The bark canoe and the majestic steamer, the rude wigwam and the stately mansion, the Indian pony and the iron horse, the slow footman and the lightning telegraph illustrate the vast difference between the savage of then and the civilized of today.

But little is known of the history of Montezuma township prior to the year 1819, at which time Ebenezer Franklin settled upon the lands now owned by his son Fredric Franklin, our townsman. Other settlements were afterwards made, by Charles Adams, J ames Daniels, David Daniels, David Hoover, Daniel Hoover, Joel Meacham, Thomas Davis, (1826), Elijah Garrison (1826), Solomon Farringson, (1827),John F. Long, (1818), Fielden Hanks, (1829), William Morton, Frederic Franklin, (came with his father) E. C. Clemmons, James Cheatham (1834), Josiah Hoover, (came with his father 1826). The last eight are still residents. Z. A. Garrison, John Battershell, (1832), now a resident of Spring Creek Township. Ezekial Clemmons, Boone Allen, John Morton, George Morton, Peter Dillon, John Garrison, Joseph Garrison, John Loep, Nicholas Jones, John Jones, Wm. McBride, Smith Aimes, Joshua Davis, Josiah Simms, Wm. Kenney (1826), Solomon Seevers, James Grimes, (1836) John Bacus, Job Wilkinson, B. Greathouse, John Greathouse, Louis Allen, Elijah Garrison.

Like all settlers of new countries, they suffered many hardships and inconveniences. The nearest mill for the first few years was Edwardsville, 80 miles distant. Mr. Franklin informs us that there were then about 200 Indians in this vicinity. Z. A. Garrison of Oregon, wrote us last week as follows:

"Fifty years agp, I with my father and his family crossed the Illinois River in a small hand ferryboat at Meacham ferry, where Montezuma now stands. We went west four miles and settled in the timber a pretty country abounding with game of all kinds. Deer, turkey and bees were very plenty. The Indians were our most numerous neighbors, being about twenty to one white man. In the winter of 1829 and 1830 the deep snow fell which was four feet on a level.

The summer following I was tending the ferry for Solomon Seevers at Montezuma and saw the first steamboat that ploughed the Illinois river. It was a small stern wheeler. When opposite the ferry the wheel rolled up so much grass that it could not turn, and the men had to cut it loose and pole her through the grass. There was but one watermill in the county and that was on Big Blue. It was a tub wheel and a very faithful one it was. When it got our grain cracked it would jump up another with a powerful vim and cra it too. The nearest store in the county was kept by Col. Ross at Atlas. Women wore homespun cotton dresses, and deer skin moccasins. Men and boys dressed in buckskin from head to foot and on the head a coon or fox skin cap; eat hog and hominy, lived sociable and enjoyed each others company with true friendship."

In the year 1829 a horse mill was built by Freeman Tucker on the lot now occupied by Mr. Franklin. The nearest trading points were at Atlas and Bridgeport opposite Bedford. The first regularly laid out road ran from Montezuma to Atlas, and was among, if not the first, in the county. Houston was the physician. Polly Davis taught the first school in a small cabin on the land now owned by Josiah Hoover. In addition to her labors as teacher she had the care of eight children.

The inhabitants were preeminently religious. Shouting was very common and the "jerks" had not ceased to afflict the religious fanatic. Preaching and prayer meetings were held at private houses until better accommodations could be had. The Christian church prevailed at that time, and an organization was effected prior to the year 1828. There were five resident "ministers; four of the Christian and one of the Baptist faith. The present Christian church, has been perpetuated since the year 1833. The call for volunteers for the Black Hawk War created no little consternation among the people. A meeting was called at Florence and John Battershell, Joseph Gale, William Kenny, Joshua Davis, Smith, Aimes, Josiah Simms and Edward Irons enlisted. There were others from the adjoining towns or counties who afterwards became residents. Jesse Lester then a resident of Detroit, now residing here. James Grimes, resident of Green Co., and others whose names we cannot give. About the year 1830, by of a law allowing slaveholders the privilege of passing through this with slaves, slavery existed in the township for a period limited by the law to 30 days. Jacob Rossel, brought a negro woman here and not wishing to remove for the time, kept her until the expiration of the 30 days and took her to Missouri for a few days and brought her back again, and so continued to do, thus evading the law for nearly a year. The first marriage so far as we can learn was that of Joseph Gale and Elizabeth Garrison about the year 1830. The oldest native born resident is Daniel G. Hoover, son of Daniel and Rebecca Hoover. Calvin Greathouse son of John and Catherine Greathouse was the first native born.