USA > Illinois > Perry County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 48
USA > Illinois > Randolph County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 48
USA > Illinois > Monroe County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 48
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A. R. PUGH was an attorney at the Perry county bar. He was a native of Wales. Commenced the practice here in 1865. He moved to Jackson county, and died there in 1881.
1. K. P. RAYLAND, an attorney, and at present justice of the peace at Pinckneyville, is a native of Perry county. Read law in the office of F. M. Youngblood, of Benton, Ill., and also attended the Law School at the same place, and of which Judge A. D. Duff was principal. He was admitted to the bar in 1869, and commenced the practice at Pinck- neyville. He has served several terms as justice of the peace.
E. H. LEMEN is a native of St. Clair county, III. He read law in the office of Hon. John B Hay, of Belleville, Ill., and was admitted to the bar in 1868. He is also a gra- duate of the law department of the University of Michigan.
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Came to Perry county in 1869, and commenced the practice here. He is an able lawyer and a pleasing and eloquent speaker (for further mention, sce biographical sketch).
EVAN B. RUSHING was born in Bedford county. Tennes- see, but was reared iu Perry county, Ill. In 1856 he was elected circuit clerk and re-elected in 1860, and served eight years. He was admitted to the bar in 1868, and has been master in chancery ever since, except two years, from 1873 to 1875.
GEORGE ABBOTT, of Waterloo, EIl., came to Pinckneyville in 1872, and practised here until his death, in 1876.
WILLIAM M. BREESE was born in Clinton county, Ill., in 1839. He was educated in Rock River Seminary, at Mount Morris, in Ogle county ; then spent one year at Mckendree, and graduated at the St. Louis University, in the class of 1857. Read law in the office of his father, the late Chief Justice Sidney Brcese, and was admitted to the bar in 1870. Commenced the practice in Carlyle, Ill. Came to Pinckney- ville in 1875, and has continued the practice here. During the late war he was first lieutenant, commanding Co. E of the 16th regular infantry, 2d battalion, and served until iu the latter part of 1864.
W. W. EDWARDS is a native of Perry county, FII .; was educated at McKendree College, graduating in the class of 1873, and read law in the office of his brother, M. C. Ed- wards, and with Messrs. Rayland & Rayland, of Lexington, Mo., and was admitted to the bar there. Commenced the practice in Carleton, Thayer county, Nebraska, and came to Pinckneyville iu 1881, and has continued the practice here.
THOMAS BOVD is a native of Randolph county, Hl. Re- Ceived his education in the common schools, and subsequently followed the profession of teaching. In 1870 he commenced the study of law, in the office of Murphey & Boyd, and at the spring term of the supreme court, held at Springfield, 1875, passed a highly creditable examination and was ad- mitted to the bar. He formed a law partnership with his preceptors, and the firm of Murphey & Boyd Bros. continued until the summer of 1882, when it was dissolved. Mr Boyd removed, in the latter part of 1882, to Mound City, Pulaski county, where at present he is continuing the practi e.
B. W. POPE, of Du Quoin, is a native of Franklin county, Illinois. He was educated at the Industrial University at Urbana, Illinois Read law in the office of Hon. George W. Wall, of Du Quoin. He received his legal education in the Law Department of the Washington University at St. Louis and at the Union Law School at Chicago, and was admitted to the bar at the June term of the Supreme Court held at Mt. Vernou. He commenced the practice in Perry county, where he still continues.
HENRY CLAY, a resident lawyer of Tamaroa, Perry county, is a native of Pope county, Illinois. Received his education in the common schools and two years at the Wesleyan Uni- versity at Bloomington, Illinois. Read law with Hatch and Prince, of Bloomington, and was admitted to the bar in McLean county in 1860, and soon thereafter commenced the practice in Perry county.
M. G. KELSO is a native of Kentucky. Commenced reading law in 1869 with T: T. Fountain, at Du Quoin, and 25
was admitted to the bar in 1876. In the same year he graduated from the Law Department of the St. Louis Uni- versity. Commenced the practice in Du Quoin.
HENRY P. ScorT, one of the bright young lawyers at the bar of Perry county, is a native of Vermont. He received his education in the public schools and academy of his native place. Ile came to Illinois in 1866, and to Du Quoin in 1870. He read law in the office of Judge S. G. Parks, and was admitted to the bar in August, 1881. He com- menced the practice in Du Quoin, and so far has given every evidence of success in his chosen profession.
There were a few other lawyers who were residents of Perry county for a brief time, among whom was COLONEL JOSEPH A NUNES. He came to Du Quoin in 1872, re- mained a short time, and then moved to Louisville, Ky. Also JAMES W. BLAIR, who was an attorney, and was su- perintendent of schools one term. He died September 17, 1879.
D. B VAN SYCKLE, an attorney, practiced here, and was also for a short time engaged in publishing a newspaper. There were probably some others, but their stay here was brief, and they were comparatively " briefless."
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CHAPTER X.
HISTORY OF THE PRESS.
Illinois Heruldt, Illinois Intelligencer, Kashaskin Recorder, Kuskuskiz Ropublican, Colum- bus Herali, Sparta Herald, Sparta Democrat, Randolph C'aunty Record, Chester Reveille, Santhera Illinois Advocate, Chester Heral 1, Prairie Democrat, Sparta Freeman, Sparta Journal, Independent, Star of the West, Sparta Piain tenter, Weekly Randolph County Democrat, Egyptian Picket tinard, Valley Clarion, Valley Clarion Printing Company, The Frie Blueller, Chester Tribune, Gre vbuck Gazette, Eighteen-Eighty, The Egypten Conrier, Ret Bud Caurier, Courier, Reciem, Chronicle, The Item, Our Work, Indepen- dent Democrat, War Engl, Patient, Advertiser, Waterloo Advocate, Monroe Democrat, Times, Freie Presse, Gazelle Voice of Mourir, Pery County Times, Du Quoin Mining Jogrua1, Stars and Stripes, Du Quoin Recorder, Tribune aud Recorder, Progress, Tribune Republicau, Bauner, Perry County Watchman, Enterprise, Star, Hem, News, ladependent Democrat, Perry County Signal, The Press, Da Qaout Press,
HE newspaper history of Illinois is as in- teresting and checkered as that of the race or nation. Much of it is involved in darkness, and comes down to us in a traditionary form. Writers disagree as to the date of the first appearance of a newspaper in Illinois. Reynolds says that it was as early as 1809, while others equally reliable fix the date in 1814. All, however, agree that the Illinois Herald was the first paper published in the Territory, and that Matthew Duncan was the publisher and editor. These points being settled, we are prepared to fix positively the date of its first appear- auce. We are iu possession of No. 32 of Vol. II. of the Illinois Herald, published at Kaskaskia ( Illinois Territory), Thursday morning, April 18, 1816. Presuming that its publication continued without interraption up to the date
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
above named, the first issue was made September 6, 1814. The Herald was a four column folio with wide columns, printed by Mathew Duncan, "printer to the Territory and publisher of the laws of the United States." The number before us is mainly taken up with the publication of the laws of the Territory. Its columns show little if any local news, and not much of a general character. This is accounted for by the editor who laments the " barreness of this day's paper on account of the non-arrival of the eastern mail." He also proposes to "enlarge his paper and print it with small type, and devote all of his time to its management," and an- nounces his determination to continue his residence in Kas- kaskia We copy some of the " Notices" and advertise- ments ; of the latter there were few. Daniel P. Cook Audi- tor of Public Accounts for Illinois Territory publicly gives not ce, " That all non-resident claimants to land in Illinois Territory are required to enter all such land for taxation with the Auditor of Public Accounts on or before the 1st day of August next." In the issue of the Herald of the same date Josiah McClanahan advertises his runaway negro slave, Brookens Cole, offering a reward of $25 for his cap- ture and return and gives a personal description of him. In the issue of February 1st, 1815, the editor says: "The want of paper of a proper size compels the publication of the Herald of this, and probably for some succeeding weeks, on a half-sheet of super royal paper. The editor has gone to Kentucky to obtain a supply. We have had no eastern mail for two weeks past further than Shawneetown, conse- quently the readers of this paper have lost nothing by its late failure."
Notice -Daniel P. Cook informs the public that the An- ditor's office (having been assigned to him) will be kept at the house of N. Pope, Esq., where all calls on him in the line of his profession as Counsellor and Attorney at Law will also be promptly attended to.
KASKASKIA, January 13, 1816. 18tf.
Notice -I have for sale 22 slaves. Among them are several of both sexes between the years of 10 and 17 years. If not shortly sold I shall wish to hire them in Missouri Territory. I have also for sale a full blooded stud horse, a very large English Bull and several young ones.
October 1st, 1815.
NINIAN EDWARDS.
The above may read strangely to the present inhabitants of Illinois.
The following is a card from the old " Ranger " Gover- nor of Illinois. True to his instincts he never missed an op- portunity to make himself popular with the dear people.
To the poor people of Illinois and Missouri Territory. To the above class of mankind whose pecuniary circum- stances will not admit of feeing a lawyer. I tender my pro- fessional services as a lawyer in all courts I may practice in without fee or reward.
KASKASKJA, Dec. 16th, 1815. JOHN REYNOLDS
Mathew Duncan, the founder of the Illinois Her.ild, was a native of Paris, Bourbon county, Kentucky, and a brother of Joseph Duncan who succeeded Reynolds as Governor of the State. He sold the paper to Daniel P. Cook and
Robert Blackwell. The date of transfer was August 25th, 1817. They changed the name to
The Illinois Intelligencer. After the State was admitted to the union, Mr. Cook was elected to congress. A short time prior to this event he sold his interest to Elijah C. Berry. The firm was then Blackwell & Berry. Mr. Cook was elected for several terms to congress, and served with great distinction in that body. He held the chairmanship of the ways and means committee, and no doubt his death was hastened by his laborious duties as its chairman. He died in 1827, universally lamented. It is generally con- ceded that he was as able a man as ever represented Illinois in the halls of congress.
The Intelligencer was in form, a four column folio, neatly printed in small type. The " Adds " were set the first time, in heavy black letter. From No. 39 of vol. 3, printed at Kaskaskia Wednesday, May 26, 1819, we notice the follow- ing cards of lawyers, some of whom subsequently became prominent in the history of the State. Nathaniel Pope, H. Starr and D. Blackwell, Henry S. Dodge and Richard M. Young attorneys at law. The latter had removed from Kentucky to Jonesborough, Union county, Illinois, and practiced in the courts of Illinois and Missouri Territories.
Notice .- Being authorized for that purpose it hereby re- quests the attendance of the commissioners appointed by the legislature for selecting a site whereon to fix the seat of gov- ernment of this State, agreeable to the law of the United States and of this State at the house of - Revis, on the Kaskaskia river, on the first Monday in the month of June next.
May 19, 1819. WILLIAM ALEXANDER,
One of the Commissioners.
The commissioners met agreeably to appointment and se lected a site and named it Vandalia, to which point the State Government was removed the next year.
In the same issue John Edgar gave notice "that he had sold all his claims to the land whereon is situated Harrison- ville, the county seat of Monroe county, to Messrs. McKnight & Brady and know of no other claims to said land," also notice to the Brethren of Western Star Lodge No. 107, A. F. & A. M. will celebrate St. John's day in the town of Kaskaskia, June 24th, 1819. By order of John Betts, Sec.
The Intelligencer was published in Kaskaskia un'il the following year (1820) when the state Capital was re- moved to Vandalia. It being a part, so to speak, of the state government it was also removed to the latter place. Elijah C. Berry became the sole publisher, and afterward was elected Auditor of Public Accounts.
The Republican Advocate was established in Kaskaskia in 1823, by Elias Kent Kane. He continued its publication for a short time or until the date of his election to the United States Senate, then the office was leased to other parties and suspended publication in 1825. Mr. Kane was a native of New York and settled in Kaskaskia in 1814, four years before the organization of the state government. In 1818 he was appointed by Gov. Bond secretary of state, and continued in that . ffice until 1824, when he was elected
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
to represent Illinois in the Senate of the United States. IIe proved himself an industrious and able member of that body, and served out his full time with so much satisfaction to his constituents that he was re elected without serious opposition in 1830. Before the expiration of his second term his health, which had always been feeble, gave way and he died in Washington, December 11th, 1835. Few men of his days enjoyed & higher degree of popularity. 1le was esteemed by all who knew him, and even the few enemies he had ad. mitted the purity of his character and the honesty ot his in- tentions.
The Advocate office passed iuto the hands of Robert K. Fleming, who revived the publication of the paper and named it the Kaskaskia Recorder. It was established May 5th, 1825, by Mr. Fleming, who soon removed the office to Vandalia, and in 1827 went to Edwardsville and established the Illinois Corrector. Two years later he returned to Kas- kaskia and published the Recorder, and remained there until the summer of 1833, then went to Belleville and remained there until his death. At the time of his death in 1874 he was the oldest living printer and publisher in the state.
Col. Menard owued a printing office in 1836. It was his custom to leave it or allow any parties the use of it who would publish a paper in the town of Kaskaskia. In 1840 the office was opened by James Fitzsimmons, a young man who came to Kaskaskia in the employ of a party of bridge builders in the capacity of book and time keeper. Having some journalistic aspirations he got permission from Me- nard to open the office, and issued therefrom the Kuskaskia Republican.
He was succeeded by Wm. E Jones, who continued pub- lisher until after the high water of 1844, when the office was closed for a short time. The publication was revived in 1846 by Parsons Perey and a Mr. Wallace. Mr. Perey was a Scotchman by birth and an old printer, and well known throughout southern Illinois. He was a character in his way, and posessed of more than average ability but un- fortunately was addicted to gross intemperance. It was his custom as soon as the paper was printed to go to the grog shop and get drunk and continue in that state for several days, only returning to the office in time to set up and get out the next week's issue. It is related of him that on one occassion the drunk continued until the day of publication. Sobering up he realized that something had to be done. It was too late to set up the paper. The last week's forms were still on the press. In this dilemma he sat down and wrote, "At the urgent request of a large number of our subscribers we republish last week's edition." The paper was worked off and distributed. It is not related whether his subscribers discovered the trick or not, at least it gave him extra time to indulge in his favorite reereation of getting gloriously drunk. He afterwards published a paper in Sparta, then in Staunton, Macoupin county, after which he went to Chester and there died.
During the time that Parsons Percy was publisher of the paper, Peter W. Baker became associated with him and sub- sequently became publisher, and continued the paper until 1849 when the office of the Republican was sold by the
Menards to B. J. F. Hauna, and by him removed to Chester, which had then become the county seat of Randolph county.
The first paper established outside of Kaskaskia in Ran- dolph county was
The Columbus Herald .- It was established at Sparta, and its founder was James Morrow, a practical printer and native of Ohio. He came west to Illinois in the early spring of 1839. Ife brought a printing office with him. The first issue of the Herald was made May Ist, 1839. It took its name from the town Columbia which by an act of the legislature of 1840-41 was changed to Sparta. It was the first newspaper printed in the town, and it may be said that with the exception of a few years, Sparta has not been without a newspaper from that date to the present. In form it was a 5 col. folio, neatly printed and had a fair advertising patronage. It was independent in politics. In the Prospectus the Editor said "In the language of Thomas Jefferson, we are all Republicans. So we would now say. We are all whigs, we are all Democrats." On the 10th of January, 1840, in consequence of the name of the town being changed the paper was named
The Sparta Herald .- With the completion of the first volume the paper passed into the possession of Mr. John E. Deitrich, who converted it into a political paper and made it the organ of the Democratie party in the county. On the 8th of May, 1840, he changed the name from the Sparta Herald to
The Sparta Democrat .- In the exciting campaign of 1840 the Democrat advocated the claims of Martin Van Buren for the presidency. Mr. Deitrich continued the publication unti 1843, when it suspended. In 1844 the office was leased to O. F. McMillan, who on the 24th of May, 1814, commeneed the publication of the
Randolph County Record .- It was a four-column folio, wide columns. It supported James K. Polk for the presi- deney. It was continued by Mr. McMillan until June, 1846, when trouble arose in the Democratic camp. In the convention assembled for the purpose of nominating candi- dates for Congress, Robert Smith, the member from the district, was defeated by Lyman Trumbull. The friends of Smith claimed that Trumbull had secured the nomination by uufair means, and Smith therefore proposed to run inde- pendent. All the papers in the district stood by the nominee of the convention. Smith had no organ to represent him. MeMillan was a friend of Smith's. He proposed to have the Record support Smith. This Mr. Dietrich, to whom the othice belonged, would not permit to be done. McMillan wrote Smith the facts. Ife at once purchased press and type, shipped it to Chester and placed MeMillan in charge. He set up the office aud issued the Record. Six months later he changed the name to
The Chester Reveille, the first number of which was printed February 20, 1847. It was in form a four-column folio, afterwards enlarged. Smith was elected by a large ma- jority. He continued MeMillan in the office until 1850, when he sold it to Messrs. Hanna & Whitehurst, pub- lishers of the Randolph County Herald. Their office had been destroyed by fire a few months before.
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Mr. McMillan is a practical printer ; he learned his trade in Centreville. In 1842 he came to Kaskaskia and worked at the ease in the office of the Republican ; afterwards went to Sparta, then to Chester, where he yet resides. He was a strong advocate of the Homestead Exemption laws, and contributed not a little to their passage. His paper bore the name of the Chester Reveille and Homestead Advocate. As will be seen by the above, he is among the veteran and pioneer printers and publishers of the state.
The first newspaper published in Chester county was called
The Southern Illinois Advocate .- It was founded by John Smith and M. H. Abbott. The first number was issued May 14th, 1839. In form it was a five-column folio, and claimed to be independent in polities. Its publication was continued until 1840, when it suspended.
After the flood of 1844, the town of Kaskaskia retro- graded. As before stated, a feeble effort was made to keep up a newspaper after that date, but it was a failure. In 1849 the Menards, the owners of the material of the Republican office, sold it to Mr. B. J F. Hanna. He re- moved it to Chester and there commenced the publication of the
Chester Herald .- The first number was issued March 15, 1849. Soon after the publication was commenced Mr. Whitehurst was taken into partnership, and the firm of Hanna & Whitehurst continued until 1853, when the latter retired and was succeeded by William Philips. They continued the Herald until 1856, when Phillips withdrew and went to Kansas, where he laid out the town of Salina, and subsequently accumulated a fortune. He was a Scotch- man by birth, and a man of more than ordinary force of character. He possessed no education, but was gifted with a strong natural mind. He arose to distinction and repre- sented his district in congress. He was succeeded in the Herald by E. J. Montague, and with him the paper ceased publication. Mr. Montague, in 1860, went to Belleville, in St. Clair county, and took charge of the Advocate. At pre- sent he is a resident of Missouri.
After Mr. McMillan removed from Sparta to Chester in 1846, there was no paper published in the former place until 1848; when John R. Shannon started a campaign paper called
The Prairie Democrat .- It advocated the election of Lewis Cass. About the same time a paper called the
Sparta Freeman was issued by James Coleman. It repre- sented the views of the anti-slavery party, and supported James G. Birney for the presidency. In 1850 James S. Coulter succeeded Coleman, who died, and continued the paper for several years. He changed the name to
The Sparta Journal .- He retired in 1852 and went to Belleville, and there edited the Advocate. He was a Protest- ant Irishman, and one of those irrepressible characters so often found among the natives of the Emerald Isle. He wielded a sharp vigorous pen, and was indiscriminate in the use of it, and sometimes would puncture a friend as well as a foe.
After Mr. Coulter retired from the Journal Mrs. Gintileus took charge, and a short time after the paper suspended.
John R. Shannon conducted the Democrat until 1851, when the office was leased to C. P. Johnson, late Lieutenant- Governor of Missouri. He named the paper The Inde- pendent, and continued it until after the campaign in 1852, when it suspended. It was revived by S. A. Armour who publi ched the piper for a short time, then leased to Parsons Percy wh > continuel it for two years, after which J. W. Fletcher succeeded to the management and soon after the office was removed to Chester. In 1862 the Rotroek Brothers published a paper in Sparta called the -
They continued the publication through the war, after which they leased the office to W. J. Armour, who changed the name to the Star of the West. It was sold to Gen. J. Black- burn Jones in November 1866. It had then but 130 sub- scribers. Mr. Jones then purchased new type and changed the name of the paper to the Randolph Plaindealer. It rap- idly grew in circulation under the management of Gen Jones. It was the first paper in Illinois that hoisted the name of U. S Grant for president.
An incident is related about "Bill" Armour, as he was familiarly called. Shortly after he went out of the office, and Jones took possession, he came back and claimed the rolling stone as his property. Upon investigation it was found to be the tombstone of his departed uncle which had been shipped to him to be set up at the head of the grave in the cemetery ; being just the sort of a rolling stone he wanted, he utilized it. We are not informed whether it did or did not do duty as a tombstone after it had served his purpose.
Gen. Jones continned the publication of the Plaindealer until August 1868, when he sold to T. M. Nichol who con- tinued the publication until the following April, then J. D. Watson purchased an interest with Nichol. The firm of Nichol & Watson continued until December 1870, when the paper was sold to Messrs. Kimball & Taylor of Belle- ville. They placed Edward Fagin in charge as editor and manager. He was succeeded by Fred. L. Alles, April 27, 1872. In April 1873 an effort was made by some parties in Sparta to purchase the Plaindealer, and while they had the matter under consideration Mr. Alles purchased it of F. M. Taylor of Belleville, and on the same date sold it to S. L. Taylor of Sparta. The date of sale was May 19, 1873. On the 21st of June following Albert Goddard became associ- ated with Mr. Taylor ju the management He retired Feb- ruary 17, 1874, and was succeeded by W. B Taylor, brother of S. L. Taylor. The Taylor Brothers continued to publish the Plaindealer until May 10, 1881, when they sold it to Messrs. George Campbell and Don. E. Deitrich. Charles Campbell purchased Deitrieh's interest September 1st, 1881, since which time it has been conducted by the Campbell Brothers. They are both young men of energy and ability, and have succeeded in making the Plaindealer a necessity to the people of Sparta and surrounding country.
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