CHAPTER XXXII. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JOHN DAVIS. 



EARLY PIONEER LIFE. 



The subject of this sketch was born in a log cabin, fifteen 

 miles south of Springfield, Illinois, in the year 1826. 

 When three years of age, his father, Mr. Joseph Davis, re 

 moved to Macon County, Illinois, near Decatur, where he 

 still resides. 



This removal took place during the Black Hawk war, 

 when settlements in central Illinois were few and far be 

 tween, when Chicago was a mere trading village, and the 

 whole northern portion of Illinois was an untilled and wild 

 prairie region, except here and there, where a few hardy 

 pioneers had formed settlements. Indians were plenty and 

 on the war path. Troops and prairie scouts were actively 

 engaged in guarding the sparse settlements, or pursuing the 

 savages. Mills were situated at wide intervals, and the suf 

 ferings of the hardy settlers were such as to leave a vivid 

 remembrance of those old days. 



The winter of 1830-31 will long be remembered by the 

 pioneers of central and southern Illinois, as the winter of 

 deep snows. During two terrible storms in December, the 

 snow fell to the depth of three feet over the surface, and 

 drifted to great heights, covering fences, corn-fields, small 

 stacks, and even the cabins of the settlers. Live stock and 



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