The Lee Cabin, built in 1836 and one of the oldest structures in Woodford County, now occupies a spot in the Metamora Park District’s Black Partridge Park. Black Partridge Park is the crown-jewel of Metamora parks. It is a 450-acre park that features areas of sports fields, playground equipment and pavilion facilities. The extensive trail system through the park provides both an opportunity for recreation and to commune with nature. New bridges as well as walking and mountain biking trails have been constructed. While you are here, please visit the other caches in the park: Lee Cabin Cache(GC2BKKV; yes, it is a different cache), Small Animals of Black Partridge (GCJY86), Genesis Code II (GCZ98X), The Old Friend (GC33JWV), Creek Crossing Cache (GCRGM8), Cloud Walk (GC2N12A), Jane Austin Point (GC3BVDP), and Cloud Walk #2: The Gator Pit (GC2N47M). The Lonely Island (GC30XHC) is within a stone’s throw to park boundaries.
The final stage is a good sized, camoed Lock-n-lock container. Cache is placed with permission from the Metamora Park District Board.
Congratulations to MrLuckyPants for FTF!
***You WILL NEED the following information to find the second stage of this multi-cache. ***
History of the Lee Cabin:
In 1836, a full 5 years before Woodford County was formed from portions of Tazewell and McLean counties, Swiss immigrants John (Johann) and Anna Amsler were deeded 80 acres of land along the western end of Worth Township. As was the custom for Teutonic settlers of the time, the Amslers built a modest, one room, 1½ story home from logs hewn into flat timbers and roofed with hand sawn shingles. As it is made from squared off logs rather than logs in their naturally rounded state, Lee Cabin is actually more properly called a timber house rather than a log cabin. According to a state historian who examined the structure prior to restoration, the door style, hinges, and corner notches on the logs are equally typical for early 19th century Germanic construction technique. The main floor was supported by log crossbeams, some still covered in bark, while the handmade bricks for the foundation came from Germantown Hills. Ten narrow, winding stairs constructed from walnut led to the second story. Evidence suggests that a tree which was standing on the day of the birth of our nation (i.e., 1776) contributed timber to this home.
John and Anna Amsler’s voyage to the New World in the early 1830s lasted 2 months; they originally settled in York County Pennsylvania before traveling by ox-driven wagon to Illinois. Before their purchase of the land in Worth Township, they farmed for one season in an area which is now part of Peoria County. Though they apparently had a total of 9 children, one born in Switzerland and the remainder in the U.S., little is known of the older siblings. However, Henry Amsler, born in December of 1838, is remembered for his service for the Union with the 85th Illinois Regiment.
The Amslers were short-lived residents of this historic building, as they sold the land and home to John Ormsby in 1838 – probably while Anna was expecting their son Henry. It appears the Amslers moved to a larger tract of land in south central Metamora Township, with the homestead located right on the county line with Tazewell, before ultimately retiring to the town of Washington sometime before 1880. They are buried together in the Glendale Cemetery in Washington, Illinois.
John Ormsby owned the cabin until 1864, at which time he sold it to the Klein family. Thus far, John Ormsby has been elusive to this experienced family history researcher; this page will be updated with additional information about the Ormsby family, if it becomes available. However, the Madison Ormsby family of Metamora were contemporaries to John Ormsby and, therefore, likely relations. Madison and his wife Mathilda lost their son, Cicero, on 17 February 1863 in Young’s Point, Louisiana, just 6 months after his muster into Company E 108th Illinois regiment, infantry. His brother William was given a disability discharge from the same company 2 days later.
Ownership passed between several Kleins from 1864 until 1905, at which time it was purchased by an immigrant Mennonite couple from Switzerland, Jacob and Anna Wehrli. Jacob came to the U.S. at the age of 21 in 1885; his future wife arrived the following year. The Wehrlis were blessed with 11 children, all but one born before moving into this small home. A single level addition had been added to the cabin in the 1860s; the Wehrlis added 2 porches in 1910 but otherwise managed to raise their sizable family in this very small home.
O. Frank and Alma Lee purchased the home and acreage in 1942; within the next few years, they worked to supply the cabin with running water and electricity. Prior to this, heat was provided by the original fireplace and, later, a wood burning stove; water was carried from a spring. The Lees moved into the cabin in 1949, subsequently dividing the original main floor room into a kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom; however, they were unable to use the 1860 addition due to its deteriorating condition.
In 1958, they moved to a new home about ½ mile away, but often checked on the old cabin. Unfortunately, they were unable to prevent regular acts of vandalism to the structure, nor the natural encroachment of scrub trees, undergrowth, and critters. In the late 1970s, they had the building evaluated for potential historic value; it was determined that the cabin is likely the oldest extant cabin in the county and probably one of only two original cabins of its kind in the entire state.
Unfortunately, Mr. Lee passed before he could realize their dream of donating the cabin for the purpose of restoration/preservation. However, Mrs. Lee continued to work with local civic and historical associations to organize a transfer of ownership and a restoration effort. It must have been more than gratifying for her to be a part of the caravan which escorted the cabin from its original location in Worth Township to its present position within Black Partridge Park in Metamora on 18 July 1984.
Much of what was added on to the cabin subsequent to its original construction was removed prior to the move, with the remainder of the restoration accomplished at the new location.
The official dedication of the cabin on 13 June 1987 reflected the culmination of several years of restoration by numerous volunteers. Indeed, the donation of land, removal of the cabin to the park, restoration, maintenance, and hosting of visitors has been a labor of love and model of cooperation between private funding sources, the Woodford County Historical Society, the Metamora Park District, Metamora Village municipal leadership, local newspapers, and innumerable private citizens. The cost of moving the cabin, for example, was largely provided from a portion of a substantial bequest to the village of Metamora from Mrs. Bertha Snyder, a long-time Metamora resident who died in 1982 at the age of 102 years.
The cabin is now fully restored and comfortably nestled within a split rail fence amidst a native prairie landscape. Indeed, the picturesque grounds are a favorite four season outdoor venue for portrait photographers. Visitors are also welcome to a guided tour of the cabin on Sundays between May and October from 1 – 4pm.
Sources:
Souvenir History of Woodford County 1841 – 1991, sponsored by Woodford County Sesquicentennial Committee
U.S. Federal Census records
Various Woodford County Land Ownership plat maps
McCracken County Kentucky History Book, by McCracken County Genealogical-Historical Society
and an online biography of Henry Amsler http://www.lanewood.com/1916bio7.htm
Special thanks to Bob Schertz, Shirley Adams, Barbara Bradle, and Karen Fyke for their research assistance and to the Metamora Park District for their willingness to support geocaching in Black Partridge Park.