USA > Illinois > Cumberland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 44
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 44
USA > Illinois > Jasper County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 44
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The school interests of Jasper County developed slowly, and it was not until 1876 that they began to take rank with those of the surrounding counties. The first district was established in March, 1838, and included Townships 6 and 7 in Range 9, and included seventy-two square miles. The schoolhouse was then in Newton, and was used for school purposes, court and church. It was a little log building, and now, weather-boarded so as almost to lose its identity, serves as a marble cutter's shop. >The early schools were of the subscription sort, where the children learned the rudiments of a pioneer education, aptly describe.l in the "Hoosier Schoolmaster" as " liekin' and larnin'." As the county settled up. and communities began to form in various parts of the county, schools were main- tained in each neighborhood until the free school system of the present gave freer access to the civilizing influence of education. In 1855, T. J. Martin was one of the directors in the Newton district. Up to this time a single-storied building had served the purposes of schoolroom, and even this was so dilapidate las to create apprehen- sions in regard to the safety of the children. Mr. Martin determined to secure a better building, and partly by his exertions and partly by his own money, a two-story frame schoolhouse was secured. This was considered by a majority of the patrons as a very extravagant project. It was confi lently predicted that Newton would never have pupils enough to fill it, and when the directors went further and hired two lally teachers at $25 per month each, the indignant surprise of the community could be restrained no longer. The County Super-
454
HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
intendent of that time remonstrated with them on such extray- agance, pictured the bankruptcy that was sure to follow, and cited the fact that his wife, when a girl, worked for 75 cents and $1 a week. But it did not convince the directors of error, and the event proved that Martin and his backers were in the right way. In the fall of 1876, the present brick structure was erected at a cost of some $6,000: it has five departments, under the instruction of six teachers.
However advantageous the school system may be. it requires an appreciative administration to achieve the highest results. This seems to have been lacking in Jasper County up to this date, and in September, 1876, the subject was thoroughly agitated through the county papers. One writer reviews the subject as follows: " Let us find out the causes why the schools of Jasper County are not in a better condition. The county was originally settled by emigration from a section where popular education was never favored. The county has never, until the election of the present incumbent, been blessed with a practical teacher for the office of County Superintend- ent. Our county-seat is without a high school, and when the heart is rotten, what can be expected of the members? We have over fifty-three teachers with a second-grade certificate, and thirteen with a first-class.
" We observe in the report of the State Superintendent that the minnber of days designated by the County Boards in the State are from 25 to 200 days. Our Board allows the County Seperintendent sixty days. Jasper has 95 schools in operation, 134 teachers, 4,897 school children, no libraries, and in 1874, paid the sum of $16,276 to teachers. How can the County Superintendent perform his duties prescribed by law, when the days designated by the Board are insuf- ficient? He must neglect his work, violate his oath of office. and become liable on his official bond. The Supervisors have the power in their own hands to improve and cultivate, intellectually and morally, the character of our youth.
"All other counties in the State donate from $50 to $100 for the Teachers' Institute, and when our Board can furnish money to the Agricultural Fair to improve mules and cattle, we can not see why it cannot follow the example of other Boards in the State. In the dili- gent visitation of the schools by the County Superintendent. lays the power to extinguish all second-grade certificates, and soon we shall find the competent teacher awakening the sympathy of the parents for our system of education, and without compulsion the children regularly attending the schools."
455
HISTORY OF JAASPER COUNTY.
Much has been done to improve this state of things in the county during the past seven years, but there is still room for im- provement. The grade of the schools has been wonderfully improved; there are two graded schools, one at Newton and one at Saint Marie, but no high school in either place. From the reports of the County Superintendent, the following statistics are compiled:
Year
1861
1864
1865
1866
1808
1869
Whole number of districts.
65
78
83
81
SO
Whole number of schoolhouses.
50
63
74
11
Whole number of schoolhonses erceted
5
4
11
ל-
Average paid male teachers per month.
22 $
23.19 $
27 39
Average paid female teachers per month $
17
17.01 $
19.60
Whole amt. ex'd for school purposes
$
3,021
3,322
3,846
4,798
4,538
4,03
Number of log schoollionses
Number of frame schoolhouses
Number of brick schoolhouses
Value of school property.
Year
1870
1871
1872
1874
1880
Whole number of districts
85
85
95
100
Whole number of schoolhouses
81
83
85
86
101
Whole number of schoolhouses creeted
3
->
6
6
6
Average paid male teachers per month.
33 83
Average paid female teachers per month
S
2.1 .- 14
Whole amount expended for school purposes
$ 17,292.53 $18,599.79 $23,746.56 $25,200 00 $26,726.61
Whole number in attendance.
3,894
1,975
3,732
4,949
4,419
Number of log schoolhousey
38
21
8
Number of frame schoolhouses
54
60
85
Number of brick schoolhouses
1
3
S
Valne of school property
$20,506.75
$43,266.60
In 1882, the statistics show two graded schools; income from distributable funds, $8,332.22; total receipts. $34,929.10; paid teachers, $15,817.26: for new schoolhouses, $3,802.32: for repairs, $1,814.72; for furniture, $1,296.83; for books for poor children, $46: for dis- triet libraries, $112.07. No attempt has been made to harmonize the discrepancies in these statistics. The reports have been faithfully copied and they doubtless give the main facts in the case. The schools of the county have made rapid advancement in the last few years, and are now nearly abreast of the most improved.
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
The great benevolent societies of the world have representa- tive lodges here. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was the first to establish itself here, Newton Lodge. No. 161, being chartered October 12, 1854. Among the charter members were T. J. Martin, A. M. Peterson, Benjamin Miller, JJohn Kern, Armstead Ward, David Scott, William Nigh, and W. H. Webb. This Order has been fairly successful here, though none of the principal Orders have attained the growth found in many places. The Order of Free and Accepted Masons, came to Newton second in order of time and established Newton Lodge, No. 216, by a charter dated October, 1856. The
9.333 $11,084.53 $12,442.17 $16,461.42 $19,276.07
$15,866.45
Whole number in attendance.
456
HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
charter members were D. B. Brown, E. J. Tichenor, A. M. Peterson, John Jackson, A. C. Burford. Johnson Colwel, J. I. Whitney, and oth- ers, the foregoing persons filling the first term of the respective offices in the regular order as named. A Royal Arch Chapter was chartered under the name of Newton Chapter, No. 109, October 4, 1867, with T. J. Martin, Simpson Johnson, John W. Wilshead, James Lewis, S. J. Mann, C. M. Wakefield, G. W. Pritchard, John Winterode, W. Mayo, W. H. Eidson, and Joseph Cooper, as charter members. A Chapter of the Eastern Star was chartered here on February 9, 1871, as Mayo Chapter, No. 54. Of this, Mrs. T. J. Martin, Martha J. Brown, L. Brooks, S. B. Brown, Mary Morrell, Sue Staley, and An- geline Harris, were charter members and first officers of the Chapter. The Masonic Order has prospered here, and while it has not grown to a large membership in the various degrees, a good interest in the work has been maintained and comfortable rooms secured and maintained. The different organizations named, occupy the same room on differ- ent evenings. It is situated in the second story over the store on the corner of Jorden and Van Buren streets, and while not expensively furnished, is comfortably fitted up and provided with all the para- phernalia of the Orders. The American Order of United Workmen has a Lodge here, as also the Knights of Honor.
The Mutual Protection Society is an organization of the Medi- cal Fraternity of the county, originated, as its name suggests, for the protection of its members. The Society was organized February 20, 1880, though the subject was agitated for some three or four years previously by Dr. Picquet, and others. The object of the organization, as set forth in its constitution, is "to protect its members against indi- viduals who make a practice of going from one physician to another without paying any doctor bills; to try to collect doubtful bills by such laws as the Society may hereafter enact; to promote harmony and good feeling among its members; and to promote mutual im- provement in the science and practice of medicine in all its branches, ly papers, reports of cases, discussions," etc., etc. The laws of the Society are very strict, and have thus far proven of value to the membership, which includes most, if not all, of the profession in the county.
Post No. 158, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Illi- nois, was organized at Rose Hill. Jasper Co., III., with the following soldier-boys as charter members: William and A. Hammer, R. H. Brown, M. S. Cowger. William A. Powell, John W. Lee, Willian D. Cummins, Henry Sowers, J. L Elder. A. McGahan, T. R. Jones,
457
HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
A. J. Goodwin, George W. Sutton, W. A. Jones, E. J. Filer, Jona- than B. Cowger, Jr., Charles P. Ross, J. W. Swiek, and C. E. Gar- wood. Charter was granted October 11, 1882, when they proceeded to an election of officers with the following result: Commander, M. S. Cowger: S. V. Commander, G. W. Sutton: J. V. Commander, T. B. JJones: Chaplain, J. L. Elder; Surgeon, Dr. W. A. JJones; Officer of the Day, W. D. Cummins; Officer of the Guard, R. H. Brown; Quartermaster. J. W. Lee; Adjutant, A. MeGahan; Ser- geant-Major. A. JJ. Goodwin: Q. M. Sergeant, Charles P. Ross. The Post now has fifty-nine active members; is in a very flourishing con- dition, its hours of meeting at & o'clock the first and third Saturday evenings of each month.
June 20. 1883, the following persons, old soldiers of the last American war, held a meeting at Yale, for the purpose of organiz- ing a Post of the G. A. R .: S. D. Odell. W. W. Chapman, L. S. Ryan, Jonathan Lenex, A. J. Cramer, C. L. Comstock, J. M. Bag- well, Jesse II. King, William Ayers, George Clark, David H. Hard- ley, and James Thompson. The charter was issued June, 1883, the Post to be No. 272, and named Coblentz Post, Department of Illi- nois. The election for officers resulted as follows: Commander, S. D. Odell; Senior Vice-Commander, L. S. Ryan; Junior Vice-Com- mander, W. W. Chapman; Officer of the Day, C. L. Comstock; Quartermaster. George Clark; Sergeant-Major, A. J. Cramer; Chap- lain, Jonathan Lenex; Adjutant, T. S. Odell. The Post was begun with seventeen members, is in good condition and fast filling up.
458
HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
JASPER COUNTY IN THE WAR.
The senatorial campaign of 1858, with the succeeding Presiden- tial contest in 1860, in which the great citizen of Illinois had been the prominent figure, served to fix the undivided attention of this county with the rest of the State, upon the political storm which seemed to be gathering with portentious mutterings over the south- ern portion of the country. It is doubtful whether hope or fear pre- dominated in the minds of the people as the day approached when Lincoln was to be inaugurated. A part hoped for a compromise; others were willing that the South should succeed, while the larger portion hoped and expected that in the determined grasp of the Presi- dent, the serpent of secession would be strangled, as Jackson had done before in the case of the " nullifiers." It was in this not uncom- fortable trame of mind that the reverberations of Fort Sumter's guns assailed the ears of the whole North. Treason's guns had given the signal of war, and it was this explosion echoing around the world. that united here the various elements, and made men supporters or non-supporters of armed resistance to the rebellion. The niceties of political distinctions were not so thoroughly lost sight of in JJasper County as in many other places. The two parties held their forces in pretty strict allegiance, and the leaders of both organizations found no difficulty in committing the major part of their followers to the support of the various legislative follies and platform cccon- tricities of those disturbed years.
Fort Sumter capitulated on Saturday, April 13. 1861. and on the 15th, the Secretary of War telegraphed to the Governor of Illi- nois, the apportionment of that State under the President's call for 75,000 men to put down the insurrection at Charleston. The call was made under the authority granted to the President of the United States to call out the militia when the laws of the general govern- ment were opposed, and the execution thereof obstructed, and required the Governor of Illinois to " detach from the militia " 225 officers and 4.458 men. The militia thus called upon had no actual existence in this State. Here and there through the State were half-filled com- panies of holiday troops, but even these in a majority of cases had no efficient organization or equipment. On April 15th, the Legislature
459
HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
was called to convene on the 23d, and an order was issued from the Adjutant-General's office to the various militia officers to hold them- selves in readiness for actual service. On the following day an order was issued for the immediate organization of the six regiments called for by the general government. The response from every part of the State was prompt and unanimous, and in ten days over 10,000 men tendered their services to the government for the defense of the Union.
The response from Jasper County to the Governor's call was prompt and enthusiastic on the part of the people. The Board of Supervisors, on May 15, 1861, in response to the petition of many citi- zens, authorized the Supervisor in each township to render such aid to the families of volunteers as they might need. The Supervisor issued his order on the County Clerk, who drew on the treasury. This rather liberal order of things was summarily checked in the following Sep- tember, and soldiers' families assisted as the other poor of the county. This may have lacked an element of patriotic gratitude, but it was at least a more prudent arrangement than the first order. No bounty was offered to volunteers until February, 1865, when a project was suggested of levying a tax to pay $300 for each person enlisting under the call for 300,000 men. Such an order was passed and rescinded, and this state of vacillation was maintained until March 4th, when an order was passed which " offered and appropriated to each and every person that has heretofore enlisted and been sworn into the military or naval service of the United States, and credited to Jasper County, Ill., since December 19, 1864, under the present call for 300,000 men, until this call be filled, the sum of $330, to be paid out of the military fund raised under, and pursuant to an act passed February 10, 1865." The assigned quota under this call was eighty men, but how many received this bounty, or how much was paid out in the assistance of soldiers' families, cannot be ascertained, as no special record has been kept, nor were such reports forwarded to the State Office.
The ladies of Newton were early to organize for the relief and comfort of the soldiers in the field. The town was but a hamlet then, and a sewing society consisting of some eight or ten ladies, changed the object of their work and prepared articles for the hospitals and camps. Their first work was on material purchased by their own contribu- tions; then the merchants were solicited for donations and others for money. The society was independent in its organization and sent its donations to the volunteers from Jasper direct, or to Saint Louis or other points.
28
460
HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
Eighth Infantry .-- The law provided that in token of respect to the Illinois regiments in the Mexican War, the six regiments organ- ized under the first call of the President should begin their desig- nating numbers at seven, and that these regiments when organized should constitute the " First Brigade Illinois Volunteers." Early in April, 1861, a company was raised in Richland and Jasper counties, which rendezvoused at Mattoon, and subsequently became Company D, of the Eighth Illinois Infantry. On the 25th day of April, 1861, the Eighth Regiment was first organized for the three months' serv- ice, Colonel Oglesby commanding. A contest for rank and senior- ity arose between the Seventh and Eighth, both being organized on the same day. This contest was finally ended by according to Col- onel Cook the first number (seven) as the number of his regiment, with the second rank as Colonel; Colonel Oglesby taking the second number for his regiment, with the first rank as Colonel.
During its three months' term of service it was stationed at Cairo, Ill., where, at the expiration of its time it was mustered out. The regiment was immediately reorganized for the three years' serv- ice, the term of enlistment dating from July 25, 1861.
The regiment was stationed at Cairo, Ill., until October, 1861, when it was ordered to Bird's Point, Missouri, where it was stationed until February 2, 1862, with the exception of occasional excursions to Cape Girardeau, Commerce, Bloomfield and Norford, Missouri, and Paducah and Blandville, Kentucky, and joined in the feint on Colum- bus, in January, 1862. In February following, it embarked for the Tennessee River. On the 5th, it met the enemy near Fort Henry, and drove them. On the 11th, it was in advance of the attack on Fort Donelson, under command of Lient. Col. Rhoads, Col. Oglesby com- manding the brigade. On the 15th, the Eighth met the enemy, who were attempting to cut their way out of the fort, and for three hours and a half withstood the shock of the enemy, although suffering terribly. Its loss during this time was 57 killed, 191 wounded, and 10 missing. March 6, the regiment proceeded to Savannah, and a few days afterward to Pittsburgh Landing. On Sunday morning, April 6, the regiment had in line 25 officers and 453 men, and was commanded by Capt. JJames M. Ashmore. In the first engagement Capt. Ashmore was severely wounded, and Capt. W. M. Harvey, next in command, killed. The command fell upon Capt. R. HI. Sturgess, who nobly led the regiment during the rest of the fight. Toward the close of the second day the regiment, together with the Eighteenth Missouri, was ordered to take a rebel battery in front.
461
HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
The battery was charged and taken, the gunners being killed at their posts. The loss at Shiloh was 26 killed. 95 wounded, and Il missing.
The regiment went through the fatigues and dangers of the siege of Corinth, and after the evacuation was ordered to Bethel, and thence to Jackson, Tenn., where it remained until November 10, 1862, when it was ordered to Lagrange. Tenn. November 28, it pushed as far as Water Valley, in Mississippi, and returned to La- grange after a long, hard march. The regiment broke camp at Tallahatchie River, January 4, 1863, and marched to Grand Junction, arriving on the 9th inst. On the 12th, it was ordered toward Mem- phis; camped five days at Lafayette, Tenn., and was joined here by Col. J. P. Post, who had been a prisoner since the battle of Donelson. On the 19th of January the regiment marched into Memphis, and encamped on the Hernando road. February 22, it embarked for Lake Providence, and went into camp on the lake shore, but subse- quently, on account of high water, moved to Berry Landing. April 12, the regiment went to Milliken's Bend. On the 25th, the regi- ment started with the army, and passing through Richmond, struck the river at Perkins' Landing, crossing over on the night of the 30th. May 1, 1863, at noon, the regiment reached Thompson's Hill and took part in the fight; marched to Utica, and on the 12th met the enemy near Raymond. In this battle the regiment did distinguished service, relieving the center, which was hard pushed, at a most crit- ical moment, and gallantly driving the enemy. On the 14th of May, the Eighth took part in the capture of Jackson, and on the 16th, in the hard-fought battle of Champion Hills. In this fight the Eighth and One Hundred and Twenty-Fourth took a battery of six guns-horses, caissons and all, capturing and killing artillery men at their guns; on the morning of the 18th, crossed Big Black River, and on the 19th drove the enemy into his works at Vicksburg. On the 22d, the regiment took part in the terrible assault on Fort Hell. During the siege the line of the regiment was within three hundred yards of Fort Fisher, and it was between this line and Fort Hell that the interview between Gens. Grant and Pemberton was held.
August 21, 1863, under command of Lient. Col. J. A. Shutz, the regiment marched to Monroe and returned, arriving September 3. In the following month the regiment moved with the Seventeenth Army Corps, under Gen. McPherson, toward Canton, returning on the 18th of that month. The Eighth remained at Vicksburg until February 3, 1864, when it commenced the Meridian campaign under Gen. Sherman, in which it sustained its share of the skirmishing and
462
HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
fatigue. March 24, 1864, the regiment re-enlisted and was sent to Camp Butler, Illinois, for veteran furlough, returning to the field in June.
July 1, the Eighth left Vicksburg with Gen. Dennis' command for Jackson, which place was occupied on the 5th. Returning the following day, the enemy was met three miles from Jackson, and a skirmish ensued which lasted until dark. On the following day the enemy was attacked and a severe engagement followed, the Eighth losing 3 killed, 21 wounded and 2 missing. From the 29th of July to September 3, the regiment engaged in the Morganzia expedition; September 3, embarked for the mouth of White River; here it ar- rived on the 8th, and remained until October 18, when it embarked for Memphis, Tenn. After remaining at Fort Pickering until the 29th, the regiment returned to the mouth of White River, and on the 7th of November proceeded up the river to Duvall's Bluff, where it remained until the 28th, embarking then for Memphis, Tenn.
On January 1, 1865, the regiment left Memphis for New Orleans, where it arrived on the 4th, and was stationed at Kenneville, fifteen miles above the city. In the following month the regiment moved to Dauphin Island, and from thenee it started, March 17, 1865, to take part in the campaign against Mobile. For eight days the march was through almost impassable roads to the head of the bay, and on the 26th encamped near Spanish Fort and entrenched. From this time until March 30. the regiment was engaged in approaching the fort, losing one killed and three wounded in the operations. The regiment was then ordered toward Blakely, Alabama, and on the 3d of April proceeded to the rear of the line of investment, doing duty in the trenches and extending saps until April 9, when the regiment joined the assault on the enemy's works. The Eighth did gallant service, and was first to plant the flag on the works in its vicinity. The loss of the regiment in this charge was 10 killed and 51 wounded.
On the 12th the regiment crossed the bay and marched to Mo- bile, remaining there until May 25; on the 27th, embarked for Like- port, and on the 29th encampe I on the race-course four miles above New Orleans. On the 31st, the regiment proceeded up the Mississippi and Red rivers to Shreveport, La., and soon afterward to Marshall, Texas. Here the regiment remained until orders were received to return to Baton Rouge, La., where the regiment was musterel out of the service May 1, 1856, and ordered to Springfield for final pay- ment and discharge.
463
HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
Eleventh Infantry .- This regiment was mustered in at Spring- fild April 30, 1861, and Companies F and I contained a number of Jasper County volunteers. On May 5, the regiment was ordered to Villa Ridge, in this State, in the vicinity of Cairo. In the following month the regiment was ordered to Bird's Point, on the other side of the river, where the regiment served out its term of enlistment in garrison and field duty. While not seeing any active service during this time, the regiment. with others assembled at this point, did excellent duty in warding off the danger which the over- whelming forces of the rebels on the river below threatened, and at the same time gained that discipline which made them such efficient soldiers during the war. On July 30, its term of enlistment hav- ing expired, the regiment was mustered out of service, and having re-entered the service for three years, it was on the following day mustered in. The old number was retained, but the arrangement of companies was considerably changed. The membership of the regi- ment was greatly changed as well. Out of 916 mustered out, only 288 were mustered in again on the following day, but during the months of August. September. October and November, it was re- cruited to the number of 801 men. During this time the regiment doing garrison and field duty participated in several unimportant expeditions, among others the one to Charleston, Mo., where it got into a spirited skirmish with the enemy. February 2, the regiment embarked on transports for Fort Henry, participating in the cam- paign against that place, and on the 11th inst. moved toward Fort Donelson. Here the regiment got their first "baptism of fire." The regiment came in sight of the fort about noon of the 12th, and here Wallace's Brigade, compose.l of the Eleventh, Twentieth. Forty-Fifth and Forty-Eighth Illinois Infantry, Taylor's and McAllister's Batter- ies of Light Artillery and Col. Dickey's Cavalry, halted and drew up in line of battle. Col. Oglesby's Brigade took up its position on the right of Wallace, and in this position but little occurred save occasional shots at the enemy and a change of position until the 15th. Grant had in the meantime strengthened his line of invest- ment, so that but little hope of escape remained to the garrison. On the morning of the 15th, therefore, the enemy to the number of 7,500 emerged from his works and in separate columns hurled him- self on the right of the federal line, seeking to break through and escape. The first blow, dealt upon Oglesby's Brigade, was followed by a second on Wallace's Brigade and then on Morrison's and Mc- Arthur's Brigades, constituting the extreme right. A member of the
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