1905 Past and Present
Slaves
Possibly some reader may be surprised to know that Negro slaves were owned in this county during the first years of its organization, yet such is the fact. Early in the, history of the county a man named Pullam came to Illinois from Kentucky. He settled on the Barr place, a short distance west of the property known as the David Wright property; he brought with him twenty Negroes. After remaining here some time and learning that the laws of the state did not permit the owning of slaves, he sold out. Bayman White bought his improvements and he sold to one Pepperdine. Mr. Pullam took all his Negroes south with him except one, "Old Strap," and he remained here for several years. During the latter part of his life he was an expense to the county, and this explains the following entry in the records of the commissioners court which has been a puzzle to many: "Ordered, that Robert B. Scott be allowed four dollars for keeping 'Old Strap.'" Thomas Rattan also brought Negroes to this county with him, but upon arriving on free soil he set them at liberty, but he was so kind a master that they preferred to remain with him. Mr. Rattan was emphatically a man of business and always carried on a great deal of work. He hence had a large number of Negroes in his family nearly all the time. They ate at the same table with himself and family and his guests, the colored part of the house being placed on one side of the table and the white folks on the other side.
The last record we have of the possession of slaves is found in the records of deeds in the recorder's office. There we find mention of the following deeds: One dated December 7, 1835, by which James H. Cravens and wife deed to James G. Berry, John H. Marmon and John C. Berry, in consideration of the sum of three hundred dollars the following property: "A Negro boy slave called and known by the name of Jonathan, about fifteen years of age, of a light complexion, about five feet four inches high; also a Negro woman, Tener, about eighteen years of age, of a dark complexion: also Tener's child, named Margaret, about two years old, of a light complexion, and all other increase which said Negro woman, Tener, may have from and after this date; said Negroes are at this time in the state of Kentucky in possession of Lewis Grimes." On September 18, 1848, we find recorded a bill of sale, whereby, for the Sum of one thousand one hundred dollars Larkin Rattan conveys to Thomas Rattan "one equal and undivided half of all my right, title and interest in the following slaves, to-wit: Charlotte, aged forty-three years; Bill, aged fourteen years; Mary, aged twelve years; George, aged about eleven years; Louisiana, aged about eight years; Gunn Iowa, aged about five years, and another slave boy, name unknown, about two years."
In this connection it may be interesting to notice ho" the name "Nigger Lick" happened to be applied to a stream in the eastern part of the county, it is said that a company of Negro slaves fleeing from their masters camped on the bank of this stream. They were followed and tracked to their hiding place. At the camp the pursuers found a Negro woman lying by the fire, the smoke of which had guided them to her. By means of threats they persuaded her to point out the location where the rest of the runaways could be found. Proceeding in the direction she indicated they soon came upon the Negroes near a bold, gushing spring that came up through a fissure in a solid sand stone just large enough to admit a man's hand. A basin holding about ten gallons had been excavated from the top of the rock, either by the water or by artificial means. The water rises in the center of this basin and, running over the sides, flows off in a brisk current. Close by the stream was a salt deposit, where the deer often resorted, drawn by the saline taste. This fact, with the incident above related, gave to the stream the name of "Nigger Lick," which it has since borne.
Transcribed from Past and Present of Greene County, Illinois, by Ed Miner, published in 1905, pages 66-67.
