“What a strange sort o’ man that Master Clark is,” said one committee-man to the others, as they were returning homeward after night-fall.
“Yes, he is sartin’ly mighty singular, not to take money for his labors when he arn’d it, and ’tis offered him.”
“An’t he a leetle sort o’ crack’d?” asked another. “It looks like it,” was the reply; “but, then a crack’d skull never could ’av’ managed the youngsters as he did.”
“Well, I reckon he’ll suffer for that money yet, way in that Elenoy country, ’fore he’d find a chance to get more. I b’lieve a man ought’r get all the money he can honestly, ’specially when he’s arn’d it, as Master Clark done.”
“I’m mind he’ll yet die a poor man, and it mought be he’d suffer a heap ef he lives long in that new country, and gets no money to pay ’xpenses.”
“Well, I an’t sorry we raised it, no how; for he’d orter been paid; for he’s done the childer a mighty heap of good.”
“And he’s a good man, that’s sartin’,” replied the first speaker; “and ef John Clark don’t get to the ‘good country’ he talks of when he preaches, I’m mighty fear’d nobody else will.”
And John Clark was not forgotten in Kentucky for many a year, nor his singular ways, neither. There are a few old people still living, who attended school under his instruction, who, as they express it, “never seed the like on’t.” They do not believe, with all the “new fangled ways,” and “heap o’ larnin,” and practical wisdom teachers now have, that they can come up with preacher Clark.
Journey to Illinois.--Story of the Gilham family, captured by Indians.--Hard fare.--Mr. Gilham attempts to recover them.-- Indian War.--Peace made.--The Family Redeemed.--Removes to Illinois with Mr. Clark.--Navigation of Western Rivers.--Story of Fort Massac.--Terrible sickness.--Settlement of New Design. --An ungodly race.--First Preacher in Illinois.--A Stranger in meeting.--First Baptisms.--Other Preachers.--First Church Formed.--Manners and customs of the French.--Indian War.-- Stations or Forts Described.--PIONEER BOOKS projected.
And now we find the pioneer preacher trudging along the obscure pathway that guided him down the country in a western direction, towards the Green river district. He made appointments and preached in all the principal settlements as he journeyed, and was treated kindly and hospitably by all classes of people. It was in the Green river country he became acquainted with James Gilham, who was then preparing to remove his family and settle in the Illinois country, and wanted three or four able bodied men to accompany him, and work the boat down the Ohio and up the Mississippi. Mr. Clark had started from Lincoln County with the intention of passing through the wilderness on foot, but he had now a good opportunity of proceeding in a keel boat, or French pirogue, by water. They fitted out at the Red-banks, on the Ohio. While pursuing their journey of several hundred miles, Mr. Clark, in accordance with a long cherished wish, had a fine opportunity to learn much of Indian character and habits from this family. Mrs. Gilham and three children had been redeemed from a long and distressing captivity but two years before, and the story of her sufferings, privations, and wonderful preservation, as told to Mr. Clark, while sitting around their camp fire at night, deserves a place in our narrative.