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 18
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143
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Edwardsv.]
words substituted in its place. "To show the very age and body of the times, their form and pressure." The paper died out on the 28th of July, 1824, only five days before the collapse of its party.
The ILLINOIS CORRECTOR was published at Edwardsville, in 1828, by Mr. R. K. Fleming. '
THE CRISIS, by Samuel S. Brooks, was issued at Edwardsville on the 3d of April, 1830. Thirty-four numbers were published, when it was fol- lowed by the
ILLINOIS ADVOCATE, also by Mr. Brooks, at the same place. Mr- Brooks published eighteen numbers, when the establishment passed int- the hands of John York Sawyer, who soon afterwards took Mr. J. Ange- vine into partnership. Mr. Angevine subsequently retired, and Mr. Wil- liam Peach became a partner, but soon retired. Judge Sawyer having been elected State Printer, removed the establishment to Vandalia, the seat of government, in December, 1832.
The WESTERN PLOUGHBOY, by John York Sawyer, a semi-monthly paper, was commeneed at Edwardsville, December 4th, 1830. Only one volume was published.
The WESTERN WEEKLY MIRROR, by James Ruggles, was published at Edwardsville, in 1839.
The SOVEREIGN PEOPLE, by James Ruggles, was commenced in March, 1840.
The MADISON COUNTY RECORD, was afterwards published by a son of Mr. Ruggles.
The MADISON ENQUIRER, was commenced at Edwardsville, by Mr. Theodore Terry, in 1853, and continued about three years.
The MADISON ADVERTISER was commenced June 26, 1856, by Mr. James R. Brown, who issued four numbers, when it was transferred to O. C. Dake, Esq. Afterwards it was managed by Mr. Joseph L. Craft, and still later by W. G. Pinckard, jun., as publisher, and the Hon. Joseph Gilles- pie as editor. At one time the publisher issued a daily paper in addition to his weekly issues.
The WEEKLY MADISON PRESS, by Mr. Theodore Terry, was published at Edwardsville a few years ago.
The WEEKLY MADISON ADVERTISER, by William M. Thompson, was, published several years, but has been discontinued.
The MADISON INTELLIGENCER, a Democratic paper, is issued weekly by J. R. Brown, editor and proprietor. It is now (August 16, 1866,) in [the forty-first number of its fourth year. It is issued at $1.00 per year in ad- vanee, and has a good circulation.
The MADISON COUNTY COURIER, a Republican paper, eight pages per week, by Messrs Whitman & Crabb, price $1.00 a year in advance, was commenced October 12, 1865, and is in a prosperous condition.
Thus it appears that this venerable County Seat has been the local habi- tation of at least sixteen periodical publications.
COLLINSVILLE.
Collinsville is in the southern part of this County, ten miles east of St. Louis, Mo., and twelve miles south of Edwardsville, and in township three north and range eight west of the third principal meridian. It is situated on the highlands about two miles east of the "American Bot- tom," in a very pleasant and healthy locality. The Ohio and Mississippi railroad passes within three miles, on the south at Caseyville; and with direct railway communication to St. Louis, this place would be very desir- able both as a suburban residence for professional and business men of that city, and also for the establishment of factories of various kinds. It is surrounded by a rich and very productive country, yielding abundantly all the grains, vegetables and fruits adapted to this climate, as well as immense quantities of berries,-one gentleman alone in the vicinity dur- ing the season of 1865, having realized over seven thousand dollars from his field of raspberries. The land adjacent to the town is largely covered with groves of natural timber, oak, elm, hickory, walnut, sugar maple, cotton wood and sycamore. A vein of coal seven and one half feet in thickness and of superior quality, has been opened in the immediate vicinity, at a depth of one hundred and fifty feet below the surface.
The town at present has a population of about 1,600 inhabitants, with six churches; Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal and Luthern. It has two drug stores, two stove and tinware, one fancy dry goods, one millinery, one clothing, one furniture and seven general stores.
There is also an extensive bell factory, two flouring mills, one chair factory, two brickyards, two breweries, one broom factory, two wagon, one plow, six blacksmith, two carpenter, two harness and four boot and shoe shops, also two hotels.
Among the early settlers in this vicinity were Benjamin Johnson, Daniel Berkey, John Blackburn, Philip Teter, Thomas Moore, John Williamson and Hugh Robertson, all now deceased. George Moffat, Stephen Johnson, Wm. B. Penny, John Anderson and others still living are among the old time citizens of this locality. The first grave in the cemetery was closed over the remains of Michael Squier; some of his descendants are believed to be still residing in the American Bottom. John Cook, a farmer, built and occupied the first cabin that stood on the site of the present town.
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. XXV
G. E. PULTTE,
Successor to G. T. Plass,
Apothecary & Chemist,
Dealer in
DRUGS, OILS, PAINTS, VARNISHES, ETC.,
Corner of Main and Seminary Streets, COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS.
JOHN SCHOETTLE, TIN, STOVES AND HARDWARE,
And General Variety Store;
KEEPS ALWAYS ON HAND A LARGE AND WELL ASSORTED STOCK OF ALL ARTICLES IN HIS LINE OF TRADE. Particular attention paid to Repairing and Orders of all Kinds. Don't fail to give him a call at his old stand, SOUTH SIDE MAIN STREET, COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS. -
E-
XXVI
A GAZETTEER OF
CHEAP CASH STORE.
0
JOHN H. KUHLENBECK,
DRY GOODS,
GROCERIES,
HATS, CAPS, BOOTS, SHOES, HARDWARE,
And a full and complete assortment of all Goods in the line of a No. 1 Country trade. Having been established in this place for a long term of years, I am confi- dent of being able to give complete satisfaction to all customers; and invite my friends to give me a call before purchasing elsewhere.
COUNTRY PRODUCE TAKEN IN EXCHANGE FOR GOODS.
South Side Main Street,
COLLINSVILLE, - ILLINOIS.
J. KREMER, FOREIGN & DOMESTIC DRY GOODS, CLOTHING, HATS, CAPS, BOOTS, SHOES,
FAMILY GROCERIES.
And a thousand and one Articles and Notions belonging to a first class country store, which I propose to sell very cheap for Cash .. I have a first class
MERCHANT TAILORING ESTABLISHMENT
connected with the store, and will make up Clothing in the best style at low figures. I invite all to give my store a call before going else- wherc.
JJ. KREMER.
COLLINSVILLE,
ILLINOIS.
AI
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. XXVII
CHANEY & LEVIS, Dealers in all kinds of
FINE AND COMMON FURNITURE, Chairs, Matresses, LOOKING GLASSES, BABY CARRIAGES, ETC., Belle Street, bet. the Alton Bank and Post Office, ALTON, - ILLINOIS.
JOHN LEYSER, MANUFACTURER & AND WHOLESALE DEALER IN
Candy, French Confectionery,
Gum Drops, French and German Toys, Fancy and Variety Goods, Musical Instruments, Ha- vana Cigars, Fresh Oysters, Cove Oysters, Sardines, Fresh . Table Fruit, Preserves. Foreign and Domestic Fruit, Etc., Etc., Etc.,
North Side Third Street,
One door west of Belle st.,
ALTON, ILL.
Seutfche Ilpotbefe, UNION DRUG STORE, CORNER SECOND AND LANGDON STREETS. ALTON, ILL.
ADOLPH FINKE, DRUGGIST AND APOTHECARY, DEALER IN MEDICINES, DRUGS, PAINTS, OILS, Perfumeries Fancy Articles.
Prescriptions carefully compounded at all Hours.
XXVIII
A GAZETTEER OF
WADSWORTH & SON, DEALER IN
Drugs, Medicines, Chemicals,
BOOKS AND STATIONERY, Toilet Soaps, Fancy Articles, Perfumery, GLASS, VARNISHES, PAINTS, OILS, GARDEN SEEDS, TRUSSES AND SHOULDER BRACES, PURE WINES AND LIQUORS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES,
TOBACCO AND CIGARS, South South Main Street, second door from P. O., COLLINSVILLE, - ILLINOIS.
CROWNOVER & SACKETT, HIGHLAND,
MADISON COUNTY, ·
ILLINOIS,
Have on hand a Good Assortment of Staple & Fancy
G
S,
HATS, CAPS, BOOTS, SHOES, GROCERIES,
Queensware, Hardware, Iron, Nails & Glass, KEROSENE OIL AND LAMPS, DRUGS AND MEDICINES, PAINTS, OILS, DYE-STUFFS,
Family Medicines, Perfumery, and Notions generally.
The above goods have been bought low for Cash, selected with the greatest care, and will be sold at the very lowest prices. Call and examine before pur- chasing elsewhere.
145
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Collinsv.]
In 1817 three brothers, Augustus, Anson and Michael Collins, emigrants from Litchfield, Connecticut, purchased the premises of Mr. Cook, who removed about four miles east on Ridge Prairie. These brothers were en - ergetic business men, and with the spirit of enterprise inherited in the land of their nativity, they at once began the improvement of their llew purchase. A living spring of water had determined them to choose this location, as it afforded good facilities for a distillery, which they erec- ted here. Their first building for this purpose was built of logs, and sup- plied with two copper stills, one of thirty and the other of sixty gallons. With this outfit, and an old style horse mill for grinding corn, they began the making of whiskey; considered at that day a great achievement and of much benefit to the country, as it afforded the farmers a home market for their grain, and furnished at all times a supply of "spirits" deemed necessary to the enjoyment of good health.
A saw mill was attached to the horse power with which lumber was made from logs obtained in the forest adjacent. A store house was the first frame building erected by the Collins brothers, in this place. They had by this time named their villiage "Unionville," characteristic of their sentiments toward each other, and all around them.
It was their aim and pride to have the products of their labor excelled by none. Their whisky was considered of first quality; and their flour commanded an extra price in the eastern markets.
In addition to their mills and distillery, they had also cooper shops, blacksmith, wagon and carpenter shops, together with a large farm, all under their own supervision. They also opened a storehouse here, and another in St. Louis.
But while actively engaged in driving their business in the most econom- ical and profitable way, and rapidly accumulating wealth, they were far from being unmindful of the higher interests, social and spiritual, of themselves and those around them. One of their first cares was the erec- tion of a commodious house of worship for all denominations, which, with the aid of a few other settlers in the vicinity, they built in 1818. It was also used during the week for a school room, and for the Sabbath School on Sunday in connection with the religious services, all of which they were instrumental in organizing.#
*The PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of Collinsville was organized May 3, 1823, by Rev. Salmon Giddings, then laboring as a missionary in St. Louis. Its original number of members was eleven, most of whom belonged to one family, formerly connect- ed with the church in Litchfield, Connecticut.
William Collins and Oriel Wilcox were its first elders. The church, from its for- mation until the fall of 1813, worshipped in a house erected in 1818, the first frame meeting-house known to have been built in the State.
The stated preaching of the gospel was not enjoyed until 1830; though for nearly twelve years a Sabbath-school had been sustained, and worship of some kind been held almost every Sabbath. When a minister could not be obtained, they met for prayer and exhortation, or read a sermon. From 1830 to 1810, the church enjoy- 20-
146
A GAZETTEER OF
[Collinsv.
In 1824, preparatory to the coming of their father with his family, they erected a large frame dwelling, which is still standing in the south-east part of the town, and has for many years been the homestead of Mrs. Wm. B. Collins.
Five years after the three sons had first settled in the West, their father, Deacon William Collins, then upwards of sixty years of age, was induced to join them.«
The village was at first named by the Messrs. Collins "Unionville," as was also the first Postoffice at this place. But in as much as there was another in the State by the name of Unionville, the Postmaster-General had the name of this changed to Collinsville in consideration of the large number (ten) of the "Collins" family then residing here.
During the years 1825-6 they erected a large stone distillery, and in con- nection with it an ox mill with a double deck inclined wheel, thirty-five feet in diameter, on one side of which thirteen oxen were placed, for grinding corn, and sawing lumber. This distillery was kept in operation until 1828.
When Mr. William Collins and his sons first settled in the West, the temperance reform had not commenced in this country. The mak-
ed for half the time, successively, the services of Rev. Messrs. T. Lippincott, J. F. Brooks, Roswell Brooks, and Robert Blake. Up to 1835 the church was aided by the Home Missionary Society. Since that time it has received no assistance from abroad.
Rev. C. E. Blood entered upon his duties July 4, 1840. He was ordained and in- stalled by the Alton Presbytery on the fourth of November following, and con- tinned to be the pastor for about six years. The succeeding pastors have been Revs. Lemuel Grosvener, who came in 1847, David Dimond, 1852, Gideon C. Clark, in the autumn of 1855, and Frederick C. Halsey, November, 1863, present incum- bent.
This church enjoyed several interesting seasons of the outpouring of the Spirit of God. The principal of these occurred in 1831-2, when forty-one were added to the church; in 1838, when sixteen were added; in 1811, when eighteen united; In 1842, when the church was increased by fifty-eight; in 1813, when fourteen joined; and again in 1857.
The church enjoys general prosperity and encouraging prospects. It owns, un- embarrassed by debt, a neat and commodious church-building, erected in 1843, a small session-house, and a pleasant and convenient parsonage, with four acres of land attached.
*At that time the West was scarcely known in the East, save as a howling wilderness, and it was considered so distant and difficult of access that those who migrated thither were rarely expected to return.
When the day arrived for the Deacon with his family to set out on their long journey, many of their friends, among whom was their pastor, the late Dr. Lyman Beecher, came to bid them, as all supposed, a last farewell. The Dr. in conversing. with a resident of this county many years since, speaking of this family with much affection, said: "It was a sad day when Deacon Collins and family left Litchfield. We thought they were going out of the world. We cried and they cried. It was hard to part. But see how God orders. Deacon Collins makes the first considerable subscription for Illinois College, that set it a going. My son Edward is made its President, and finally I am called to Lane Seminary !
147
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Collinsv.]
ing and vending of ardent spirits was considered in the West as creditable as any other possible vocation, and by far more profitable. It is not very strange therefore that inen of enterprise, and also of unquestionable worth should for years have pursued the lucrative trade of distilling whisky. The Deacon and his sons had invested several thousand dollars in their new building and apparatus. But when they were in the height of their prosperity the notes of the temperance reform were sounded in the East. One of the first by whom it was thundered forth was the pastor whose teachings they had enjoyed in their New England home, and who was begining even then to wake a continent by his eloquence and truth. Dr. Beecher's "six sermons on Temperance" which aroused the whole chris- tian people of America did not fail to elicit the attention of his former parish- eners. Becoming convinced that the business was wrong, they decided to quit it at once, although it was with the sacrifice of extensive capital and stock, the rupture of family arrangements, and the discontinuance of a most lucrative business in which all members of the family were, more or less, profitably and intimately engaged. Instead of selling the establish- ment as they might have done at a good profit, they totally demolished the building; destroyed the copper stills with the sledge hammer, and sold them for old metal; disposed of the huge tanks for cisterns, and the large grain bins to the farmers for graineries; the very foundations of this Temple of Death were carried away, and upon their corner stones was reared a parsonage and a Church of the living God. A Temperance so- ciety was then organized, and the owners of real estate entered into a bond to sell no lots of land within the limits of the village, without a clause in the deed which should work an entire forfeiture of the bargain, should "ardent spirits" in any form be made or sold upon the premises.
During the years of their residence here the father and his five sons were all partners in business, each one having charge of a distinct branch. The partners now separated; Augustus died February 15th, 1828; Anson and Michael went into business at Naples, and Frederick in Jacksonville, of this State.
William B. remained alone at Collinsville, where he continued to carry on the business-minus the distillery, until his death in July, 1835. His widow and two daughters are still residing here.
Of the deacon's family all are now dead except the second daughter Almira, the widow of the venerable Rev. Samuel Giddings, and the youngest son Frederick Collins, both now residing in Quincy Illinois.
In the cemetery, a beautiful plat of ground in the southern limits of the village, there stands a conspicuous white marble monument. Eight feet from the ground on each of its four faces the name COLLINS is engraved. A short distance below on the west side are the following inscriptions :
WILLIAM COLLINS
Died April 19th, 1849,-Aged 88 years.
148
A GAZETTEER OF
[Collinsv.
ESTHER, His Wife, died January 3, 1834,-aged 70 years.
On the south side
MARIA COLLINS Died December, 1822,-aged 22 years.
On the east side
AUGUSTUS COLLINS Died February 15, 1828,-aged 35 years. ANSON COLLINS Died May 15th, 1835,-aged 40 years.
But a short distance from the main monument there is a plain marble slab inscribed :
SACRED To the memory of WILLIAM B. COLLINS, Son of Deacon William and Esther Collins, who died July 22d, 1835, aged 35 years.
Augustus Collins & Co., were the first merchants, and William B. Col - lins was the first miller in the place. A mill for grinding had been erec- edl on Canteen Creek, about one mile and a half west from where Collins- ville now is, by a Mr. Thompson. As early as 1822, this mill had disap- poared, and only traces of the dam and mill race were to be seen. A Mr. Wilcox from New York State, located in Collinsville, about 1820. He started a tanyard, which he afterwards increased to forty-nine vats and worked successfully for some ten years. Bark for tanners use becoming very scarce the yard was abandoned, and Mr. Wilcox with his family re- turned to New York. Horace Look was also one of the early settlers and afterwards a prominent citizen of Collinsville.
*From the columns of the Edwardsville Spectator of September 14th, 1824, we make the following extract :
"On the 2d inst. AUGUSTUS COLLINS & Co. gave a dinner to the Anti-Convention Voters of Unionville Precinct, in this county, who met to celebrate the success of the Friends of Freedom at the late election.
The proceedings of the day were as follows :
At one o'clock a procession was formed, and marched under the command of EZRA POST, Marshal of the day, to the Meeting House, where the ceremonies were commenced by prayer, and singing two appropriate odes; after which an address was delivered by AUGUSTUS COLLINS, Esq. The procession then marched to the house of the Messrs. COLLINS', where upwards of one hundred and twenty persons sat down to a sumptuous dinner, at which Capt. CURTIS BLAKEMAN was president and WILLIAM OTWELL, Esq., vice president.
After dinner a number of toastsappropriate to the time were drunk, accompan- ied with martial music and discharges of cannon.
It is worthy of observation, that notwithstanding, in accordance with the cus- tom of the times, an abundance of liquors of various kinds were served to the company, yet, not an instance was observed of intoxication, profane swearing, or angry conversation, during the day."
149
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Collinsv.]
The first school was taught by a Mr. Hopkins, who has since died in St. Louis. The first physician was a Dr. Gunn; he did not remain a great while. One of the first serions in the "Union meeting house" was deliv- ered.by a local Baptist preacher .*
The town proper, was laid off and recorded in 1837, and lots sold by E. W. Collins, widow of Wm. B. Collins deceased. Perhaps in no town in the State, has real estate been so uniform and so low in price, considering its location and natural advantages. Many additions have been made to the town since, and for many years there were but two lots not covered by the temperance restrictions, and the prevailing sentiment of the commun- ity would not permit the sale of "ardent spirits" in the town.
Society was of a high order, with lyceum lectures, a large circulating library, interesting social gatherings and prosperous churches.
*On observing some of his auditors dressed in broad-cloth, something quite un- usual here at that early day, he was somewhat embarrassed, and said, by way of introduction, that "he was not larned and did not pretend to preach Methodical nor Orthodox, but would do the best he could."
GODFREY.
The extreme north-western township of this County is generally known as "Monticello," though the only Postoffice located within it is called "God- frey," in honor of one of its earliest settlers and wealthiest citizens. The township embraces 36 sections of land, though in reality its area is but little in excess of thirty square miles, as the northern tier of sections is cut diagonally by the line dividing Madison from Jersey and Macoupin Counties, and the south-western sections are very materially encroached upon by the Mississippi River. A small portion of the north-eastern sec- tions is prairie, while the remainder of the township is, or was originally, heavily timbered. The surface varies from the perfectly flat land of the prairies to the rocky bluffs which line the Mississippi, but is mostly of that peculiar rolling nature which is best adapted to agricultural purposes. Scarcely an acre of it but is susceptible of cultivation in some form. The township is well watered by a number of small streams, none of which are considered of sufficient importance to be dignified with a name, if we except the "Piasa" running through the western and the "Coal Branch" in the south-eastern portion.
Its principal agricultural products are corn, wheat and hay, the latter being almost the only crop grown upon the prairie lands. Very many of its inhabitants, however, have turned their attention to the raising of fruit for the Chicago and St. Louis markets, and large quantities of apples, peaches, pears and smaller fruits are annually shipped to those cities. The bluff lands along the Mississippi, some two hundred feet above the water, has been found peculiarly adapted to this purpose, and are rapidly being transformed into orchards and vineyards. The soil is light and porous, inducing an easy and rapid growth, while the vast body of water in the river has a very marked effect in reducing the temperature during the severe weather of winter.
In the south-eastern portion of the township are numerous and exten- sive coal mines, which for many years have supplied Alton and the sur- rounding country, and which are still operated with equal profit to owner and lessee.
MONTICELLO has two Churches-Methodist and Presbyterian *- and has
This PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was formed Nov. 2, 1839, and styled 'The Church of Christ in Monticello." It consisted of twenty-six members; and at the first meet-
151
Godfrey.]
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
never had more than that number, though occasionally Baptist services have been held in one of its school-houses. The Methodist Church-a plain but substantial frame building, erected in 1851 at a cost of some $2000-is situated in the extreme north-eastern portion of the township, upon the road leading to Brighton. The building in which the Presbyter- ians worship is a larger and more elegant structure, comparing favorably with any church edifice in the State outside of the large cities. It is loca- ted in the village proper-immediately opposite the Seminary-and was erected in 1854 at an expense of about $11,000. The congregation wor- shipping here is large and intelligent, composing the pupils and teachers of the Seminary, as well as a majority of the residents of the township.
The township is divided into seven School Districts, each of which has a comfortable school-house. A common district school is taught in all these during the winter, and in three or four of them during the spring months.
The chief feature of Monticello, and that to which it most owes its repu- tation, is the FEMALE SEMINARY there located. This institution, which has been in successful operation for twenty-eight years, was projected and founded by BENJAMIN GODFREY, a native of Chatham, Massachusetts, who, after amassing a fortune in Mexico, came to Alton in 1832, and shortly afterwards purchased nearly all the land in Monticello Township and made his home there. Himself the father of a numerous family, a major- ity of whom were daughters, he at once realized that the State, and in fact the entire West, afforded no adequate educational advantages for the daughters of its people. With that large-hearted Christian benevolence which characterized his whole life, he at once determined to set apart a portion of his ample means for the founding of an institution which should supply this want so long felt. Accordingly, he immediately began the erection of a suitable building for the purpose, and though often jeered and ridiculed by his neighbors, who predicted that it would yet be used as a barn, he persevered until it was completed, and opened to the public on the 11th of April, 1838. This building was of stone, four stories high, and 110x44 feet in size. Its total cost was $52,000, all of which Capt. Godfrey paid out of his own pocket, and as soon after its completion as possible he made a legal transfer of the property to the Board of Trustees, which had
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