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INTRODUCTION: It is no light task to attempt an accurate history, whether it be of a nation or, of a neighborhood; in fact, nations are made up of neighborhoods, and a true picture of the country at large must depend upon a correct portrayal of the many small communities of which it is composed.
Historical works of worldwide or national scope are not lacking in number or variety. These are necessary for our proper education, but since they treat for the most part of places we can seldom visit, and of people far removed by time and distance, they do not hold for us the same keen interest, as do the narratives, which treat of scenes nearby, and of family name with which we are familiar.
The original settlers of this community were men and women of integrity and high ideals, whose influence for good has made itself felt to the present time. A few of these pioneers survived until recent years, and some have left us written records of the events of early days. In preserving these treasured records in permanent form we are doing nothing more than our simple duty to the generations which are to follow us.
While visiting in Augusta in the summer of 1920, I was requested to prepare the Pulaski section of the history of Augusta then being compiled by the Martha Board Chapter, the Daughters of the American Revolution. The limited time at my disposal was spent in interviewing as many of the oldest surviving settlers, who had either come here in their youth, or were born here, some of them more than eighty years ago when the settlement was new. In Augusta I found certain volumes of county histories, and discovered still others in the Newberry Library in Chicago. I copied from these such portions as would be of interest to our community, and also copied some old manuscripts existing in the neighborhood, as well as extracts from records in the court house in Carthage. All this material I brought with me to Havana, and for several months have been devoting my spare time to rewriting and compiling it, together with other historical data already in my possession. Much attention has also been given to reproducing old portraits, as well as late photographs of many of the places described.
Writing as I am of a rural community, without definite boundaries, it is difficult to know just where to draw the line; the temptation is to go on and on a little farther, but space allotted to this chapter will not permit wandering far. There fore, it has been unavoidable in some cases to stop short, including the story of one family and omitting that of their next door neighbor. When it has been necessary to select from a number of pioneer families, I have endeavored to include those whose descendants still live in the community. But no matter how much care has been exercised, many worthy names must be omitted, and many interesting incidents left unrecorded.
In an earnest effort to arrive at the real truth of events, this chapter will be limited mainly to extracts from old manuscripts and Published histories, and also from verbal accounts given me in person by the oldest settlers now living in the neighborhood. If any repetitions occur, the one version will serve in the main to corroborate the other, even though they may differ slightly in minor details. Having spent the greater part of the past twenty-two years in foreign countries, I am somewhat out of touch with the more recent home events, but from childhood can remember many of the fine old pioneer characters herein mentioned; this with my general recollection of the neighborhood, has been of much help to me in preparing this chapter; however all the principal items here recorded are based not on my memory or opinion, but upon some definite authority, either written or verbal. Wherever possible, the source of such information has been stated.
Ralph Waldo Crain, Havana, Cuba May 1921
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The Story of Pulaski Written by Ralph Waldo Crain
Excerpted from the book Augusta’s Story Compiled by the Martha Board Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution Published by the Augusta Eagle, Augusta, Illinois, 1922 |
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