J.G. Pettingill, St. Charles, Illinois, 1850s
St. Charles (Illinois) Review, March 14, 1879
Pages from the Past
J.G. Pettingill
An old, wooden-legged man, a tailor by trade, had a bill for ringing the town bell, which he presented to the board in Dec. 1852. It set forth that there was due said Pettingill for ringing bell, for three months, the sum of $13 - a dollar per week. He had given Daniel Hyde an order on the town for $4, which lessened his bill to $9. The old man delighted to play a bass drum. he would thump away on one until the echoes were completely awakened. C.A. Miller, John Strader, N.T. Roche, and others were were young men then, remember readily his peculiar characteristics. One of his children moved to Iowa and after a time the old man thought to make a visit to the Hawkeye state. He got on the train one day, and started. He never reached is destination. Death met him on the train at Dixon, and the old wooden-legged bell ringer went off on a longer journey than he had intended - went to visit those who had gone before; went to the land of unspeaking shadows.
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