USA > Illinois > Edwards County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 31
USA > Illinois > Wabash County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 31
USA > Illinois > Lawrence County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 31
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
David B. Abernathy, and, subsequently, for about two years was in partnership with E. Callahan. In 1881, he took into partnership, D. L. Brewer, which continued until the death of the la ter in March, 1822. In June, 1882, S. G Gee, became a partner, and the firm of Huffman & Gee still continues.
WILLIAM M. ROBINSON, is a son of Dr. J. A. Robin- son, a Methodist minister. He received his early education in the public schools, in the various towns in Illinois, to which his father was sent as pastor, and sub- sequently attended McKendree college at Lebanon, Illinois, from which institution he graduated in 1870. In 1871, he began reading law with William Stoker, of Centralia, and afterward with Judge Horace Hayward, Olney. Was admitted to the bar in January, 1875. Immediately thereafter he began the practice of law in Olney, associated with W. Mattoon, and in August, 1876, came to Lawrenceville and opened an office, form- ing partnership with D. L. Brewer, in 1877, which continued for a period of two years, since which time Mr. Robinson has practiced alone. He is a man of great talent and a lawyer of ability.
S. B. ROWLAND, is a native of Illinois. He began the study of law in the office of Wilson & Hutchison, of Olney, and afterward attended the law department of the University of Michigan, graduating in March, 1871. Was admitted to the bar in this State, in April of the same year, and soon afterward located in the practice of law at Lawrenceville. In 1882, he formed a partner- ship with T. P. Lowery, and in the same year purchased the Lawrence County Democrat, which was under his management about four years. March 16, 1883, he formed a partnership with his old preceptor, E. S. Wil- son, of Olney.
GEORGE HUFFMAN, is a brother of Judge T. B. Huff. man, also a native of Indiana. He was educated in the schools of his native State, attending the Vincennes University, and in 1867 entered the Lincoln University of Illinois, from which he was graduated in 1869. Began the study of law in 1870, in the office of W. B. Jones, at Lincoln, and was admitted to practice in 1871. For a few years he taught school, and was engaged in the mercantile business, and in the spring of 1878 began the practice of his profession in Lawrenceville by him- self. In 1879 he became a partner with E. S. Wilson of Olney, which continued until August, 1880, when he formed a partnership with Frank C. Meserve. Mr. Huffman is a good lawyer.
K. P. SNYDER, the present efficient prosecuting attorney of Lawrence county, was born in Richland county, Illinois, where he received his early education, subsequently attending the State Normal University, at Normal, Illinois. Read law in the office of Fifer & Phillips, of Bloomington, at the same time attended the law department of the Wesleyan University, from which institution he graduated in June, 1879, and immediately thereafter was admitted to the bar at Mt. Vernon Illinois. September 1, 1879, he opened a law office in
Lawrenceville. In 1880, he was elected to the office of State's attorney for Lawrence county, for a term of four years. Mr. Snyder is a studious, careful lawyer, and a successful prosecutor.
T. B. FINLY, a resident attorney of Sumner, a native of Ohio, attended Miller's Academy, and afterward Franklin College at Athens, Ohio, from which he gradu- ated in 1860. Read law in the office of Miller & Sherrard, at Steubenville, Ohio, and took a course in the law school at Cleveland, Ohio. Began practice at Sidney, Ohio, and afterward became a partner of Judge William Lawrence, at Bellefontaine, Ohio, Opened an office at Sumner, in 1879, where he has since resided.
FRANK MESERVE came to Illinois from Massachu- setts, his native state, in 1879. He is a young man of scholarly attainments, having had advantage of the su- perior schools of his native state, and graduating at the Boston University in 1877. His father being a lawyer, Mr. Meserve inherited a natural inclination and tact for the legal profession, and shortly after leaving college he began the study of law in his father's office. Coming west, he resided with his uncle, at Robinson, Illinois, and completed his legal course in the office of Callahan & Jones of that town. He was admitted to the bar in this state in June, 1880, and the following month located in Lawrenceville, forming a law partnership with George Huffman, under the style of Huffman & Meserve, which still continues. In January, 1881, the firm purchased the Democratic Herald, Mr. Meserve assuming editorial charge. He is an energetic, studious lawyer, with good prospects for an extended practice.
C. J. BORDEN is a native of Pennsylvania ; he gra- duated from the Chester county Academy, in Pennsyl- vania, in 1873, and in 1876 went to Kentucky and attended the law department of the University of Louis- ville, graduating in 1879. He located in the practice of law at Lawrenceville in 1881.
S. J. GEE was born in St. Francisville, in this county. He entered Shurtleff college, at Alton, Illinois, in 1876, graduating in 1880, and immediately afterward began the study of law in the office of Brewer & Huffman, in Lawrenceville, and was admitted to the bar in 1882. Soon afterward he became the junior partner of T. B. Huffman, with whom he is still associated.
PHILIP W. BARNES, the present judge of the Law- rence county court, is a native of Ohio, and came with his father to this county when a lad of six years; at- tended the common schools of Lawrence county, and graduated at the Olney high-school in 1879, and soon afterward entered the law department of the Illinois Wesleyan University, at Bloomington, Illinois, from which he graduated June 15, 1881, and was admitted to the bar January 11, 1882 On the 4th of December of the same year he began the practice of law in Law- renceville by himself. In 1873 Mr. Barnes received the nomination for the office of county judge, by the Republican party, and was elected, the duties of which office he is now discharging with credit to himself and
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
satisfaction to the people of Lawrence. Judge Barnes is a young man of promise.
WABASH COUNTY.
FORMER RESIDENT LAWYERS.
The first resident attorney of Wabash county, as near as it is possible to ascertain, was EDWARD MUNDY. He was a nativeof New Jersey, and became a resident of Wabash county as early as 1820, locating in what is now Friendsville precinct. He traveled the circuit and was considered a good attorney. He was elected to represent this district in the legislature in 1830. A few years later hé moved to Michigan, where he afterward became very prominent in. political affairs, being elected Lieutenant Governor and holding other important offices. An attorney, by the name of ELKINS, is remembered as early as 1826, having located in the county, remaining however, only a few years.
HON. O. B. FICKLIN, a gentleman so well known to the citizens of the Wabash country, became a practising lawyer at Mt. Carmel as early as 1830, and was elected from Wabash county to represent that district in the legislature in 1834. Soon after serving out his term in the legislature he moved to Charlestown, Coles county, this state, and from that district was elected to Congress in 1843, being four times re-elected, and for many years recognized as one of the leaders of that body. He is still an honored citizen of Charlestown.
A MR. PYLE, came to Mt. Carmel about 1833, re- maining about three years.
JAMES McDOWELL, came in 1836, and practiced law at the Wabash bar until his death in 1866. He was for several years judge of the probate court, and was regarded as a sound attorney. Besides his profession he was also engaged in mercantile pursuits for several years in Mt. Carmel.
CHARLES H. CONSTABLE, was a native of Maryland and located at Mt. Carmel in 1839, and remained here until 1852, when he removed to Marshall county, Illi- nois, where he was elected to the office of circuit judge. He was a lawyer of ability. Died about the close of the late war.
JOSEPH G. BOWMAN, a Virginian, became a member of the Wabash bar in 1839. He was elected to repre- sent the district in the legislature in 1840, and subse- quently moved to Lawrenceville, and thence to Olney, where he still resides.
JOSEPH C. ORTH, native of Pennsylvania, located here in 1844, practicing hia profession for three or four years, when he engaged in farming in this county until his death in 1857.
ROBERT W. DOUGHERTY, came here from Baltimore about 1848, practiced law for a short time and returned to the east.
VICTOR B. BELL, brother of Robert Bell, practiced at the Wabash bar from 1848 to 1855, when he moved to Chicago, and formed a partnership with Gen. T. E.
Ransom. He afterward moved to Washington, D. C., and from thence to New Orleans where he died in 1867. In 1852-54, he represented Wabash and Edwards counties in the house of Representatives.
PRESENT RESIDENT LAWYERS.
ROBERT BELL is the oldest resident lawyer of the Wabash county bar. He is a native of the county, and received his education in the common and select schools of Mt. Carmel. He began the study of law in the office of his brother, Victor B. Bell, and subsequently attended the law department of the Indiana State University, from which Institution he graduated in February, 1855. In the spring of the same year, he formed a partnership in law, with Lewis C. Keller, at Fairfield, Illinois, where he began the practice of his profession. After a resi- dence of two years at Fairfield, he established an office in Mt. Carmel. In 1864, he formed a partnership with Edward B. Green, under the style of Bell & Green, which firm still continue, one of the strongest in south- ern Illinois.
In 1863, Mr. Bell was elected President of the Illi- nois Southern Railroad Company, which afterward merged into the Cairo and Vincennes Railroad Company. In 1869, he was appointed by the Governor, Judge of Wabash county, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Judge T. J. Armstrong. In the same year he was elected President of the St. Louis, Mt. Carmel & New Albany Railroad Company, serving iu that capa- city until the consolidation of that railroad into the Louisville, New Albany & St. Louis, in 1872. In 1876, he was sent as special agent of the U. S. Treasury, to California, to investigate alleged frauds in the Interna- tional Revenue district of that State. In the campaign of 1878, he was the Republican candidate for Congress in the nineteenth district, making a vigorous fight, although the district was hopelessly Democratic. Was a member of the Republican State Central Committee at large, from 1878 to 1882, and was one of the U. S. Commissioners in 1881, appointed to examine the Atlan- tic and Pacific railroad iu New Mexico.
Besides those more important positions, Judge Bell has held many other minor offices of trust, in all of which he performed his duties with credit and satisfac- tion. He is a sound successful lawyer.
EDWARD B. GREEN, who stands at the head of the Wabash county bar, is a native of Pennsylvania, born December 29, 1837. He obtained his early education in the common schools of his native State, and took a classical course in the Reimersburg Academy, after which he was for some time Professor of Languages, in the West Freedom Academy. Leaving that position, he came directly to Edgar county, Illinois, in 1858, and began the study of law in the office of Green & Eads, at Paris. Completing his course, he was admitted to the bar in June, 1860, and immediately afterward came to Mt. Carmel, and established himself in the practice of his profession. Four years later he formed a partner- ship with Robert Bell, under the style of Bell & Green,
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
which still continues, and is one of the leading law firms this part of the State.
In 1877, he was the Republican candidate for Judge of the second judicial circuit. Two years later he be- came a candidate against John H. Mulkey, for the Supreme bench. In 1882, he accepted the Republican candidacy for Congress, against Aaron Shaw, and not- withstanding the large Democratic majority in this dis- trict, Mr. Green made a vigorous and creditable contest. Mr. Green is a man of fine talents, and one of the ablest and most profound lawyers in southern Illinois. He has a practice that extends to all adjoining counties, and his cases in the Appellate and Supreme courts are numer- ous.
S. Z. LANDES is a native of Virginia, and with his parents emigrated and settled at Paris, Illinois, in 1856. He acquired his preliminary education in the common schools of Edgar county, and afterward attended the Edgar County Academy. He entered upon the study of law in the office of Robert N. Bishop, and after com- pleting his course, was admitted to the bar in August, 1863. The next year he opened an office in Mt. Carmel, and began the practice of his chosen profession. In 1870, he was elected City Attorney, and served in that capacity for three consecutive terms. In 1873, he was chosen as State's Attorney for the county of Wabash, and by re-election has held that office ever since. Mr. Laudes is a hard student, a sound lawyer, a vigorous prosecutor and excels as an advocate.
SAMUEL R. PUTMAN, was born in Wabash county. He began the study of law in the office of Bell and Green in the spring of 1868, and was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1870. Soon after being admitted he went to Kansas, where, in Eureka, he engaged in the practice of his profession for two years, returning to Mt. Carmel. In 1874, he formed a partnership with A. B. Mathews, which firm continued for one year, when Sylvester Greathouse came in, the style of firm being Mathews, Putman and Greathouse. Mathews retired from the firm in June, 1879, and Putman and Greathouse con- tinue still in partnership. They are engaged in a good general practice.
SYLVESTER GREATHOUSE, is also a native of this county. He read law in the office of Mathews and Putman, and was admitted to the bar in 1875, and im- mediately entered upon the practice in partnership with the firm above named. Prior to his adopting the pro fession of law, Mr. Greathouse served the people of the county in the capacity of Treasurer, being elected in 1×65, and re-elected in'67. In 1869 he was elected to the office of county clerk, and served one term.
M. F. HOSKINS, is a native of Indiana. He read law with Bell and Green, and was admitted to the har in January, 1876, and opened an office in Mt. Carmel and began the practice by himself. In 1877 he was appoint- ed city attorney, and in 1879 was elected to the same office.
M. H. MUNDY, was born in Wabash county, where he
received his rudimentary education, and attended the Western Central college, at Warrenton, Mo. He began the study of law in the office of Judge F. D. Preston, at Olney, Illinois, in the spring of 1876, and was admit- ted to the bar in 1878. He first practiced in Olney, about one year, then came to Mt. Carmel, where he has since been engaged.
WILLIAM R. LANDES, brother of S. Z Landes, student in the office of the latter; was admitted to the bar in 1882, and practices with his brother, but not in part- nership.
The list of prosecuting attorneys of these counties will be found in the chapter on civil history.
CHAPTER X. - THE PRESS.
The Pioneer, Albion Journal, The Bumble-bee, Egyptian Republican, American Sentinel, Star Spangle Banner, American Banner, Lawrenceville Banner, West- ern Globe, Lawrence County Globe, Lawrence County Journal, Lawrence County Courier, Rural Republican, Lawrence County Democrat, Farmers' Union, Dem- ocrat Herald, Lawrence County Prese, Sumner Press, Sumner Democrat, Bridge- port Times, Mt. Carmel Sentinel and Wabash Advocate, Mt. Carmel Register, Wabash Republican, The Greenbrier, The Plowboy, Wabash Democrat, Tem- perance Leader, Mt. Carmel Leader, Mt. Carmel Republican.
HE press, the great luminary of liberty, is the haudmaid of progress. It heralds its doings and makes known its discoveries. It is the advance courier, whose coming is eagerly looked for, and whose arrival is hailed with joy as it brings tidings of its latest achievements. The press pre- pares the way and calls mankind to witness the ap- proach and procession of the triumphal car of progress as it passes on down through the vale of the future. When progress stops, the press will cease, and the intel- lectual and moral world will go down in darkness. The press is progress, and progress the press. So intimately are they connected that one cannot exist without the other. The history of this great discovery dates back to the fifteenth century. Its discovery occurred in the following manner: Laurentius Coster, a native of Hærlem, Holland, while rambling in the forest contigu- ous to his native city, carved some letters out of the bark of a birch tree. Drowsy from the relaxation of a holi- day, he wrapped his carvings in a piece of paper and lay down to sleep. Dampened by the atmospheric moist- ure, the paper wrapped about his handiwork had taken an impression from them, and the surprised burgher saw on the paper an inverted image of his engravings. The phenomenon was suggestive, because it led to ex- . periments that resulted in establishing a printing office in the old Dutch town of Hærlem. The discovery of Coster's wood blocks, on which the pages to be printed were engraved, was made some time between 1440 and 1450. Peter Schoeffer's improvement, by casting the type by means of matrices, was made about 1456.
For a long time printing was dependent upon most
-
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
clumsy apparatus. The earliest press had a contrivance for running the forms under the point of pressure by means of a screw. Improvements were made upon these crude beginnings from time to time, until the hand- presses now in use are models of simplicity, durability and execution. In 1814, steam was first applied to cyl- inder presses by Friedrich Konig, a Saxon genius, and the subsequent progress of steam printing has been so remarkable as to almost justify a belief in its absolute perfection. .
The first newspaper of modern times was issued at Venice, in 1536, but governmental bigotry compelled its circulation in manuscript form. In 1663, the Public Intelligencer, was published in London, and is credited with being the first English paper to attempt the dis- semination of general information. In 1639, the first prin- ting-press in America, was set up at Cambridge, Conn., and Stephen Daye, the pioneer American printer, struck off " The Freeman's Oath," and the next year the Bay Psalm-Book. The first American newspaper was the Boston News Letter, whose first issue was made April 24, 1704. It was edited by John Campbell, the postmaster. The Boston Gazette made its appearance December 21, 1719, and the American Weekly, at Philadelphia, Decem- ber 22, 1719 In 1776, there were thirty-seven news- papers published in the colonies ; in 1828, the number had increased to eight hundred and fifty-two, and at the present time not less than eight thousand newspapers are supported by our people.
For dates and facts relating to the early history of the press of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties we are indebted to Morris Emmerson, of the Albion Journal; Walter Colyer, of the Edwards County News ; Frank Havill, of the Mount Carmel Register ; Thomas L. Joy, of the Mt. Carmel Republican; Judge Robert Bell, Captain Sharp; Sam B Day, of the Rural Repub- lican ; Frank C. Meserve, of the Democratic Herald; J. J. W. McCleave, Major Daniel L. Gold, S. B. Rowland and several other citizens who were interviewed, to whom we wish to return our' thanks. Especially are we under obligations to Will R. Carlton, of the Sumner Press, who took an active interest in gathering from the proper sources the facts and history pertaining to the newspaper enterprises of Sumner.
EDWARDS COUNTY.
The first journalistic venture within the borders of Edwards county was made by R. S. Thompson, a native of the county. In 1868 he purchased a press and printers' material at the Cincinnati Type Foundry, brought it here and issued
THE PIONEER.
The style of the paper was first a five-column folio, but was afterward changed by Mr. Thompson to a five-column quarto, patent. It was a neat, well appearing sheet. Mr. Thompson was not a practical printer, but a man of
good business tact, and a vigorous writer. While the paper was under his management it advocated Republi- can principles. In about five years from the time of the establishment of the Pioneer. Mr. Thompson sold the material and paper to Gil R. Stormont, who changed the name of it to the
ALBION JOURNAL,
And made it a seven-column folio, printing all in the office. Mr. Stormont being a practical print- er, and acquainted with journalism, soon brought the paper up to the standard country journal, and it continued to flourish under his control until September 1, 1876, when he sold it to Ballentine & Emmerson. He is now editor and publisher of the Princeton (Indiana) Clarion. The latter firm continued the publication until September 1, 1878, when Mr. Bal- lentine retired from the partnership, and Morris Emmer- son assumed full proprietorship and still continues as such. April 1, 1883, he added another column, making the paper an eight-column folio. Mr. Emmerson is an able writer and a successful journalist. His paper ad- vocates the principles of the Republican party and has a large circulation.
While Mr. Thompson owned the paper, he also pub- lished a monthly magazine called
THE BUMBLE-BEE.
Besides the newspaper business he was engaged in the drug trade, and manufactured and sold patent medicine. The Bumble-Bee was published in the inter- est of the trade, and by the " Bumble-Bee Manufactur- ing Company." It was mailed to all- parts of the United States, but was short-lived, having made but a few issues.
Mr. Thompson is now editor and publisher of the Farmer's Advance, published at Springfield, Ohio, and is secretary of the State Grange of Ohio.
One year prior to the establishment of the Pioneer, William B. Tribe, then deputy circuit clerk, purchased a small hand press and some type, and did job printing in the office. This was the first printing done in Ed- wards county.
THE EGYPTIAN REPUBLICAN
was the name of a newspaper published in the office of the Albion Journal in 1878. It was a three-column folio, edited by Chalcraft & Orange, and existed about seven months.
In the autumn of 1880, Flower & Chalcraft purchased a press, and a variety of type at the Cincinnati Type Foundry, brought it to Albion, and from it the first issue of the
AMERICAN SENTINEL
Appeared December 23, 1880. In about two months Chalcraft sold his interest to Quaint Buntin, and the firm became Flower & Buntin, which continued until August 5, 1881, when they sold to Applegath & Colyer. November 5, 1881, Colyer sold his interest to Applegath,
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
who in turn, February 11, 1882, sold to Walter Colyer, who became sole owner and editor of the paper. He soon changed its name to the
EDWARDS COUNTY NEWS,
And made it a seven-column folio. From the beginning it has been a Republican sheet. It is typographically neat, well edited, and is a credit to the county journal- ism of Illinois.
. LAWRENCE COUNTY
The newspaper enterprise of Lawrence county began with the publication of the
STAR SPANGLED BANNER,
in the winter of 1847. It was owned and edited by John F. Buntin, who deserves honorable mention as the pio- neer printer of the county. He brought the press and material from Vincennes. The paper was a six column folio, independent in politics. In a year or two the words " Star Spangled," were dropped, and American was sup- plied to the head of the paper.
THE AMERICAN BANNER
was then moved to Olney, where it was printed and mailed to the subscribers. In 1855, Mr. Buntin returned the office and paper to the county, locating at Russell- ville, where it remained until March, 1856, when it was again removed to Lawrenceville. The name is said to have again been changed to the Lawrenceville Banner. In 1858, the office and paper was purchased by H. C. Mc Cleave and D. L. Brewer. They gave to it the name of the
WESTERN GLOBE,
and it became wedded to the democratic party. The journalistic career of McCleave and Brewer was of short duration, for in a few months the Globe was again the property of J. F. Buntin, and for a time Nat. Lander was associated with him as editor. Mr. Buntin changed the name of the paper to the
LAWRENCE COUNTY GLOBE,
and brought it back into the republican fold. He con- tinued the publication of the paper until some time in 1868, when he moved the office to Cumberland county.
The Globe being changed to a republican paper, cre- ated a demand for an exponent of the democratic party, and resulted in establishing the
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