the pace of his horse and finally arrived at the Illinois river at a point where there had been a ferry and where he intended to cross. The man who had conducted the ferry had recently died, leaving a family of wife and several small children. They lived in a rude cabin upon the western bank of the river; the widowed mother lay sick and near death's door; they were without medicine, food or care, and suffering untold misery. The Colonel put his horse in the smoke-house attached to the cabin, which was so small that the horse could not turn around in it. He then hired a lad who was there at this time to assist him over the river. After much difficulty he reached the eastern bank and started off on his trip to Carrollton on foot. The Atlas mail was small, yet he found great difficulty in making his way through the deep snow. He at last reached his destination, got the mail and started homeward. Before leaving Carrollton, however, he called upon the doctor and reported the condition of the woman at the ferry. The physician said he had been down to the river two or three times on his way to visit her but could not get over, and had concluded that she was dead. He gave the Colonel some medicine for her, and the kind lady at the postoffice gave him a large package of provisions also to take to the distressed woman. This package weighed about 16 pounds, and with the mail, which was quiet large and consisted mostly of military matter, he started on foot for the river. It was dusk when he arrived in the river bottom. To add to the already great peril in which he found himself, a large pack of wolves, about 50 in number, followed him, some of them yelping furiously. The bolder ones would approach closely and gnarl at the lone footman, whom they were eager to make a meal of. He would frighten them off by slapping his hands on the mail-bags, making a loud, sharp noise. This he did repeatedly, and perhaps it was the only way he could get through safely, as he had no fire-arms or weapons of any kind. He reached the river only to find difficulties more complicated; he could not get over. He hallooed, but in vain. He got into an old boat which lay fastened in the ice out from the shore, and lay down, thinking he would be compelled to remain there during the night. He soon found himself shivering with cold, and would certainly freeze to death if he remained there longer. He aroused himself, got a pole and finally worked his way over the river, from cake to cake of the floating ice, though a dangerous task it was. He remained over night at the cabin and gave the widow the medicine and provision sent her. These relieved her present wants, but she continued to decline, and shortly afterward died. The Colonel at last reached Atlas, with the long-looked-for mail. He made the settlers joyous with the letters brought from their friends and was himself made happy by the receipt of ten dollars, which he had certainly well earned. *************************** A FEW OCCURRENCES OF 1826 pg 211 - 212 The first coal burned in Pike county was from Pittsburg, PA., and used by Benj. Barney in his blacksmith shop in 1826. During the summer of 1827 there was a great deal of rain, and the streams rose higher than they ever did afterward until 1851. The Sny Carte was navigable for steam-boats at least as far up as Atlas, as Col. Ross proved to the astonishment of many. He had three steam-boats in his service, and one of them in particular, the "Mechanic," came up to a point directly opposite Atlas. Its arrival was announced by the firing of guns. The first wheat raised in Pike county was raised this year by Col. Ross and Mr. Seeley, and it was also the first wheat ground within the limits of the county. This year came Benjamin B. Barney, no relation of Col. Barney. Endeavoring to trace their relationship one day the Colonel said he was from Massachusetts, when Benjamin B. replied with an oath, "Oh, if you are a Yankee you are no connection of mine." This Benjamin B. Barney bought Col. Ross' horse-mill and kept it a long time, probably until it was worn out or finally abandoned. ********************************** PERSONAL SKETCHES pg 589 We will now make personal mention of the leading citizens and old settlers of this township. BENJAMIN BARNEY was born in Pike county, where Montezuma now stands, Feb. 1, 1825. His parents emigrated to this county from Ohio, in 1824. Being a pioneer, he knows all the hardships of pioneer life; as soon as he was large enough to ride on horseback he went to Frye's Mill on Big Blue, a distance of 12 miles, and nearly always had to remain all night to get his grinding done, and no place to sleep, except on the corn-sack; he has had many exciting scenes in the chase, having killed deer, wolves and wild-cats. Dec. 21, 1845, he married Miss Caroline Harvey, and they had 3 children, - William A., James B. and Alfred F. In 1852 Mr. Barney removed to Oregon with his family, where Mrs. Barney died the same year; in 1857 he returned to Pike county, where he married Cynthia H. Mays, and their 8 children are Andrew J., dec., John W., Henry L., Laura E., Marion, Robert A., Artilla D. and Minnie, Mr. B. is engaged in farming and stock-raising on sec. 26, this tp. ******************************* FRANCIS M. BARNEY pg 590 A native of Pike county, was born May 12, 1837, and is a son of Joseph W. Barney, dec., who came to this county in 1824. His grandfather, Benjamin B. Barney, was one of the first pioneers of this county, and erected the first horse-mill in the county for grinding corn. This aged gentleman crossed the plains to California in 1849, being then in his 91st year, and arrived there in apparently good health, but died on ship- board while returning, in 1854. Our subject was raised on a farm and received a common-school education; in 1866 he married Miss S. A. Furry, daughter of Christopher Furry, dec. They have 5 children, 3 of whom are living, viz: - Cora B., William R. and Edgar F. He has held the office of Town Clerk, and is at present the Police Magistrate for the village of Time. He served 3 years in Co. A, 20th Reg. I. V. I., as a private in the late war, and was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Vicksburg, Britton's Lane, Kenesaw Mountain, Champion Hills, Raymond and others; he also participated in the Meridian raid, in which he came well-nigh being captured. He is a harness-maker by trade, but failing health required him to seek another vocation, and he now keeps a grocery store in Time. ************************************ Glenda Rochester, N.Y. ********** .............\\\|/// \\ ~ ~ // ( @ @ ) ------- oOOo-(_)-oOOo---------------------------- Visit my web page & sign my Guestbook <A HREF="http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~glendasubyak">Glenda - Rootsweb pg</A> http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~glendasubyak