USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Jacksonville > Historic Morgan and classic Jacksonville > Part 25
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After which the meeting adjourned to meet again the next Thursday evening, Feb- 17. At this adjourned meeting, the committee reported as follows and the report was unanimously adopted :
WHEREAS: Past experience has proven to use the necessity of a permanent organ- ization of the Free Democratic party in this county in order to success, therefore,
Resolved, That we members of said party, do hereby form ourselves into such an organization for the Jacksonville precinct, and will do all we can to advance our cause for the next four years.
Resolved, That the Pittsburg platform as adopted by the Free Democratic National Convention, meets with our approbation, and by it our principles and objects must be judged and not by the false representations of our enemies.
Resolved, That an executive committee of five be appointed whose duty it shall be to raise funds for the purpose of purchasing documents, and to use their influence to have similar organizations established in each precinct in the county and to take steps with the view to a county convention of delegates from each precinct.
Resolved, That a committee of correspondence for the congressional district be ap- pointed for the purpose of obtaining the views and feelings of the other counties as to the propriety of holding a district convention and the establishment of a district paper.
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ANTI-SLAVERY RESOLUTIONS IN 1853.
Resolved, Thas a notice of our organization be published in the Western Citizen, National Era and all political papers published in the Congressional District.
Resolved, That in future we will vote for no pro-slavery, illiberal, proscriptive Whig or Democrat for any office, if we know it.
After a full discussion this meeting also unanimously adopted the following pream- ble and resolutions, and then adjourned :
WHEREAS, The General Assembly of Illinois, did, on the 12th of Feb. 1853, pass an act entitled "An act to prevent the immigration of free negroes into this state, and
WHEREAS, This net is open and shameless violation of Articles H and VI of the or dinance of 1787 -of the preamble and entire spirit of the constitution of the United States, especially of Art. 1 Sec. 8, clause 18, and Art. 4, Sec. 2, clause 1, and to the spirit of Articles V, VI, and VIII of the amendment, and also of that provision of the constitution of this state which "prohibits slavery or involuntary servitude, except in punishment for crime," and
WHEREAS, Said attempt to inflict upon all free citizens of this state, heavy pains and penalties by fine and imprisonment, for acts in themselves always innocent, and in some cases highly meritorious, reduces all colored persons, bond and free, (even though legal voters in this state) attempting to reside in this state to a condition of perpetual slavery, without crime, thereby making this state, in fact, a slave state, giving to petty magistrates the power of holding courts for cleaving down the liberty of free men and throwing the most shameless obstacles in the way of an appeal from their decision, when made in favor of the inalienable rights of the freeman, and taunting these magis- trates themselves with accusations and impeachments for crime should they refuse to commit this greatest of all crimes against the constitution of this state and of the United States, and the laws of both God and man and thereby attempting to force them to its commission-throwing the whole powers of the state at all points against the natural and inalienable rights of the poor and oppressed and pandering with the most disgust- ing servility and meanness, to the viles and most corrupt despotism on earth that of the AMERICAN OPPRESSOR, and having thus extorted its price of treason from the innocent and helpless, as if in impudent derision of mockery and both God and man, it denom- inates this "price of blood," a "CHARITY FUND! ! " for the relief of the poor! ! In other words, it enables our counties to sell the free black citizens of other states to pay their own pauper tax !!
We think such a law containing the above and many more odious features, was fitly denounced by able senators on the floor of the Senate as "making Illinois a slave state" and being in itself "monstrous, inhuman and unconstitutional."
We, therefore, unanimously resolve, That we regard it with utter loathing and de- testation in whole and in all its parts, and hereby solemnly enter our indignant pro. test against such unrighteous, shameless and disgraceful legislation.
PARAAR
C.A.BAUER DEL.Sc. ST. LOUIS
WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS.
CHAPTER IX. - 1858-65.
The Business Men-Institution Appropriations-Churches and Preachers-Colleges and Sabbath Schools-Criminal Cases-Local Journalism-Epitomes of News- "Just Before the Battle"-Grant's Regiment-Recruiting for the Union Army- The Pension Roll.
MONG the firms doing business in our city in 1858 were Dobyns & Co., W. K. Dewey, Kaiser & Russell, Catlin & Co., Scott & Fitch, David Sterrett, F. T. Gillett, D. Robb, B. F. Stevenson, Wm. M. Mayo, Dayton & Co., Hamilton & Jones, J. W. King, A. Bulkley, J. M. Snyder & Co., Win. H. Collins, A. & C. McDonald, J. Mitchell, W. C. Woodman, Lightfoot & Easton, E. C. Lax, Tra- bue & Chambers, Wm. Love, Rosenhaupt & Co., C. K. Sawyer, Flack & Risley, F. G. Farrell, Samuel Wolfe, Robert Hockenhull, Wm. H. Corcoran, John Pyatt, Myers & Knollenberg.
li will be seen that many of these have been gone from the business circle of our city a number of years, many are dead, and only a few are still among our merchants and business men.
At the opening of the session of the Illinois Institution for Deaf Mutes in '56, re- peated applications were received to admit persons who, though mute, were not deaf ; their inability to articulate being the result of imbecility of mind. Dr. Gillett in his report for that year, urged the establishment of an institution where this class of chil- dren might be cared for. But it was not until 1865, that the General Assembly incor. porated the "Asylum for Feeble Minded Children." A building near the Deaf and Dumb Institution-the Governor Duncan property-was rented, and placed under the supervision of Dr. Gillett. Having thoroughly organized the school, Dr. Gillett resign- ed the superintendency and recommended as his successor, Dr. Chas. T. Wilbur, who was accordingly appointed.
In 1859 the Legislature appropriated $75,000 for the completion of Insane Hospi- tal buildings. The most important appropriations since then have been $84,000 for the east wing, $75,000 for the east and west extensions and the furnishing of the same, aundl further amounts from time to time for boilers, laundry, kitchen, chapel, amusement hall, shops, stables, and a variety of other outside buildings. The general style of the original structure has been adhered to, and both the old and new buildings to-day pre- sent as uniform and harmonious an appearance as if they had been erected at one time and by one contractor.
Recalling the churches and pastors of this period we find that during Rev. Robert Allen's pastorate of ten years, from 1857 to 1867, over the Central Presbyterian Church, including the unpropitious era of the war, 123 were admitted to membership, an average of more that 12 per year. Of these 56 were received on profession, au average of nearly six each year.
The Methodist Episcopal preachers were :
EAST CHARGE-J. R. Locke, 1858; W. J. Rutledge, 1859-60; J. L. Crane, 1861 ; L. ('. Pitner, 1862-'63; A. Semple, 1864-'65.
WEST CHARGE J. H. Moore, 1859-60; H. Buck, 1861-'62; R. E. Guthrie, 1863-6-4. The presiding elders were: Peter Cartwright, 1858 '60; W. S. Prentice, 1861-'64.
The First German Lutheran Church was organized in 1858, with eight members, among whom were John Knollenberg, Fred. Walker, Edward Beyer, Henry Peckloeffel and Joseph C. Kackman. The organization was effected in the Christian Church, then
152
CHURCHES SABBATH-SCHOOLS AND CHRISTIAN COMMISSION.
situated on North Main Street. They met for divine services in various places, until 1863, when they completed their present house of worship. This was used until 1877, when they purchased their present church, selling their old one.
In 1858, the Congregational Church, on the East side of the square, was sold prepar- atory to erecting the commodious brick structure now occupied by them on West Col- lege Avenue. At a comparatively recent date the old church-afterwards "Union Hall" -was used as a furniture wareroom. The new church was dedicated in December, 1860. In 1860, Rev. C. H. Marshall, late of Hudson, Wis., was the pastor.
On Sunday, May 14, 1860, about forty members of the First Presbyterian Church were organized into a separate society known as the Westminster Presbyterian Church. The services were held in the Congregational Church, the sermon being preached by Rev. Cyrus L. Watson, of Farmington, in pursuance of order of Presbytery. From that day there have been six churches of this denomination-three American and three Portuguese. The Westminster congregation soon erected a substantial and comfortable brick house of worship, in the western part of the city, and their membership has been gradually increasing under the faithful ministration of Rev. Dr. David H. Hamilton, deceased and Rev. Samuel M. Morton, the present incumbent.
The first day of December, 1861, was a sad one to many a soul in Jacksonville, but especially to the First Presbyterian Church. Twenty-four hours before a large church and congregation had felt that they had a holy and beautiful house where they could worship God, and which for fourteen years had been their spiritual home. It was a a plain, but commodious structure of brick, built in 1847, just at this time, 1861, re-fur- nished with cushions, carpeting, paint, and a new organ. Now, nothing remained but ashes and smouldering ruins. It was awful, though grand, to see in the darkness of that first night of winter, the steeple, seemingly a fretwork of living gold, still point- ing as the finger of the church to heaven; and to hear the groans (if we may so speak) of that short-lived organ as the pent-up air rushed through its pipes, while the consum- ing element devoured all about it.
Strawn's Hall, but recently erected, proved a needed place of refuge for the home- less people, which they occupied for some time for all Sabbath exercises, while the week-day meetings were held at the Female Academy. After waiting two years and a half for more prosperous times to come, the corner-stone of a new and still greater temple was laid, in 1864, and the work of erection proceeded steadily, though slowly, until the finishing touches of the upholsterer and painter rendered the whole fabric ready for its intended use, a goal so long waited for by so many praying, work- ing ones, in that large churchless company.
The Sabbath-school cause in Morgan county was earnestly espoused by many zealous workers Annual county conventions of those actively engaged in the work were held, also numerous precinct meetings of similar character. We notice append- ed to the call for the annual county convention of 1863, the names of "Father" Stephen Paxson, the veteran S. S. organizer and missionary, Prof. B. F. Mitchell, principal of the Academy, Judge William Brown, W. W. Jones and Rev. D. D. Holmes. These conventions have been held every year since, but a new generation has arisen to take charge. The pupils of 1863 are the leaders and teachers of 1884. There are now 81 Sabbath-schools in the county and over 6,000 in attendance.
During the War for the Union the cause of the sick and suffering soldiers brought into existence that grand organization, representative of the whole church, the Chris- tian Commission. Morgan county not only gave her citizens in defence of country, but also liberally donated of her means to relieve the wants of the wounded and sick. The magnificently liberal offer, in 1864, of Mr. Jacob Strawn, Sr., to give ten thousand dollars to the Christian Commission if the citizens of this county would give a like sum met with a most liberal and praiseworthy, response. Through the efforts of a few of our prominent citizens aided by Mr. Reynolds and Rev. McCabe, something over the ten thousand was raised. Mr. Strawn gave his check for the amount of his
153
THE ACADEMY UNDER MITCHELL AND THAYER.
offer, and if nothing more was done, Morgan county is entitled to rank as the banner county of the banner State of the Union. Jacksonville gave her proportion of this gen- erous offering.
Mrs. Phebe Thompson had charge of the Jacksonville Female Academy for one year, 1857-'58, and was succeeded by Newton Bateman, afterwards L.L. D., who had al- ready acquired a solid reputation as an educator, so that his appointment to his office gave great satisfaction ; but soon after entering upon his duties in the fall of 1858, he was elected superintendent of public instruction for the State, which position he ac- cepted and filled with great honor to himself and with great advantage to the cause of gen- eral education in Illinois. The vacancy thus occurring in the principalship of the Acade- my was then supplied by the appointment of Miss Hattie P. Murdock, then and for sev eral years previously, a successful and beloved teacher in the school, a graduate of the class of 1850, and the only one of the alumna ever raised to the office of preceptress in this institution. That academical year, during which she was at the head, is remem- bered as one of unusual prosperity, and the catalogue shows a larger enrollment at any previous time, the aggregate of pupils being 171. The trustees desired to continue Miss Murdock in the position for which she had shown marked ability, but she declined, though willing still to serve as teacher, which she did for a year or two under her suc- cessor. In 1864 she was married to Mr. D. C. Whitwood, of Detroit, but the happy re- lation was cut short by her death which occurred September 1865. A discourse in memory of her, delivered by the Rev. Dr. Glover, and entitled "No waste in the be- stowment of piety" was published and widely circulated among the alumna and friends of the institution.
From 1859 to 1865, Prof. B. F. Mitchell, A. M., served as principal. He was a graduate of Bowdoin College, a thorough scholar, and excellent teacher, a man of mild and gentle bearing, as humble as he was learned, and whose piety was as fervent as it was simple and child-like. His life was that of an educator and he gave to his position the benefit of much experience acquired at the east, the south and the west. His pupils remember with lively feelings his goodness of heart, the affectionate mildness of his rule, and the tenderness of his interest in their spiritual welfare. And if, as is likely, they often took advantage of his unsuspicious and yielding disposition, they uniformly found that such sinning re-acted in the way of regrets, which made it both hard and unprofitable. The period of his service covered that of the civil war, during which, by renson of the general diversion of thought and means to a great national issue, educa- tional interests suffered much; and yet, during all that time, the academy enjoyed reasonable prosperity, regularly graduating good classes, though diminished somewhat in size. It will, however, long be remembered as a period of marked spiritual mani- festations in the school, considerable numbers of the day and boarding scholars, through the personal influence of the principal being led to Christ and the formal con- secration of themselves to his service.
Resigning in 1865, Prof. Mitchell went south and taught again, as he had before, in Tennessee, but was soon released from labor and went to the rest which remained and the crown which was waiting in heaven. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord."
Prof. Gilbert Thayer, A. M., took charge of the institution, boarding department and all, in 1865, by virtue of a lease entered into with the trustees, in which the term of ten years was named. He had just completed seven years of similar service at Bloomington, Ill., and previously had taught for some time at Keesville, N. Y. The record of his success in those places was a sufficient recommendation. Hle came with the repute of an accomplished instructor and of a shrewd and successful business man- ager. In this Intter respect particularly, he was believed to be the man for the place. The trustees were prepared the more to appreciate financial talent in him, from having seen the want of it in some of his predecessors, and especially as they were anxious to resign to his hands all enre and responsibility in regard to the domestic arrangements
154
MURDER TRIALS-"THE LITERARY UNION."
of the institution which during much of the previous time they had found it difficult to manage satisfactorily and without the annoyance of debt.
In 1865, a public spirited individual made a donation to the trustees of Illinois Col- lege in partial endowment of the professorship of Latin, of $5,000. In 1866 a few in- dividuals contributed a fund of $25,000 for the endowment of the presidency of the college, nearly all of which is either paid in and invested, or bearing interest in the hands of the subscribers.
In the autumn of 1862, a disastrous conflagration destroyed the whole west wing of the Illinois Female College. It was promptly rebuilt and the school continued with unchecked prosperity. Dr. Charles Adams, principal.
The court records of "the war period" show that at the August term of the circuit court for the County of Greene, 1858, an indictment was found against Jacob Theby and James Markham for the murder of Cyrus Lake on July 1st, 1858, by striking him upon the head with a deadly weapon. The case was tried in this county at the October term, 1858, and the defendants found not guilty.
Patrick Waters had a "true bill" found against him at the March term, 1861, for the murder of Michael Hawkins on the 14th of January, 1861, by striking him on the head with a bar of iron. The jury found the defendant not guilty.
Win. P. Chrisman was indicted at the October term, 1860, for the murder of Chas. Kreiger on Sept. 1st, 1860, by shooting with a shotgun. This case was stricken from the docket.
Miles Gibbons was indicted in Greene county in 1859, for the murder on the 23d of February, 1859, of William Swift by striking him on the head with a stick of wood. Change of venue to Morgan; case tried, defendant found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to the penitentiary for five years; case taken to supreme court; reversed ; brought back, and case nolle prosed.
Benjamin F. Church was indicted by the grand jury at the September term, 1864, for the murder of Hugh M. Campbell by shooting him with a pistol on July 4, 1864. Defendant found guilty of manslaughter and sent up for two years. This killing grew out of the excitement of the war and created considerable feeling. He was pardoned by the governor before being taken to Joliet.
David Hutchinson was indicted at the September term, 1864, for the murder of Hugli M. Campbell, by shooting him in the breast with a revolver. This case was stricken from the docket in 1866.
William Gordon had an indictment for murder found against him at the March term, 1863, for the killing of Frank Sherry on the 20th of January, 1863, by striking him in the breast with a knife. This case was also stricken from the docket in 1866.
Robert Pile was indicted in Brown county, in November, 1864, for the killing of John Murphy by shooting him with a shot-gun, and brought to Morgan county by a change of venue. Defendant plead guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to the penitentiary for ten years.
Passing from bloody records to those of quiet, care and culture we record the birthi of one of the most venerable and best known associations of Jacksonville literati-The Jacksonville Literary Union.
On April 14, 1864, the following gentlemen met at the residence of Judge William Brown to consider the propriety and practicability of forming a literary association. The late Dr. L. M. Glover, Messrs. Wm. Brown,* Elisha Brown,* William Brown, Jr., Prof. B. F. Mitchell,* Dr. C. Fisher, Prof. William Dod,* Rev. R. W. Allen,* Dr. H. K. Jones, Prof. P. G. Gillett, Prof. J. Loomis, J. H. Wood, Esq., and Prof. John H. Woods. After a free interchange of opinions as to ways and methods, a committee was appoint- ed to prepare the necessary rules and regulations, and at a meeting held on April 21, 1864, and at the same place, the organization was perfected and the first officers were chosen as follows: Judge William Brown, president; Dr. L. M Glover, vice president;
*Deceased.
155
YOUNG LADIES ATHENEUM-LOCAL JOURNALISM.
Philip G. Gillett, secretary. Thus was organized a society, which for more than twenty years has kept the even tenor of its way, and is to-day thriving and vigorous as at the start.
Although its component parts have thus been continually changing, year by year, the Union has preserved its original distinctive character throughout. This fact, while not detracting, in the least, from the reputation of the society for progressiveness, is a high compliment to the wisdom and sound judgment of its founders.
The membership is limited to twenty. A unanimous vote is necessary to an elec- tion. Meetings are held weekly, on Monday evenings, at the residences of the men- bers. The exercises consist of essays, debates, conversations and selected readings, on alternate evenings. A leader, or leaders in debate, opens the discussion of the subject, which is then further ventilated by others, at greater or less length. Oratorical dis- play is never cultivated and finds no favor. The conversational style is almost uni- formly followed-the conversation not being promiscuous, however, but each speaker having his say and then subsiding into silence.
In 1864, the Young Ladies Athenaeum was added to the roll of city educational in- stitutions. It was founded by the Rev. Wm. D. Sanders, D. D., who for many years so successfully filled the chair of rhetoric, elocution and English literature in Illinois College. The Athenæum, early in its career, banished sectarianism. By its organic act of incorporation, not more than three of its twenty-one trustees are members of the same religious denomination. The aim of its founder, Prof. William D. Sanders, was not merely to add another to the list of schools for young ladies; but to found an insti- tution on sounder principles, and to be conducted on a method at once more philosoph- ical and more practical than the generally accepted principles and methods. It grew out of the conviction of the grave defects inseparable from common system and the be- lief that there was a better way. It was a practical protest against the cast-iron routine and superficialness of the accepted method. Among its chief peculiarities, the Athe- neum, 1st, Prescribes no arbitrary and inflexible course of study, 2nd, It classifies on a new system, 3rd, It is not sectarian.
Tracing up the history of the Morgan Journal we find that Wm. H. Collins, a former minister, and a graduate of Illinois College, bought out Mr. Selby about Sep- tember, 1858. He changed the name of the paper, then an eight column weeekly, to Jacksonville Journal.
Mr. Collins left the paper September 26, 1861, to accept a chaplaincy in the army. He afterwards became a captain of volunteers, went to Quincy, became a plow manu- facturer, is now sound in body, witty in speech, and probably, plethoric of purse-al- ways welcomed by his friends in this city. And now a member of Illinois Legislature.
Mr. Collins, in his valedictory, announced that he left the business management in the hands of Mr. W. C. Brown.
HI. Barden soon became the publisher, and moved the concern into a room or two in the second story of McDonald's block, on North Main street. Barden continued the publication until November 17, 1864. Hon. H. J. Atkins, Mr. Wm. W. Jones, and per- haps others, acted as editors under Mr. Barden's management.
Mr. Atkins was a brilliant young lawyer from Maine, who was afterwards member of the Constitutional Convention of 1870, and died soon after.
Wm. W. Jones was a well known Jacksonville boy, son of Henry Jones, M. D., and a young man of much literary taste and promise. He edited the Journal during the political campaign of 1864, and was afterwards an assistant editor of the Illinois State Journal. He died, in that position, in September, 1867.
Ironmonger and Mendenhall bought out the establishment at the time Mr. Barden retired, and, both being practical printers, put the paper and office upon a business basis, improving the appearance of the sheet. Mr. J. J. Ironmonger had begun his typographical life in the Morgan Journal office with Mr. Selby, going afterward to Peoria, whence he returned with Mr. Amos HI. Mendenhall, to become a proprietor. The latter had been foreman of the Peoria Transcript office, and was an experienced
156
THE STATE FAIR-POLITICS, PERSONALS, ETC.
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