USA > Illinois > Madison County > Alton > Gazetteer of Madison County : containing historical and descriptive sketches of Alton City, Upper Alton, Edwardsvile, Collinsville, Highland, Troy, Monticello, Mairne, Bethalto, and other towns, including some account of the resources of the various townships, to which is added a directory of the Altons,. > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
95
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Alton.]
ALTON WOOLEN MILLS-F. K. and G. B. NICHOLS, proprietors, were established in 1861. Their main building is 140x45 ft., three stories high, with an L 70x45 ft., substantially built of stone, with other buildings ad- joining for store rooms, machine shop, engine house and tannery. There are three and one-half setts of cards, (equivalent to about twelve hundred spindles,) twenty-eight looms, and other machinery necessary in the manufacture of all kinds of woolen goods, with a capacity for using about 14,000 pounds of wool per month. There are seventy-five employees engaged in the various departments of these mills. The manager, Mr. F. K. Nichols, has been engaged in this branch of manufacturing for more than twenty years.
THE ALTON CITY GAS WORKS were established October, 1855. They consume about 36,000 bushels of coal per annum, manufacturing 14,000 cubic feet of gas each month. With five and one-fourth miles of main pipe they supply sixty-seven street lamps and two hundred and fifty-five consumers throughout the city. ROBERT JOHNSON, superintendent.
KENDALL'S CRACKER FACTORY, on Second street corner of Easton, occupies a fine new brick building 65x52 ft., with four floors. The oven is 52x16 ft. in size, with five apartments. About thirty workmen are eni- ployed. The factory has a capacity for manufacturing from 125 to 150 bar- rels of crackers per day, using forty to fifty barrels of flour. The building was erected with the design of making it as nearly fire proof as possible, and with the machinery cost from $25, 000 to $30,000.
CHARLES RODEMEYER's carriage and wagon factory on Third street east of Piasa occupies two buildings. One 90x25 ft., built of brick, three stories high, is used as the carriage factory; the other, just opposite, is used for the wagon factory. In both buildings twenty-eight men are employed. Mr. R. was foreman during a period of twenty-two years in the prison carriage and wagon shops under contract with Mr. Buckmaster. His present factory was established some six years since.
JOHN G. PURDY, manufacturer of fine carriages, buggies, &c., begun March, 1865, and employs nine to twelve workmen.
THOMAS RICHARDSON has a wagon and plow shop on Belle street, em- ploying six to eight men.
In addition to these there are ten to twelve other wagon, blacksmith and plow shops in the city employing from two to six workmen each.
ALTHOFF & STIGLEMAN have recently established works for the purpose of manufacturing all descriptions of Wooden Ware. They occupy a building 112x80 feet, three stories, two of stone and one of brick. With one tub and one bucket lathe, and other corresponding machinery, they have from forty to fifty workmen employed.
MARTIN & BOALS, plaining mill, sash and door factory, began in 1863. They now occupy a building 86x40 feet, three stories high with machinery for dressing 15,000 feet of lumber per day, and manufacturing sash, doors, blinds and packing boxes sufficient to supply a large trade. About twen- ty workmen are employed.
MYERS & DRUMMOND in April, 1862, established a tobacco factory now on Front street. They have a capacity for manufacturing about 50,000 pounds of tobacco per month, with from sixty to seventy employees. They areabout to erecta large four story building that will enable them to greatly increase their manufacturing facilities.
SCHEUTZEL & LEACH have just put up machinery for the manufacture of fine cut tobacco, snuff, &c., with facilities for making about 10,000 pounds per week, employing twenty workmen.
H. SLIPE, tobacco manufacturer on Second street, has fourteen presses with from fifteen to twenty employees.
J. A. NEININGER & Co., cigar and tobacco store on Third street, have recently begun the manufacture of tobacco.
96
A GAZETTEER OF
[Alton.
SAMUEL J. ANTHONY on Belle street and SCHULZE & GORGES on Third street, manufacture cigars and deal wholesale and retail in tobacco, cigars, &c.
There are in the city some three or four other tobacco and cigar dealers all of whom manufacture to some extent.
F. SHELLY, using Griscom & Denn's patent kilns, employs from thirty to fifty men, and manufactured, during 1865, 116,000 bushels of lime.
J. LOCK & BRO .- John Lock, the senior member of the firm, first began as a grocer in 1845. His brother Thomas joined in 1854, and since then their principal trade has been in lime, cement, &c. They employ twenty men and have six kilns, manufacturing last year about 35,000 barrels of lime. In connection with Wm. L. McNama, they have a large cooper shop with a number of workmen. Lock & Bro. also have a saw mill in Jersey County with some fifteen workmen engaged in manufacturing the lumber for their own use, and to supply a large demand for fruit and vegetable boxes dur- ing the shipping seasons.
There are two other firms engaged in the manufacture of lime in the lower part of the city; one of which made about 40,000 and the other 33,000 bushels during 1865.
BREWERIES .- This city has already several breweries. The principal of these are owned by Runzi & Co., Bauman & Peters, and Yakel & Co.
THE QUARRIES of Alton afford a rock of superior quality for building purposes. In addition to supplying the home demand, immense quanti- ties are shipped to other localities. There are four firms engaged in this branch of business, one alone of whom during 1865 shipped over 18,000 perch of rock to various parts of the adjoining country in Illinois and Mis- souri. The two principal firms engaged in this business are ATKINSON & PATRICK and HENRY WATSON.
BANKING AND INSURANCE.
The ALTON BRANCH of the State Bank of Illinois was established in 1836, with Benjamin Godfrey President and Stephen Griggs Cashier. Mr. Godfrey was succeeded by Dr. E. Marsh as President in 1839-40, and Mr. Griggs by James H. Lea as Cashier. Messrs. Marsh and Lea continued in charge of the bank until its close in 1841-2. The State Bank in connection with some merchants in 1836-7 undertook to control the Lead trade, which resulted in heavy loss both to the bank and to the merchants.
A branch of the SHAWNEETOWN BANK was established in Alton in1837, of which D. T. WHEELER was Cashier. This bank also closed in 1841-2.
The "Alton Marine and Fire Insurance Company," was incorporated February 7th, 1836, with B. I. Gilman President and E. Marsh Secretary, and a capital stock of $20,000, exclusive of premiums, notes and profits arising from business. The insurance business was discontinued about the year 1848, and in November 1852 it was organized under the general banking law of Illinois as the "ALTON BANK" with a capital of $100,000, E. Marsh President and C. A. Caldwell Cashier.
The ALTON NATIONAL BANK was organized in July 1865 by the same parties and succeeded to the business of the Alton Bank,-with E. Marsh President, Samuel Wade Vice President and C. A. Caldwell Cashier.
97
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Alton.]
ALTON MUTUAL INSURANCE AND SAVINGS COMPANY .- This Company was chartered Feb. 12, 1853, and organized under the name of "City Mutual Insurance Company" June 9, 1853,-commencing an active Marine busi- ness at once. The stock of the Company was largely in the hands of our business men, and being a Home Company of undoubted standing, it has from the first enjoyed a first class reputation, and has had nearly the en- tire Marine business of the City.
Under an amendment of the charter approved February, 1859, the Com- pany was re-organized with an increased capital and commenced the for- mation of a Fire Insurance Department, which has been continued with great care and a reasonable degree of success.
In September, 1859, the Company also organized a Banking House at the corner of Second and State streets, which continued in successful oper- ation, until turned over, on the 1st of September, 1865, to the "First National Bank." Since then the organization continues its, original business of . Marine and Fire Insurance, and from its strong local position must continue to maintain a safe, reliable and increasing business. The capital of the Company is $150,000. The present officers and directors are as follows :
Directors. - W. H. Mitchell, M. H. Topping, D. S. Hoaglan, J. L. Blair J. W. Wise, Isaac Scarritt, Lewis Kellenberger.
D. D. Ryrie, Secretary.
Isaac Scarritt, President.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF ALTON .- This Bank was commissioned by the Comptroller of the Currency July 15, 1865. At that time it succeeded to the banking business of the "Alton Mutual Insurance and Savings Company," an institution that had built up a very successful business, substantially under the direction of those who now control the "First National Bank."
Although, therefore, comparatively a new institution in its present or- ganization, yet its business, officers and directors are well known to the business community, and it is favorably regarded as a Home Institution of great usefulness and success. The paid in capital of this bank is one hundred thousand dollars, with ability to increase to half a million, and the business connections of the "First National" warrant the expectations of a steady and sound growth.
Directors .- Isaac Scarritt, M. H. Topping, W. H. Mitchell, D. S. Hoaglan, John L. Blair, J. W. Wise, L. J. Clawson.
Isaac Scarritt, President. D. D. Ryrie, Cashier.
The ILLINOIS MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY was organized April 4th, 1839, and is the oldest in the State. By its liberal dealings, prompt and equitable adjustment of claims, this Company has won an extensive and discriminative patronage as a Home Company. Since its organization it has paid losses to the amount of $1,180,000. With an income for 1865 of $242,109.37, its capital and assets March 31, 1866, were $1,054,448.04. M. G. 14-
98
A GAZETTEER OF
[Alton.
Atwood, President, John Atwood, Secretary, H. W. Billings, Counselor, L. Kellenberger, Treasurer.
The FRANKLIN MARINE AND FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY, commenced business in the spring of 1865, and has met with good success with a capi- tal in March 1866 of $108,000 00, having paid losses in eleven months to the amount of $17,788.
CHURCHES.
In the winter of 1829-30 William Miller and the Howard brothers, in connection with a few neighbors, began to hold gatherings for religious services. Their first meeting was in the cooper shop of William Miller. Thereafter they usually met in new buildings as they were being erected from time to time. It is believed that the Rev. Thomas Lippincott preach- ed the first serinon in the village of Lower Alton.
A Sabbath-school was begun in 1831, and during that year the Baptists and Presbyterians united in holding their services in what wasthen known as the Lyceum Hall; Rev. Hubbel Loomis as minister for the Baptists, and Rev. Elisha Jenny for the Presbyterians. The Protestant Methodists had occasional services, at which Mr. Charles Howard officiated.
The first church edifice was built by Mr. Benjamin Godfrey, who grant- ed free use of it to both the religious societies then organized in Alton, the Baptists and Presbyterians. This building was in size about 60x45 feet and stood on the north-east corner of Market and Third streets, the present site of the Episcopal Church. It had the adornment of a neat cupola, the bell for which was a present from Mrs. Gilman, mother of the late Benj. I. Gilman.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, (N. S.)-The original Church was formed June 9, 1821, by the Rev. Daniel Gould and Rev. Edward Hollister, who were in the employ of the Connecticut Domestic Missionary Society. It con - sisted of eight persons, three males and five females, with H. H. Snow and Enoch Long as elders.
The Church was occasionally supplied with preaching by different Mis- sionaries of the Connecticut Domestic Missionary Society, until May, 1824. It then consisted, according to the records, of nine members. In 1827, the Church, having been reduced by removals to two members, was united with the Church at Edwardsville, by the Presbytery of Missouri.
The present Presbyterian Church at Alton was organized June 19, 1831, by the Rev. Thomas Lippincott, and consisted of eight members, four males and four females. Enoch Long was chosen Elder. The Church was supplied by Rev. Thomas Lippincott until June, 1832. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. Elisha Jenny, who remained with the Church, as their stated supply, until April, 1835.
Rev. F. W. Graves entered upon his ministerial labors with the congre- gation in June, 1835. The following October he became their Pastor. Mr.
.
99
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Alton.]
Graves' connection with the congregation continued until November, 1838. During the succeeding winter the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Albert Hale, now of Springfield.
Rev. Augustus T. Norton entered upon his labors March 1, 1839. On the 9th of May following, he was duly installed Pastor by the Presbytery of Alton, and continued his successful and self-sacrificing labors with the Church for eighteen years, when at his own request the pastoral relation was dissolved.
The present Pastor, Rev. C. H. Taylor, D. D. was installed in June, 1858.
On the 28th of December, 1836, Enoch Long, elder, and seventeen others were dismissed from this Church, for the purpose of being organized into a Presbyterian Church in Upper Alton.
From 1835 to June 1, 1845, the congregation worshiped in the stone church on the corner of Market and Third streets. From June 1, 1845, to June 14, 1846, they used the frame building on the corner of Alby and Third streets as a place of worship. The present house of worship, on the corner of Market and Second streets, was dedicated June 14, 1846.
This congregation has enjoyed several seasons of special revival, par- ticularly in the winter of 1838, in the winter and spring of 1844, and in the winter and spring of 1849. The first and last of these revivals were spe- cially marked. During the same months in 1858, 1863, and 1866, there were revivals of mueh interest and fruitfulness. The whole number connected with the Church since its organization in June, 1831, is about eight hund- red. Its present membership is two hundred and seventy-five.
The Sunday School connected with this Church has 350 names enrolled, with an average attendance of 225. Mr. Isaac Scarritt has been Superin- tendent since 1856.
Some ten years since the congregation purchased an organ at a cost of $1,500 which has since been used in connection with the Church seviees.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH .- Organization .- In January, 1833, a meeting was held in the City of Alton, (then called Lower Alton,) composed of Baptists residing in and about the city, at which, after a full discussion, the follow- ing conclusion was arrived at and embodied in a resolution : "Resolved, That it is expedient to have a Baptist Church constituted in Lower Alton." Thereupon eight individuals agreed to form themselves into a Church. Subsequently at a meeting of the same and other Baptists, the summary of Faith and Practice, still in force, was adopted, being taken from the Second Baptist Church in Boston, having been adopted by them ninety years previously. At this meeting, nineteen persons, viz: Eben- ezer Marsh, Ephraim Marsh, Wm. Manning, Wmn. Hayden, D. A. Spauld- ing, Henry Evans, and their wives; also Mark Pierson, Stephen Griggs, Herman Griggs, R. Johnson, Joseph S. King, James D. W. Marsh and Mrs. Mary D. Bruner, agreed to unite in a Church, to be constituted the
100
A GAZETTEER OF
[Alton.
following Sabbath, March 10th, 1833. The organization took place as agreed upon. Rev. John M. Peck, who was Moderator of the previous meeting, was present at the constitution.
Pastoral Relations and Supplies .- Rev. Alvin Bailey was the first Pas- tor, and was present at the preliminary meetings. During his pastorate which continued until April 1834, there was preaching only twice a month.
Until the following fall the pulpit was principally supplied by Rev. Hubbell Loomis.
In November, 1834, Rev. Ebenezer Rodgers commenced his services as pastor. The letter to the Edwardsville Association (1835) says : "Rev. E. Rodgers is now laboring with us as our pastor, much to the acceptance of the Church and the people generally. We hope to be able nearly or quite to support hini, that he may give himself wholly to the work." In De- cember, 1835, brother Rodgers resigned the pastoral charge of this Church that he might devote himself entirely to the caro of the Church at Upper Alton, his labors having previously been divided between the two.
Rev. Dwight Ives, of Springfield, Massachusetts, accepted the call of the Church in April, 1836, and entered upon his pastorate in June follow- ing. It was in view of his expected settlement that steps were taken to erect a new house of worship, of which mention will be made. During his stay with the Church the congregation was largely increased, being nearly quadrupled, and there were many additions to the membership. The associational letters, as they appear upon the record, speak of many solemn and profitable meetings during these years. After about three years, Mr. Ives felt obliged, on account of ill health, to return with his family to the East, and therefore tendered his resignation in May, 1839, which was reluctanty accepted.
For more than a year following, the Church remained destitute of a pastor, but was supplied by Professors Washington Leverett and Z. B. Newinan, of Shurtleff College.
In June, 1840, a call was extended to Rev. Gideon B. Perry, of Canton, Illinois, which he accepted, entering on his labors January, 1841 .*
Dr. Perry remained Pastor of the Church a little more than two years. The principal cause of his resignation appears, from the record, to have been the inability of the Church to pay his salary. At this time the Church was suffering great financial embarrassment. Dr. Perry closed his pastorate in the Spring of 1843.
The Church was again destitute of a settled Pastor for about two years the pulpit being supplied much of the time by Rev. Dr. Adiel Sherwood, at that time a member of the Church and President of Shurtleff College.
In April, 1845, Rev. Otis Hackett entered upon his services as Pastor. During his pastorate of about two years, there was no special increase of interest or events of importance, as shown by the record.
In October, 1847, Rev. Robert F. Ellis, then of Columbia, Mo., but pre- viously of Springfield, Mass., became Pastor of the Church. He held the relation during a period of six years, each of which witnessed additions to the membership. Mr. Ellis resigned the pastoral office November, 1853, though he still continued a member of the Church until his decease, which occurred the following year. Although he died and was buried away from home, appropriate funeral services were held in Alton, and a commemorative discourse was preached by Rev. Dr. Crowell. A some-
*It is worthy of mention that in calling Dr. Perry from the pastorate of another Church, a letter was directed to that Church, stating in full the circumstances which led to the call-the importance of the interest at Alton, and the supposed importance of Dr. Perry's settlement. The success which he met as a preacher fulfilled the expectation of the Church in calling him. The house was generally thronged, and there was a large addition to the membership.
101
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Alton.]
what extended statement of Mr. Ellis' life and character may be found in Dr. Sprague's Annals of the Baptist Pulpit.
During an interval of more than a year following Mr. Ellis' resigna- tion, the pulpit was supplied by Prof. Washington Leverett and Elder Silas C. James, a member of the Church.
In December, 1854, a call was extended to Rev. R. R. Coon, who accept- ed and entered upon his labors January, 1855, and continued Pastor a little more than four years, during which period there were seasons of religious interest, resulting in several additions to the membership. Mr. Coon's relation as Pastor ceased April, 1859.
During the succeeding interval of a year, the pulpit was supplied on alternate Sabbaths by Rev. Dr. N. N. Wood and Rev. D. D. Read, Presi- dent of Shurtleff College.
April 1, 1860, in accordance with a call extended two months previously, the present pastor, Rev. Melvin Jameson, commenced his labors, being ordained the same month. During each of the succeeding years there have been additions to the membership by baptism; in all, sixty-two. Forty-four have united by letter and by experience. There have been three or four seasons of revival, not in themselves very extensive, but distinctly marked, as compared with the general condition of the Church.
Summary of Labors and Results .- Thus, during an existence of thirty- three years the Church has had eight Pastors, six of whom are now living: and has been destitute of a Pastor, in all, more than six years. In these intervals, however, the pulpit has been regularly supplied, generally by Professors in Shurtleff College; one of whom, Rev. Washington Leverett, has supplied the pulpit at intervals during more than twenty years, and occasionly for long periods .*
*HOUSES OF WORSHIP .- For a short time after its organization, the Baptist Church of Alton held its public meetings in Lyceum Hall, northeast corner of Second and Alby streets, ocenpying the room jointly with the Presbyterians.
For several months afterward the stone meeting-house belonging to Capt. Benj. Godfrey, on the northeast corner of Market and Third streets, where the Episco- pal meeting-house now stands, was occupied jointly by the Presbyterians and Baptists.
The first house of worship built by the Baptist Church was erected in 1831, and stood upon the northeast corner of Third and Alby streets. The building would accommodate about two hundred and fifty persons. It was occupied but a short time, and then sold, with the lot, to the Methodist Church for $8,000.
In 1836, with the intention of building a new and more commodious house, a lot was purchased on the southeast corner of Second and Easton streets, for $1,000. and a house erected at an additional expense of about $18,000. These figures may seem extravagant, but it will be remembered that this was a period of financial inflation, when all kinds of property had a fictitious value, and city lots especially were considered great estates. The amount expended was never fully realized, and in 1843 the house passed into the possession of the Alton Marine and Fire In- surance Company, but was still occupied by the Church. In the year following, to save the house from passing into other hands, and to enable the Church to redeem it, nine brethren agreed to purchase it from the Insurance Company for the sun of $3,00), to be refunded by the Church within three years. These brethren at length relinquished their claim for the money advanced, and a deed was passed from the Insurance Company to the Trustees. For more than twenty years this house was occupied by the Church, and was regarded a home. It would accom- modate about four hundred persons in the audience room, and had convenient basement rooms. In March, 1860, a fire broke out in the roof, and before it could
102
A GAZETTEER OF
[Alton.
It is due to the Church to say that all its established meetings have been kept up with great regularity, and although its history has not been marked by many extensive revivals, no long period has elapsed without conversions and additions by baptism. The total number of such addi- tions has been 221; 228 have been received by letter, and 26 by experience; in all, 474. Of this number 165 are now (July 1, 1866,) members of the Church. The Records have been so carefully kept that when a Church Hand Book was published recently, it was possible to give all the dates, except seven, of increase and diminution of membership.
Allusion should be made to a Church formed in 1859 at the Coal Branch, by members dismissed from this Church for the purpose. Several con- verts at that place had joined the Church in Alton, and it was at length thought best to establish a separate Church at the Branch. Seventeen members were dismissed for that purpose, and others soon followed. A commodious house was built, and Pastor secured. A large and encourag- ing Sabbath School was gathered. Although for a time the cause there
be extinguished, the building, town clock, bell, organ, etc., were wholly destroyed. The fire was discovered during the session of the Sabbath School, but providen- tially no one was injured. There was an insurance upon the building of $3,000.
Arrangements were immediately made for erecting another house. Meanwhile meetings were held in Capt. Ryder's new building, southwest corner of Second and Alby streets.
In December, 1860, the basement of the new meeting house, corner of Market and Fifth streets, was occupied; and the whole house was dedicated on Thursday preceding the first Sabbath in Sept., 1861. The sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. W. W. Evarts, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Chicago. There was a chil- dren's meeting in the afternoon; and, in the evening, preaching by the Rev. G. Anderson, of St. Louis. The house will accommodate easily three hundred and fifty hearers, and is abundantly ample. The entire expense was $12,600. About $900 of this amount was provided by the Ladies' Sewing Circle, and a liberal por- tion subscribed by citizens not members of the Church. Having learned from experience liow great a burden debt is, the building committee were instructed to go no further than the means would justify, and the house was therefore com- pleted without a debt. Considering the extreme financial pressure of the times, this result was very gratifying.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.