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 73

Author: McDonough, J.L., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.L. McDonough & Co
Number of Pages: 578


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 73
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 73
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 73


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Seth Allen carried on the cooper business for a number of years. For a long time he was Justice of the Peace. He owned the land on which the court house is built, and deeded it to the county on condition that it should revert to the town of Chester, when no longer used as a site for the public buildings.


The names of the Cole's have for many years been hon- orably and conspicuously identified with the history of Chester. Nathan Cole was born in Dutchess county, New York, in the year 1783. He came to St. Louis in 1821 aud engaged in business in that city and iu East St. Louis then known as Illinoistown. He is said to have been the first person to undertake regularly the packing of pork in the Mississippi valley. He came to Chester in 1837, and built the first flouring mill in the place. Additional im- provements were made two years afterward, and Mr. Cole began the shipping of flour to the southern markets. He died in 1840 After the death of Nathan Cole, his sons, Abner and Hermon C. Cole, continued to carry on the mill, and the latter subsequently became the sole proprietor. On coming to Chester in 1837, Hermon C. Cole began the mercantile business which he carried on until 1867, when he sold his stock of goods to William Schuchert. He died at Upper Alton, in October, 1874. Previous to his death his sons had been taken into partnership, and they have since continued the milling and bauking business.


The earliest physician in Chester, was Dr. Barbee. He came in 1833, a short time after his arrival fell a victim to the cholera. The cholera prevailed during the year 1832 and 1833, and again in 1849. The deaths were large in proportion to the population. Dr. Jefferson, a native of Virginia, came in 1834, and for a short time practiced his profession. Dr. M. E. Ferris became a resident of the place in 1835. He died of cholera iu 1849. Dr. Charles Baker began the practice of medicine in 1844, but left soon after. Dr. M. W. Millard came from Ohio the same year. He died in 1849. Dr. C. T. Jones, a native of Kentucky, from about the year 1843 to 1846, practiced his profession in partnership with Dr. Ferris. He then moved to a firm in the neighborhood of Steelesville, but subsequently


returned to Chester and resumed his medical practice. He now lives in St. Louis.


From 1850 to 1865, a number of physicians located at Chester, the most of them remaining but a short time. Among them were Drs. Waggoner, Barton, William Vance, C. J. Childs, G. N. Poston, Oaks, Richard Hopkins and a number of German physicians. The oldest practitioner of medicine now in Chester is Dr. William A. Gordon. He was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, and came to the county in 1843, and after practicing his profession at Steelesville, came to Chester in the spring of 1848. Dr. John T. Pollock, who was born in the county near Sparta, has practiced medi- cine in Chester since 1857. The other physicians now in the place became residents at more recent periods.


The lawyers who made Chester their home in former days are spoken of in the chapter on the bench and bar.


ITEMS CONCERNING THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE TOWN.


The first brick house in Chester was built by Amzi Andrews in the year 1835. It stood near the river. During the flood of 1844, a steamboat, th : Bellair, ran against it and demolished it. The same boat knocked a corner out of Holmes and Swanwick's mill, then in process of construc- tion. For the injury to their two buildings IIolmes and Swanwick recovered $5000 damages. Amzi Andrews came to Kaskaskia and made a number of trips from that place to New Orleans with produce. In 1831 he became a resident of Chester. On the 4th of February, 1834, he was married to Content Walker, daughter of Eleazer Walker, and this marriage was the first that ever took place in Chester. The ceremony was performed by Seth Allen, a justice of the peace. Mr. Andrews died in 1876, and his widow is now one of the oldest residents in Chester. Horace Francis and Amzi Andrews together built the first stone house in Chester in 1833 It stands on the corner of Water and Pine streets. Amos Emerson began the cooper business about 1833. About the year 1837 brilliant expectations were entertained concerning the future of Chester, and real estate rose to high values. It wa- thought by many persons that it would become a great commercial town, and even that it might rival Ft. Louis in importance. Investments were made in town property by citizens of other places. Lyman Trumball purchased a lot on Water street, between Angle and Han- cock, for twelve hundred dollars, which after keeping nearly forty years, he sold for two hundred dollars.


Along iu the years 1837 and 1838 the condition of the river bank and the need of a good steamboat landing ex- cited the attention of the people. An ordinance was passed on the 14th of April, 1838, which pledged the faith of the corporation to reimburse each citizen who should secure the river bank in front of his own lot. If the revenue for the current year should be insufficient, each lot owner should receive a pro rata amount and scrip for the balance, bearing six per cent. interest. Under this ordinance Eleazer Walker was allowed one hundred dollars, Richard B. Servant sixty- three, Horace Francis forty-three, Richmond Darwin forty- five, Seth Alleu fifty, and Francis Swanwick one hundred and seven.


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


287


In 1839 the Board of Trustees arranged to erect a build- ing twenty-eight feet front by forty deep, to be used as a school house, union meeting house and town house. Mather, Lamb & Co. gave lot five of hlock nine of their addition to the town as a site for the structure. Its cost exceeded three thousand dollars, The building was finished in the summer of 1839, and in September of that year a committee was directed to have the interior plastered provided the cost did not embarass the treasury too much. Peter McCulloch did the plastering for one hundred and thirty-three dollars. The cost of the building was met by levying a special tax of one- half of one per cent.


In 1839 a committee of the board of trustees reported that a school of thirty pupils could be formed, and a contraet was made with O. P. Eaton to teach the school for two dollars and fifty cents per quarter for each pupil.


The Removal of the County Seat from Kaskaskia to Chester was accomplished only after much agitation. The great flood of 1844 demonstrated to a great many citizens of the county the unfitness of Kaskaskia as the seat of justice, but it was only after arduous exertions that a majority of the people could be got to vote to remove the public buildings to Ches- ter, which was accomplished in 1848.


SUBSEQUENT GROWTH


In early days all of Chester was comprised in the space at the foot of the bluff'along the river front. It was some years before it began to expand on the hill. Amzi Andrews, Seth Allen and Eleaser Walker were among the first to choose the hill as a place of residence. Andrews occupied a log house on the street on which the jail is located. Allen's house was a one-story frame structure on Market street in what is known as Young's addition. It is still standing. Walker's house may still be seen on Sparta street Captain Frank Swanwick occupied it in early years. Walker origi- nally built this house under the hill, but becoming alarmed by the sliding of the ground on which it was built, by which it became twisted on its foundations, he moved it to its present position. Colonel Richard B. Servant in 1838 built the brick residence on Sparta street, above where Dr. Gordon lives. It was considered in its day a fine specimen of arehi- tecture, and was formerly surrounded by a beautiful garden, plented with flowers, and kept with good taste. Truman E. Andrews in early days lived in a small log house in the rear of the Virginia hotel. These comprised nearly all the houses that had been erected on the hill previous to the year 1847. At that date the site of the court house was a field, and where that flourishing part of the city, known as Beuna Vista, has since been built, was the farm of George W. Stratton. The building of the court house on the hill caused that portion of the town to grow in favor. In 1880 the post office was removed to upper Chester.


CHESTER IN 1859.


A directory of Chester published in 1850 gives the names of one hundred and sixty-one residents of the town This would give a population at that time of about nine hundred. The first name on the list is that of Amzi Andrews, druggist


in partnership with John L. Edwards. Those engaged in the mercantile business at that time were John Il. Allmyer, Charles C. Anderson, Joseph Beare, Frederick Buckman, Hermon C. Cole, Abner B. Cole, Alexander Dunn, James H. Jones, Gabriel S. Jones, Hugh Loughran, John G. Mid- dendorf, and John F. Schuchert. Grocery stores were kept by Charles Black, David Black, William Brunt, William Bun- gie, William Clieman, E. and A. Phillip, Valentine Ritter, and H. R. Stolle Robert Adams, Emer:on Gray, Uriah Mr.Cullum, Adam Ochs, Henry Rader, John W. Reno and Charles Schrader followed the cooper business. A. A. Anderson was in charge of the Chester hotel, on Water street, one square above the wharf boat. The Buckeye house was kept by John C. MeQuiston, the Planter's house, at the corner of Front and Angle streets, by William MeBrine, and the Illinois house, opposite the wharf boat, by Casper Horn. The lawyers were Thomas G. Allen, James C. llalbrook, Thomas L. Morrison, Harvey Nevill and James H. Watt. William Assman, C. J. Childs, William A. Gor- don and .A. H. Lieper represented the medical profession. flugh B. Nisbert was the publisher of the Democrat. Joseph B. Ilolmes is placed in the pages of the directory as a dealer in real estate. Henry Tackenberry and Charles Wassell were carrying on the tailor business, and Captian C. C. Williams, then as now, was managing the ferry.


The bank of Chester had for its cashier, C. Miltenberger. Gahrs and Whitaker, and A. S. Palmer were dealers in furniture Raymond Wheerly had a shop on the hill, near the court house, where be repaired watches and clocks and sold jewelry. The marble shop of Martin Dillon was down by the river adjoining the dry goods store of J. H. and G. S Jones. C I. Ha-kin was in the livery business, also down under the hill. Gabriel Jones was the mayor and a justice of the peace. Richard B Servant also filled the office of magistrate. Horace Francis was street commissioner. The " William Garvin," Alexander Ziegler, master, ran as a regular tri-weekly paeket between Chester and St. Louis, leaving Chester every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday morning at seven o'clock. A stage line was then running between Chester and St. Louis, by way of Sparta, Athens and Belleville, under the management of John M. Mccutcheon, of Sparta, who had the contract for carrying the mail. The stage left Chester every week day at two o'clock, reaching Sparta in the evening. Leaving Sparta the next moring at six o,clock, passengers reached St. Louis the evening of the same day. Churches*


SCHOOLS.


When the old publie school-house was ereeted in 1858. It was spoken of as "an ornament to the place and a lasting monument to the intelligent spirit of the citizens of Chester." That building was of insignificant pretensions in comparison with the one completed in 1882. The latter is a capacious and handsome structure of brick. Beside the city of Chester the school district includes portions of township seven, range six, and township seven, range seven. In addition to the


*As the history of he churches are shown in the ecclesiastical chapter it is therefore unnecessary to mention them here


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPHI, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


central school building there is a school-house in the first ward used by colored children, and one in the third ward used for a primary school. Eight teachers are employed to whom during the year 1882-83 salaries were paid amount- ing to thirty-seven hundred dollars. A Catholic and a Lutheran school are also maintained which are largely attended by the children of those denominations.


SECRET AND BENEVOLENT ORGANIZATIONS.


The oldest secret society in Chester is, Chester lodge, No. 57, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which came into existence in July, 1850. Randolph Encampment, No. 55, originally established at Sparta in October, 1864, now meets at Chester.


The Masonic order, shortly after the Odd Fellows, succeed- ed in securing a foothold. Chester lodge, No. 72, dates from 1851. Servant was the first master, and Staley and Jones acted respectively as senior and junior wardens.


Herman G. Reynolds chapter, No. 84, Royal Arch Masons, was instituted in October, 1865. It first met at Kaskaskia, and was subsequently removed to C'hester.


Randolph council, No. 44, Royal and Select Masters, was charted in October, 1869, with nine original members.


Chester lodge, No. 1798, Knights of Honor, was instituted in September, 1879 with twenty-two charter members.


Jefferson council, No 648, American Legion of Honor, was organized in 1881, with twenty-six charter members.


The City Cemetery :- In August, 1843, the city, through Amzi Anders m and Seth Allen, trustces, purchased oue acre and three quarters of laud, on the west side of the Chester and Evansville road, for a burial ground. The trustees were directed to enclose the ground with a substantial fence, and to lay off lots which were to be sold for five dollars each. This with subsequent additions of land, is the Chester cemetery. The first body which here found a resting place, was that of John Bowman, who died on the eleventh of October, 1843. Among the conspicuous features of the cemetery, is a hand- some monument to the memory of Governor Shadrach Bond, erected by the State of Illinois. Governor Bond's remains were removed from Kaskaskia to this place in 1880.


The first graveyard in Chester was on the summit of the bluff, above Mugge's mill. Several of the early residents of Chester were buried there. The place was difficult of access, and consequently a new location was selected.


The Tornado that swept over Chester on the morning of the ninth of November, 1864, was the most destructive storm with which the town was ever visited. The storm struck the town between one and two o'clock in the morning. Its violence was first felt in the neighborhood of the ferry land- ing, whence it pursued its destructive course over the bluff. The upper works of the ferry boat, the " Henry," were blown completely away, and portions were afterwards found at Coulterville, a distance of twenty eight miles. The smoke- stack was blown up over the hill about a mile. Twenty-two houses were blown down and damaged. Three persons were killed, Col. Gabriel Jones, Chancery I. Haskin and an or- phan girl living with Capt. Auson Morey. A number of the citizens were injured.


Southern Illinois Penitentiary .- The act establishing the Southern Illinois Penitentiary was approved on the twenty- fourth of May, 1877. Ou the tenth of September, of that year, it was decided to build the penitentiary (a view of which is shown on another page) on a site about a mile above Chester, on the Mississippi river, at the mouth of the Kas- kaskia. In October, 1877, the erection of the first building was commenced. This was a frame dwelling, below the penitentiary, now used as the deputy warden's residence. The same month (October) the contract for building a cell- house and warden's-house was awarded to Baltes & Nelson, of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The contract price of these build- ings was ninety-five thousand and four hundred dollars. The construction of a two-story brick building for the con- finement of prisoners was commenced in November, 1877.


On the twenty-first of March, 1878, two hundred convicts were received from Joliet, who were set to work on the con- struction of the buildings. Beside the buildings already mentioned, a large chapel, engine-house, tobacco-house, con- vict kiteben, female prison, and laundry, barn and solitary, have been erected, the work being mostly done by prisou labor. The cell-house has room for eight hundred prisoners. Most of the convict labor is let to contractors at a certain amount per day.


The Southern Illinois Stock and Agricultural Association was organized in 1874. The original incorporators were William Hartzell, William McAdam, John T. McBride, William Swanwick, Guilford Warren, C. C. Williams, Wil. liam A. Gordon, John H. Lindsey, and George II. Tate. The annual fairs have been the most successful in the south- ern part of the State. The association now owns fifty-two acres of land, of which one-half is enclosed. The officers in 1882 were: President, William A. Gordon ; Viec-Presi- dent, John G. Middendorf; Secretary, William Schuchert ; Assistant Secretary, Frederick Bueckman ; Treasurer, Isaac Lahnherr.


Manufactures .- One of the earliest manufacturing estab- lishment in Chester, Cole's mill, is still in existence, and forms an important element in the business life of the place. It was established by Nathan Cole in 1837. Two years later the mill was enlarged and improved. The mill is now well supplied with new machinery, and has eight run of buhrs and five sets of rolls. Twenty hands are employed. The capacity is four hundred barrels per day. Two principal brands of flour are made, "F F F-G" and "Cole's Mill." From the time the mill was first put in operation, the flour has been extensively sold in the South, and the sale of the product is now divided between southern and eastern mar- kets. A large stone warehouse and elevator, near the mill, was built in 1872. The firm is known as H. C. Cole & Co., and is composed of Henry C. Cole, Zachary T. Cole, and Charles B. Cole. A cooper shop, employing thirty hands, and turning out seventy thousand flour barrels each year, beside barrels for other purposes, is also connected with the mill.


The Excelsior Mill of August Mugge was started in 1872 in a building near the river in lower Chester formerly occu- pied as a brewery. It has two run of buhrs, and is mostly


288A


JOHN F SCHUCHERT


bod.


H. C. SMITH.


BUSINESS BLOCK.


RESIDENCE.


INTERIOR OF OPERA HOUSE.


OPERA HOUSE.


BUSINESS PROPERTY OF JOHN F. SCHUCHERT. CHESTER, ILL.


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


employed on custom grinding, though some flour is made for shipment. Three hands are employed beside the proprietor, and the mill makes from twenty-five to thirty barrels of flour per day.


The Chester Foundry and Machine Shop was placed in operation in 1865 by a stock company of which H. C. Cole, Joseph B. Holmes and Gabriel S. Jones were the leading members. March, 1869, it was rented to Joseph Baron- owsky, who in 1873 became the possessor of the property. Mr. Baronowsky has since carried on the business. Iron castings of all descriptions are made, and special attention given to the manufact .re of railings, hot-air furnaces and other kinds of house work. Repairs to all kinds of machin- ery are made.


The firm of Grace Brothers carry on the manufacture of carriages, phætons, huggies and spring wagons. Richard B. Grace began business in Chester in 1980 in partnership with Edmund M. Montroy. The present firm, composed of Richard B. Grace, Michael Grace and John J. Grace, was established in 18 2


Farm wagons and agricultural implements are made by H. Hershbach & Bro., whose shop is located in Buena Vista. Henry Hershbach began business in 1872, and the present firm has been in existence since 1-76. A specialty is made of the manufacture of the Chester wagon. A Braecher has also a shop for the manufacture of heavy wagons in Buena Vista. Joseph Pomorski is engaged in the manufacture of farm and spring wagons in lower Ches- ter. He began business in 1> 9. Frank Gousman has carried on a wagon factory in the same part of the town. The wood-work part of the business is now in charge of Fred- erick Möller.


The manufacture of iron beam plows has been carried on by Henry Lortz.


James Douglas is the proprietor of the Washington Mar- ble Works. He has been engaged in this business longer than any other man in Southern Illinois, having started in St. Louis in 1855, and since 1865 having been established at Chester. Ile manufactures all kinds of granite and marble work.


The Chester Monumental Marble Works are carried on by Edward Howorth and Robert D. Burns. The present


firm has been in existence since 1875. From six to eight hands are employed.


TOWN ORGANIZATION.


The citizens of Chester, on the 10th of February, 1835, met at the house of Thomas Short to decide whether or not to take advantage of an aet of the Legislature authorizing the incorporation of the town. Richard B. Servant was elected President, and Joseph B. Holmes, secretary, but there being no person present to administer the oath of office to these gentlemen the meeting was adjourned. On the succeeding twenty-fifth of April a meeting was held at the house of Horace Francis, at which it was decided to incor- porate the town. There were no votes in the negative. From the adoption of town organization the government was in the hands of trustees. The first board of trustees in 1835 were Richard B. Servant, President ; John Paschall, Leonard Stevens, Horace Francis, Staey B. Opdycke ; Amos Emerson was subsequently elected in place of Op- dycke, and Silas Leland in place of Paschall


INCORPORATION AS A CITY.


Io 1-55 the Legislature passed an act incorporating Chester as a city. In October, 1855, the board of trustees divided the new city into three wards. The first ward em- braced that part of the city between the Mississippi river and the north side of Buena Vista street ; the second that part between the north side of Buena Vista street and the south side of Church alley ; and the third ward comprised all of the city lying north of the south side of Church alley. The first election under the city charter took place on the 5th of April, 1856. The Mayor and Aldermen elected at that time were as follows : 1856-Mayor, Joseph Williamson ; Aldermen-First ward, Richard H. Crittenden, Gabriel S. Jones ; Second ward, Henry Stump, Isaac H. Nelson ; Third ward, Alfred Whitaker, Frederick Buckman.


As the names of the officers are all a matter of record, we only give the names of the first trustees and the first and last officers under the city government.


1552- Mayor, William Schuchert, Aldermen-First ward, Nelson R. Crain, E. C. Segar; Second ward, George W. Staley, John Kennedy ; Third ward, Christian Wegner, Isaac Lehuherr.


37


BIOGRAPHIES.


JOSEPH B. HOLMES.


PERHAPS few names are more familiar to the people of Randolph and adjoining counties than that of Joseph B. Holmes, and certain it is that none are treasured with fonder recollections. He was born in Newville, Pennsylvania, on the 1st day of April, 1809, and came to Kaskaskia, Illinois, in the spring of 1829, to clerk for Mather, Lamb & Co., then doing business at that place. He removed with the firm to Springfield the following year, and remained in their employ until Oct 1st, 1833, having charge of their branch store in Chester during a portion of the time. At the last- named date he associated with Francis Swanwick and Ga- briel Jones, Sr., also clerks in the employ of Mather, Lamb & Co., and formed the co-partnership of Holmes, Swanwick & Co., which for many years was the leading mercantile firm of Southern Illinois. After 1839, Holmes and Swan- wick pursued the business alone, with head-quarters at Chester. They had branch stores at Steele's Mills, in Ran- dolph county ; Brownsville, in Jackson county ; Pinckney- 290


ville, Frankfort, and Old Du Quoin. In addition to all this, they operated several castor-oil mills, and handled the produce of the greater portion of the territory from the Wabash to the Mississippi. The firm was never dissolved, but ceased to do business prior to the rebellion. Mr. Holmes engaged in active business until his death on November 7, 1879, and at one time was one of the most extensive land- holders in Randolph county.


He was married at Kaskaskia on the first day of March, 1838, to Miss Mary Bond, second daughter of Gov. Shadrach Bond, with whom he lived happily until her death, a year before his own, July 19th, 1878. He left surviving five sons aud two daughters. He never held any public office save that of Mayor of the City of Chester, which he filled from 1865 to 1873. He established a reputation during life among his fellow-men for unquestioned integrity of character and bigh moral worth.


HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


291


John Swarwicks


THE memory of none of the old citizens of Chester is treasured more highly than that of John Swanwick, who died September 15th, 1880, after having lived his four-score years. He was born in Chester, England, August 31st, 1799, and was the son of Thomas and Hannah Swanwick. Thomas Swanwick, a tobacconist by trade, came to America in 1818. The following year eame his family of ten chil- dren, five sons and five daughters. They located in what is now Perry county. Here they prosecuted the work of




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